Williams

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he will induct former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, retired San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, the musician Joni Mitchell, the band Metallica and actors Edward Asner and Robin Williams to the California Hall of Fame next month.

The list includes a total of 18 Californians selected by the governor and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, for their contributions to film, viticulture, sports, dining, art, literature, music, education, politics and business.

“This historic class reflects the very best of California and what’s possible when people have the courage to think big and make a difference,” Newsom said in a statement. “Their legacy will inspire the next generation to keep pushing boundaries and showing the world what Californians can do.”

The California Hall of Fame began in 2006 under former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Over 180 inductees, who are required to live in California for at least five years, have been recognized over the last 20 years.

This year’s inductees include:

• The late Edward Asner, the first actor to win Emmys for playing the same role, Lou Grant, in both a comedy and a drama and a former president of the Screen Actors Guild.
• Andy Beckstoffer, a vineyard owner and leader in American viticulture, whom the governor is honoring for “pioneering precision farming technologies and advancing farm worker equity, he helped reshape vineyard stewardship and the industry’s economics.”

  

  Barry Bonds attends the 2025 BBWAA Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown.

  (Roy Rochlin / Getty Images)

• Barry Bonds, the left fielder who played 15 seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Bonds holds MLB records for career and single season home runs, and the most National League MVP Awards, among other baseball accolades.
• The late Betty Charbonnet Reid Soskin, the oldest full-time National Park Service ranger who retired at age 100 and “inspired generations by bringing history to life through her own experiences of segregation and resilience.”
• Dominique Crenn, the celebrated chef and co-owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and the first woman chef in the United States to earn three Michelin stars.
• Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning filmmaker.
• Shepard Fairey, the street and graphic artist best known for his 2008 portrait of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.
• Maxine Hong Kingston, an author and the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction, the National Book Award, National Humanities Medal and the National Medal of Arts.
• The late Diane Ladd, a three-time Academy Award nominated actress, the mother of actor Laura Dern and a 30-year member of the SAG-AFTRA National Board.

  

  Rock star Huey Lewis.

  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

• Huey Lewis, the musican and frontman of the Grammy Award-winning band Huey Lewis and the News.
• The late Felicitas Méndez, an advocate for public education who challenged Mexican American student segregation.
• Metallica, the San Francisco rock band that has sold 125 million albums worldwide and is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• Joni Mitchell, the acclaimed singer and songwriter and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

  

  Rep. Nancy Pelosi speaks to the media Tuesday in Washington.

  (Aaron Schwartz / Getty Images)

• Nancy Pelosi, the Bay Area politician who served nearly four decades in Congress and became the first woman elected speaker of the House.
• Bonnie Raitt, the 13-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• The late Rob and Michele Reiner, who the governor’s office said “built careers in entertainment while collaborating on public education and civil rights initiatives in California.”
• Susie Tompkins Buell, the co-founder of the brands Esprit and the North Face, who is being recognized for her work that “challenged the notion that business success and social responsibility were separate pursuits, pairing extraordinary growth with progressive workplace practices and socially conscious marketing.”
• Robin Williams, the late actor, comedian, Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy winner.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS has come under fire after he ‘threw shade’ at popstar Olivia Rodrigo. 

The singer, 52, received backlash from fans who branded him as ‘pathetic’, following the online buzz from his hit track being compared to her new Christmas song.

Olivia, 23, sent fans into a frenzy after releasing a brand new Christmas track titled Take Me Home 4 Christmas.

The single was written by the star herself and is her first holiday song ever.

Alongside it she posted a music video inspired by The Family Stone featuring Cynthia Nixon and Ben Marshall. 

The track has been a big hit with fans with the video sitting at over three million views online. 

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But some listeners have now compared the song to the hit Robbie Williams single Candy. 

There have been many videos uploaded of the tracks overlapping to what some people think are similar notes and melodies. 

The videos caught the attention of Robbie himself who has taken to X to have his say on the discourse. 

