The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream each secured victories in the opening games of their respective WNBA semifinal series on Sunday, advancing in the postseason that is beginning to take shape.
In San Francisco, the Valkyries defeated the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal. Gabby Williams led Golden State with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. She was particularly effective in the first half, contributing 18 points on efficient shooting, including three three-pointers. Kiah Stokes also made a major impact, grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking three shots, while teammate Kayla Thornton added 11 rebounds. The Valkyries dominated the boards with a 52-25 advantage over Las Vegas.
Las Vegas was led by A’ja Wilson, who scored 24 points but struggled with her shooting, missing 13 of 21 attempts and pulling down only four rebounds. Chelsea Gray added 16 points, and Jackie Young contributed 11. However, the Aces were hampered by the loss of guard Jewell Loyd, who left early in the third quarter with a left leg injury and was listed as questionable afterward. Additionally, floor leader Veronica Burton sat out most of the second half for unspecified reasons. Las Vegas shot a season-low 33.9%, while Golden State made just 37.7% of its shots. The Golden State bench was a decisive factor, outscoring Las Vegas reserves 27-7.
The Valkyries took control early, building a lead as large as 11 points before going into halftime ahead 34-31. Despite a Las Vegas run late in the second quarter, Golden State maintained the lead throughout the second half, buoyed by strong defensive efforts and scoring contributions from role players.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Dream overcame the New York Liberty 92-82 in the first game of their semifinal series. Jordin Canada scored 25 points, with 20 coming in the second half, and contributed five steals. DeWanna Bonner added 23 points, stepping up after Allisha Gray left the game with a left-hand injury in the second quarter.
The contest was tightly contested in the first half, with 14 lead changes and neither team leading by more than six points. New York held a slight 40-37 advantage at halftime. However, Atlanta dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Liberty 32-15 and capitalizing on 21 forced turnovers. The Dream’s defense was especially effective, generating 16 steals in the third quarter alone and scoring 32 points off New York turnovers—a playoff record.
Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart led New York with 27 and 19 points respectively, but the Liberty struggled with ball control and shooting during Atlanta’s decisive surge. New York trimmed a 16-point deficit to five in the final minutes, but key baskets by Canada sealed the win for the Dream.
The victory marked Atlanta’s first semifinal game win since 2018 and extended their current postseason winning streak to eight games, leaving them as the last undefeated team remaining in the playoffs.
Both series are poised to continue with Game 2 on Wednesday evening, as teams look to capitalize on home-court advantages and adjust strategies in pursuit of the WNBA Finals.