In a post he simply wrote: “Happy Christmas @oliviarodrigo x”

Fans rushed to the comments convinced the Angels hitmaker was throwing shade at Olivia. 

One user commented: “You’re grown a** man shading a 23yo on twitter, aren’t you pathetic.”

Another added: “No shade because I love candy, but I doubt Olivia has ever even heard it?”

“You didn’t have to step so low. Shading a 23 years old girl is embarrassing as hell,” penned a third. 

Others agreed that the song was in fact copied, with one fan commenting: “Could be a great Christmas for you Rob, get those copyright lawyers on speed dial! 

“I love you @robbiewilliams !! Ask for sampling rights,” said another.

“How’s this shade ? am I missing something,”replied a third.

Talk about strange beginnings at Friday’s City Section Division I football playoff opener between Sun Valley Poly and host Marshall.

After the opening kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback, Poly coach Boo Williams immediately called a timeout when he saw his double-wing offense lining up with 12 players. After a discussion, the next play was an illegal procedure penalty on the Parrots.

Looking confused, the Parrots deserved an Academy Award for their acting skills, because on their third play, quarterback King Exusdus took the snap from shotgun formation and sprinted 82 yards for a touchdown.

Marshall, seeded No. 5 after its first 10-0 regular season in school history, never figured out how to slow down the Parrots’ run-oriented attack and couldn’t overcome a sore shoulder that limited quarterback Nathaniel Cadet’s ability to pass in a 20-0 loss to 12th-seeded Poly (10-1).

“Who says Poly can’t win a Division I playoff game?” Williams said.

With each short pass in pregame warmups, Cadet grabbed his right shoulder as if he were in pain — and he was. On Saturday, he couldn’t move his arm because of a contusion and sprain to his AC shoulder joint suffered in the regular-season finale last week against Eagle Rock.

All week, Cadet alternated between applying ice and heat to his shoulder. He looked at Instagram and found a shoulder sleeve designed to provide support. He took four Advil tablets. The Barristers badly needed him. He came in with 1,570 yards passing and 24 touchdowns, but on his second pass of the game, he came to the sideline in severe pain revealing the challenge he was facing. He ended up passing for just 55 yards and was intercepted twice.

For Poly — the East Valley League champions under Williams in his first year as coach — the turnaround from a football program with little history of success to competing in City Division I has been meteoric. After problems at the start of the game and a few illegal procedure penalties, the Parrots ran the double wing to perfection, with 290-pound lineman Diego Rodriguez clearing a path like he was knocking down pins with a bowling ball.

Exusdus, usually a receiver, finished with 174 yards rushing in 13 carries. Justice Brown rushed for 86 yards and caught Poly’s only pass, a 26-yard touchdown on fourth down from quarterback Alijah Ochoa.

“One pass, one touchdown, baby,” former Sylmar All-City quarterback Clarence Williams said. He’s the quarterback coach at Poly.

On defense, linebacker Stephon Boyd was all over the field making tackles. Exusdus and Boyd used to attend Birmingham before arriving at Poly this season.

Exusdus is grateful just to be out on the field. He missed all last season attending a continuation school as he tried to improve a grade-point average that he said was once below 1.0. Playing football in his senior year made him start showing up on time to practices and making progress in the classroom.

King Exusdus of Sun Valley Poly takes off on an 82-yard touchdown run.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

“I had to get everything right,” he said. “It motivated me. Seeing friends go Division I fueled me.”

It was a difficult ending for a Marshall team that won the Northern League title and had not won a Division I playoff game since 2000. Poly moves on to the quarterfinals and will face either Chatsworth or Banning.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gabby Williams scored her team’s final 11 points of the third quarter and dazzled through the fourth on the way to 30 points, and the Golden State Valkyries captured a championship in just their second season by beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in a sensational first WNBA Finals Game 7 on Saturday night.

Jordin Canada scored 18 points, Allisha Gray 16 and Angel Reese had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Dream, denied another championship in the franchise’s fourth try.

Gray made two free throws with 11 seconds left then Atlanta forced a jump ball — Gray against Williams — and Veronica Burton corralled it and converted two free throws with 5.1 seconds to go.

“I’m just so blessed, this is insane!” said Burton, cut by Dallas two years ago.

Rhyne Howard’s layup tied it at 57 with 2:41 left only for Williams to answer once more with a clutch three-pointer. She converted two free throws with 1:40 remaining, then Kiah Stokes scored a late basket. Stokes pulled down 13 rebounds and blocked two more shots to cap her spectacular postseason.

Williams left Seattle with a great feeling about joining Golden State and its close-knit culture, returning to the Bay Area where she played youth basketball to build something special with the Valkyries — and she’s now done that. Fans chanted “Gabby! Gabby!” throughout the fourth quarter.

“All it took was good people,” she said. “All we heard last year was we don’t have no stars. We don’t have no talent. Yeah right! We got good people. We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game.”

When the final buzzer sounded, the violet-clad sellout crowd at Chase Center went into a frenzy as players sprinted onto the floor to hug and celebrate as confetti fell from the rafters.

“Ballhalla” had become “Boohalla” for this far-but-haunted Halloween night in the raucous arena. Now, with a women’s championship to its name right alongside the one earned by the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

“We gotta build a bigger trophy case,” co-owner Peter Guber said.

The team that led at halftime in the first six matchups had won every game so far, and the Dream were ahead 30-24 at the break. Atlanta also had been 16-0 this season when Reese made at least one 3. The Dream’s DeWanna Bonner became the first player in WNBA history to reach 600 career postseason defensive rebounds.

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase changed her starting lineup in a move that paid huge dividends after Golden State fell behind 2-1, inserting Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes and bringing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini off the bench.

The 37-year-old Hayes, who came out of retirement two years ago and spent 10 seasons with the Dream, scored 11 points in the winner-take-all Game 7 and brought energy all series that made Nakase want to win for the veteran guard as much as anybody.

Valkyries owner Joe Lacob guaranteed a championship within the first five years for this franchise three years ago when the Bay Area was granted an expansion team, and in improbable, joyful fashion, his team accomplished it in Year 2. That after becoming the first expansion organization to reach the playoffs in its inaugural year in 2025.

During the victory ceremony, Lacob shouted out the team and its leaders, while Nakase, general manager Ohemma Nyanin and president Jess Smith hugged. And Lacob thanked the fans who have sold out Chase Center for every game since Day 1.

“Ballhalla!” Lacob hollered.

The Rams finally found it.

For one game at least, running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each carried the ball nearly the same number of times, rushed for nearly the same amount of yards and each scored a touchdown last week in the Rams’ victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

“We have similarities running the ball but also differences too,” Williams said. “And I think that’s what makes that 1-2 punch everybody keeps talking about.”

Before the victory over the Raiders, most of the conversation about the rushing attack centered around a question: When would coach and play-caller Sean McVay find a way to effectively use both?

Now the question is whether McVay and the backs can repeat or produce a similar performance Sunday against the Chargers and beyond.

McVay noted that Williams and Corum are interchangeable.

“As a play-caller, the best thing is you just call the plays,” McVay said. “It’s not like I have a specific menu of plays for Blake or for Kyren or vice versa.”

Williams, 26, is 5 feet, 9 inches, and 207 pounds. Corum, 25, is 5-8 and 202 pounds.

Williams wears jersey No. 23, Corum No. 24.

The Rams drafted Williams in the fifth round out of Notre Dame in 2022, and selected Corum in the third round out of Michigan in 2024.

“There’s a difference in their run style,” McVay said. “You’re defending different things. They’re nice complements.”

That was in full effect against the Raiders.

Williams rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries. Corum rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries.

Their effort helped the Rams take a 35-21 victory that ended a two-game losing streak and kept alive hope for a team that started the season as the Super Bowl favorite.

The two backs share a “growth mindset,” Williams said.

“It’s a great vibe, where we’re able to play off each other, not just on the football field but also in life,” he said.

Rams running back Kyren Williams takes the field before facing the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 12.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

They also enjoy “a healthy, competitive relationship,” Corum said.

“It’s like I want to see the best for you and he wants to see the best for me,” Corum said. “If he does something great, it’s ‘All right, can I do something greater to help the team.’

“And if I do something great, he’s like, ‘Can I do something greater.’ It’s all love, and all for the team.”

Williams, a 2023 Pro Bowl player, signed a three-year extension before last season that included $23 million in guarantees. He went into this season having rushed for at least 1,144 yards in each of the last three seasons, including more than 1,200 in each of the last two.

The game against the Raiders is what the Rams envisioned — but did not achieve — last season when they aimed to reduce Williams’ workload as a way of keeping him fresh for the latter part of the season and the playoffs.

In 2025, Williams rushed for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns in 259 carries. Corum gained 746 yards and scored six touchdowns in 145 carries.

So far this season, Williams has rushed for 492 yards and five touchdowns in 96 carries. He also has 32 receptions for 239 yards and a touchdown.

Corum has rushed for 316 yards and two touchdowns in 64 carries. He has 10 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

“I haven’t been a part of that before where you haven’t thought to yourself, ‘OK, we want to lean on these types of plays when this guy’s in and these types of plays when the other guy’s in,’” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I think you’re really comfortable with both those guys doing everything we ask of a halfback in this offense.”

Offensive linemen said they often are unaware which running back is in the game — until they look up to see who is celebrating in the end zone.

“It’s crazy to say — but legit,” guard Kevin Dotson said. “It feels just like a plug and play. I don’t know who’s really in, and it doesn’t really matter.

“I know they can make it happen.”

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai-Gilgeous Alexander scored 34 points, Ajay Mitchell had 18 off the bench, and the Oklahoma City Thunder stayed undefeated with a 108-101 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night.

Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which won its third straight to start the season but lost three players to injury, including All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who went down hard on a drive to the basket with 1:14 left. Williams left the court on a stretcher with towels covering his left leg.

Guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Mitchell was eight-for-14 shooting with six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes.

Darius Garland scored 16 points for the Clippers (1-2). Kris Dunn and Brook Lopez had 15 points each for the Clippers, who pulled to 97-96 on a three-point shot by Derrick Jones Jr. with three minutes left but never tied the game or took the lead.

Up next for the Clippers: vs. the Lakers at Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.

ROBBIE Williams has been cleared over controversial tax scheme links — paving the way for a gong in the King’s New Year’s Honours.

The pop superstar, 52, is in line for recognition for his charity work with Unicef and Soccer Aid after he founded the all-stars event in 2006.

Sources said the She’s the One singer’s tax affairs had been “green-flagged” after a probe, meaning Whitehall chiefs can put him ­forward to for an honour — and he could even be made a Sir.

He has previously been linked to investments in Ingenious Media, a financing company designated a tax avoidance scheme by HMRC.

Footie stars and other celebs — including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ant and Dec — were caught up in the battle between Ingenious and investigators.

Becks, also a Unicef ambassador, was knighted in 2025 after HMRC conducted financial checks.

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And former Take That member Robbie is now set for a gong.

A source said: “Robbie’s name has been put forward and if he gets anything it’s likely to be a knighthood or possibly an OBE.

“He has raised hundreds of ­millions for charity and this year was the 20th year of Soccer Aid — which was his idea. So his name has been put on the list by the charity and philanthropy committee after it was green-flagged. There are more hoops to get through, and it needs to go forward to the main honours committee and then the PM and ultimately the King.

“Anyone who is high-profile is checked and vetted thoroughly.

“And one of those checks is their tax affairs, so it is a good sign for him that HMRC have given him the thumbs-up.”

It was reported in 2019 that he was barred from receiving an OBE over his links to the tax scheme and placed on an “honours blacklist”.

But he is understood to have now satisfied Treasury bosses over his finances.

Robbie, who with wife Ayda, 47, and their four kids lives part of the year in California, has a home in London and pays tax here.

Stoke-born Robbie — catapulted to fame when he joined Take That in 1990 — founded Soccer Aid with pal Jonathan Wilkes and the annual fundraiser has so far made more than £137million.

This year’s event at a sold-out London Stadium, screened live on ITV, raised more than £16million for Unicef.

Robbie started working with Unicef after seeing the organisation’s efforts in Sri Lanka in 1998 and became a UK ambassador in 2000.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “We do not comment on speculation regarding honours.”

Prince William revealed he met with Ross Kemp recently and confirmed “he was really jumpy” as he opened up on his family’s love for The Celebroity Traitors on The Graham Norton Show

The Prince of Wales has revealed his family’s love of The Celebrity Traitors, adding that he even touched paranoid faithful Ross Kemp “to see what reaction I got from him”.

The EastEnders star had been on alert about being murdered in plain sight through touch since the first episode of the BBC One series. The paranoia proved justified in Thursday’s episode, when he was indeed murdered in plain sight by traitors James Acaster and Maya Jama.

But instead of touch, he was murdered by yawning and inhaling a poisoned perfume. Discussing the star-studded programme during a surprise appearance on an Earthshot Prize edition of The Graham Norton Show, William said: “I love it, the family love it. Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it. It’s really good telly.

“I saw Ross Kemp the day after the first episode and I couldn’t help but try – in the most appropriate way – to touch him to see what reaction I got from him. Turns out he was really jumpy!”

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Asked how he switches off, he said: “It is music and film. I love getting immersed in deep-thinking films. I like action films too, but I like something a bit different. I’m a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does. His films are fantastic – The Dark Knight series is psychologically dark and deep and I absolutely love that.

“He takes concepts that are completely out there and makes them incredibly entertaining.”

William joined Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham on the chat show to gasps from the audience to speak about the environmental award, which connects all four guests.

Blanchett is an Earthshot Prize council member, Irwin is a global ambassador for the prize and Waddingham hosted the 2023 Earthshot awards in Singapore.

Mumbai will stage the Earthshot Prize next month where the future king will meet Bollywood stars as he learns about India’s hugely popular film industry, play with cricketing royalty and preside over the ceremony awarding £5 million in prize money.

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Former Northern Ireland Open champions Kyren Wilson and Mark Williams remain on course for a potential meeting in the final of this year’s tournament in Belfast after winning their respective quarter-finals on Friday.

World number nine Wilson ran out a convincing 6-1 winner over Anthony McGill in the afternoon session at the Waterfront Hall, while Williams, who sits one place higher in the rankings, defeated David Gilbert 6-4 during the evening’s play.

Wilson, who claimed both the world title and the NI Open crown in 2024, established a 4-0 lead over his Scottish opponent with the help of breaks of 77, 75 and 122.

McGill took the next with a run of 66 but the Englishman eased home to progress and secure a first semi-final appearance at a ranking event since March 2025, with compatriot Sam Craigie his next opponent.

Craigie advanced to only his second-ever ranking event semi-final by beating Elliot Slessor 6-2.

Slessor took an early lead after compiling an 82 but Craigie reeled off five frames in a row and ultimately clinched a comfortable passage to the last four.

Gilbert built a 3-1 lead over Williams with the help of breaks of 62, 95 and 60, but after they shared the next two, Williams scored three centuries in consecutive frames as he took the next four to seal victory.

The 51-year-old three-time world champion and 2017 NI Open winner will take on fellow Welshman Jak Jones in Saturday’s second semi-final.

Jones, who has already collected the British Open and Championship League titles this season, edged out Scott Donaldson 6-5 in a late-night thriller, a break of 84 in the decider proving decisive in booking his berth in the last four.

After spending years as an assistant football coach at Sylmar and San Fernando, Boo Williams arrived at Sun Valley Poly this season with a mission to turn around a program that always seemed to have talent but rarely put together many victories.

In his rookie season, Williams has Poly with a 7-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the East Valley League going into the final games against Verdugo Hills and Arleta.

Justice Brown has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. King Exudus has been an impact player on defense.

Williams brought with him some of his ex-players, including former Sylmar quarterback Clarence Williams.

Poly’s only loss was to Taft in the season opener 37-16.

Boo Williams said he’s “having fun” being a head coach for the first time.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Williams scored 26 points as the Golden State Valkyries came back to take the lead at home against the Atlanta Dream.

Gabby Williams scored a game-high 26 points, including four key free throws in the final 78 seconds as the Golden State Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in game one of the WNBA Finals.

Williams, runner-up to Atlanta’s Angel Reese in Defensive Player of the Year voting, has emerged as an offensive force for the Valkyries in the playoffs and carried the scoring load on a tough shooting night for the hosts, who did not have another player score in double figures on Saturday.

The French star took some time to warm up, going scoreless in the first quarter as the Valkyries got off to a tentative start in front of a raucous crowd at Chase Center.

“Once we all started having fun and the excitement got out, we started to kind of find our way,” Williams, who erupted for 16 points in the second quarter, said in an on-court interview.

“There was a lid on that basket tonight, but that’s why we rely on our defence,” she said.

Golden State trailed by one with 1 minute and 18 seconds remaining when Williams seized the rebound off a miss by Atlanta’s Allisha Gray and was fouled by Reese.

Williams made both free throws to put the Valkyries up 65-64 and added another pair of free throws to seal the win with 4.1 seconds left.

“It came down to getting stops and that’s been our bread-and-butter all ‌year,” noted Williams, whose team has allowed 335 fewer points than any other in the WNBA this season. “That’s why we harp on it so much, because we’ve built such great defensive habits.”

Gray, the Dream’s leading scorer, returned after missing two games with a hand injury and scored 19 points, but she was scoreless in the fourth quarter, when Atlanta made just two of their 19 attempts from the floor.

Reese added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Rhyne Howard scored 12 for Atlanta.

Atlanta scored just two in an overall eight-point fourth quarter, where Gray was scoreless over the final 10 minutes and Reese scored all of her 14 points in the first half.

“I don’t think they really did anything,” Reese said. “Maybe that was just on me; I wasn’t aggressive enough with the ball and trying to get the ball and get to my spot. I’m definitely going to do a better job of that next game.”

The Valkyries will host game two of the best-of-seven series on Monday.

Both teams are chasing a first WNBA title. The Dream have come up empty in three prior trips to the Finals, most recently in 2013.

The Valkyries, who last year became the first WNBA expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season, are now contending for the title in their second.

SAN FRANCISCO — Gabby Williams converted two free throws with 1:18 left to put Golden State ahead, two more with 4.1 seconds to go and finished with 26 points facing constant pressure from Atlanta’s stingy defense, and the Valkyries held off the Dream 68-64 in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday.

Williams scored 16 of her points in the second quarter and no other Valkyries reached double figures as they shot 32.1% and seven of 33 from three-point range.

“We always knew we were going to find a way somehow,” Williams said on the microphone postgame as fans chanted “Gabby! Gabby!”

Rhyne Howard missed a three-point try with 1:09 left but Angel Reese made a steal moments later. Naz Hillmon missed from deep. Kiah Stokes missed the first of two free throws with 23.8 seconds left. Then Allisha Gray missed a three with nine seconds left.

Williams then hit the free throws a few seconds later to seal the victory.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night back at Chase Center, where the ear-piercing noise from a raucous “Ballhalla” crowd made for the exact hostile environment Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase requested from the home fans.

One of these two franchises will capture its first championship, and if the first game is any indication it’s going to be an all-out defensive fight.

Gray returned from injury to score 19 points, Reese added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Jordin Canada contributed eight points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Dream, hitting a timely 13-foot jumper with 4:23 remaining.

Williams’ driving layup with 3:22 to play pulled Golden State within 62-61. Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries’ star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.

Gray was in the starting lineup and had gone through a light practice Friday after missing the last two games of Atlanta’s sweep of the New York Liberty in the best-of-three semifinal series with an injured left ring finger — on her shooting hand.

Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes hit her face hard on the floor trying to make a steal in the closing minutes and was down with 2:38 remaining before walking off the court on her own to the locker room.

McCauley writes for the Associated Press.

He made one of the biggest splashes in the Lakers’ first preseason game. Ziaire Williams set the tone of the Lakers’ new defensive style, pressuring the ball the full length of the court and injecting energy into his teammates. The Sierra Canyon High alumnus sank three three-pointers in a stellar debut for his hometown team.

Then came the swelling in his left foot.

After a minor injury slowed Williams’ preseason ascent, the 6-foot-9 forward could be in position to return to the lineup for the Lakers’ preseason finale at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the visiting Denver Nuggets. Williams practiced fully Thursday after missing the last three games. He’ll leave the final call up to the Lakers’ medical staff as the team tries to maximize its preseason preparation.

“It’s important, man, just to get game reps with each other, but health is key,” said Williams, who had 13 points and a steal as a starter in the preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5. “If you can’t go, you just can’t. It’s not the end of the world. Going back to championship identity, we’re looking ahead at the bigger picture. So it’s not worth [it] to risk your body for a game that doesn’t count and then be out for the real games.”

With nine new players, the Lakers needed training camp and preseason games to build chemistry as a group. Small injuries to several players interrupted the process, but with one fewer preseason game than last year and almost double the total practice days, coach JJ Redick said integrating new players still has “been pretty seamless.”

“We would love to have gotten looks with everybody healthy and everybody good to go,” Redick said, “but we also have to be smart with an 82-game season.”

The Lakers debuted new center Walker Kessler only this week, and the star acquisition who jammed a pinky finger early in training camp still has not played in a game with guard Luka Doncic, who was held out of Tuesday’s game for a planned rest day. Doncic participated fully in practice Thursday, as did forward Adou Thiero, who sat out Tuesday because of “maintenance,” Redick said. Rookie Cameron Carr (undisclosed) remained out of practice Thursday after missing the last two games.

Guard Quentin Grimes has been a preseason iron man. The free-agent signing who is angling for a starting position has played a team-high 97 minutes in four preseason games. With Doncic and Austin Reaves playing together only once in the first four games, Grimes has filled a larger ballhandling role than he might have if the Lakers were at full strength. The 26-year-old guard who is on his fifth team in six seasons credited his journeyman history for helping him get comfortable with a do-it-all role.

“I’ve done a good job of just creating offense, creating opportunities whether that be for myself or for teammates, getting everybody involved,” said Grimes, who is averaging 12.3 points and 2.5 assists on 53.3% shooting in the preseason. “I feel like this team allows me to play on the ball, off the ball in any situation. I feel like I’ve played that kind of [role at] every stop.”

Collin Sexton is the only offseason acquisition who has not made his Lakers debut. Battling a lower leg injury, Sexton participated in all of practice except for periods of live play Thursday. After practice, the guard was seen with kinesiology tape snaking up his right calf while working on the court with assistant coaches.

Sexton’s presence could help stabilize the Lakers’ offense, which is averaging 25.3 turnovers during the preseason.

When Sexton was sidelined at the beginning of the preseason, Redick said he was not worried about the guard’s status for the Oct. 21 season opener against Golden State. When asked Thursday about Sexton’s availability, Redick said simply he was “trending in the right direction.”