Tag: Atlanta Dream

Golden State Valkyries are your 2026 WNBA Finals Champions

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The Golden State Valkyries celebrate their WNBA Championship after winning over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (Photo credits to Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – In just their second season, the Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA Champions. On Halloween night, things got real spooky in Ballhalla. The Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream returned to the Bay Area for one final WNBA Finals game. Game 7: the winner takes it all. Both teams are looking for their first franchise championship, but one of these teams must go home with the loss. So, with that being said, the Golden State Valkyries would beat the Atlanta Dream in game seven, at home, 68-63.

Game six of the WNBA Finals was in Atlanta, where the Dream would get the win, 80-69, to push a game seven Saturday. In the loss, the Valkyries’ Gabby Williams would lead the team with her 26 points. While Atlanta’s Alisha Gray would drop 23 points in their win. Atlanta would also go off and score 22 points in the 4th quarter alone.

Head coach Natalie Nakase knew the championship was on the line. So coach Nakase was not gonna risk it and put Tiffany Hayes in the starting lineup. Hayes has been a vital part of the Valkyries offense all year, and with one win away from becoming champions. Golden State was ready and wanting to strike first in this finale. As far as that, it would be the same starters with Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes, Veronica Burton, and Kaila Charles.

Atlanta Dream wouldn’t change much to their starting lineup. Head coach Karl Smesko sent out Angel Reese, Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Naz Hillmon as the starting five. Atlanta is also looking for their first WNBA Championship with this win. In this series, Dream would win just one game in Chase Center, and that was game two of the WNBA Finals, 79-65.

Valkyries Veronica Burton wasted no time and wanted Golden State to strike first in this win-or-lose game. She would score the first basket of the evening with a floater inside, and then on the transition to defense. Kiah Stokes would get her first block of the night, and just get the fans to erupt in Chase Center. Then just one possession later, Stokes would make her presence felt and get two blocks in the first three minutes of the game.

Atlanta would miss their first eight shots to start the game, but that wouldn’t let their spirits down. After the first six minutes of the first quarter, Dream would get their first basket and then go on a quick 4-0 scoring run. The score after that would be 8-4, then Atlanta’s Alisha Gray would knock down a three-pointer, the first of the night, and cut the lead to one, 8-7.

At the end of the first quarter, Veronica Burton would still carry that energy and end the quarter by beating the buzzer with a floater. Burton would have 6 points, on 3-for-4 shooting, and with one block. Golden State would go the entire first quarter without making any three-pointers, and the score would be 14-12; the Valkyries hold the lead. Both of these teams are known for having great defense and take pride in it, and shows on these quarters in this series have been low.

In the second quarter, Dream would start it off by going on a 5-0 scoring run and retaking the lead. They would turn that 5-point run into a 9-point run while the Valkyries were starting to see some struggles with their shooting. Golden State would go almost six minutes without scoring a point, and Atlanta’s lead would go to 24-17. Valkyries Kayla Thornton would make the first three-pointer for the team. With the made shot, Golden State so far would be 1-for-11 from shooting beyond the arc.

At halftime, Atlanta would remain to hold the lead over Golden State at 30-24. Dream’s Jordin Canada would have 13 points and 3 rebounds. Angel Reese was also showing flashes of her game in this finale as she had 5 points and 7 rebounds. Valkyries’ Veronica Burton led the team in the first half with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.

In the third quarter, Jordin Canada would start it off by making a three-pointer to set the tone for Atlanta as the game entered the final half before a champion was crowned. Halfway through the quarter, Atlanta’s lead would jump to 9 points, 37-28. Then, Gabby Williams would take over, with Kiah Stokes leading the charge by making a layup to cut the lead to 7 points. The Valkyries would erupt in the final four minutes and put up 21 points. Williams would put up 15 points alone in the third quarter, and by the end of it. The score was 45-44; the Valkyries held the lead by 1 point.

Going into the final quarter of the 2026 WNBA season. Everything was on the line for both of these teams as they’re just moments and within reach of getting their teams their first championship. Valkyries Tiffany Hayes would show off her aggressiveness and power her way to a layup and give the Valkyries a 3-point lead, 49-46. Then Williams would get fouled and make both of her free throws, and now Golden State is up by 5 points, 51-46.

Atlanta was showing off their perseverance and not giving up on this game. Dream’s Alisha Gray would make a fadeaway jump shot and tie the game, 53-53, with five minutes remaining. Then Rhyne Howard would foul Gabby Williams, and Williams would make both of the shots, 55-53. Williams would put all her effort on the court, as she went on a 9-0 scoring run by herself. With a minute left, Golden State had the lead, 62-57.

Thirty-four seconds left, Atlanta is down and on a Hail Mary shot. Allisha Gray would make a 23-foot three-pointer to cut the lead to 4 points, 64-60. However, with time not on their side and with the crowd screaming. Atlanta’s hope of winning was getting smaller. Eventually, Veronica Burton would get the final blow on the Atlanta Dream as she would get fouled on a shot and make both of the shots. With that, the final score of the game and the 2026 WNBA season would be 68-63.

Gabby Williams would be the 2026 WNBA Finals MVP. Williams has made history throughout the Finals; she led Golden State with 19.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 2.6 SPG. With 137 total points and 18 total steals, she set a new WNBA Finals record for the most points and steals in a single Finals series. In this game seven finale, she finishes with 30 points, 4 blocks, 2 assists, and 2 steals. So with that, the 2026 WNBA Champions are the Golden State Valkyries. They are now the fastest expansion team in league history to win a Championship.

Valkyries Win Game 5 of the WNBA Finals over Atlanta, 64-55, & one Win away from WNBA Championship

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Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton (22) blocks a shot against Atlanta Dream’s Naz Hillmon (00) in the second quarter for Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Photo credits to Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Valkyries returned to Ballhalla after beating the Atlanta Dream in game 4 of the WNBA Finals. With the series tied 2-2, Atlanta and Golden State met in game 5, each trying to take the series lead. However, the Valkyries would beat the Dream, 64-55, and Golden State is now just one win away from the franchise’s first-ever WNBA Championship in the team’s second year in the WNBA.

Atlanta Dream headed back to the Bay to face off against the Valkyries after losing game 4 at home. The Valkyries were able to get a win on the road and tied the series at 2-2. The Valkyries beat Dream, 67-62 in game 4 on Saturday, October 24th. Rhyne Howard led the team with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist. Even though the team lost, head coach Karl Smesko didn’t change his starters, so he sent out Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese to start game 5.

Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase didn’t change Golden State starters. Coach Nakase sent Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, Kiah Stokes, Gabby Williams, and Veronica Burton to start game 5. Williams led the team in their Game 4 win with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Also, Valkyries Kiah Stokes made history in the WNBA Finals, with 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in the last game. She set the record for the most blocks in the finals.

Golden State’s Kiah Stokes got the game going with the first basket of the evening, with a made layup. Then Veronica Burton would keep the scoring going with another bucket in the paint. These first two buckets got the crowd and Ballhalla rocking early. The first quarter after this was all defense. Both teams were making it hard for each other to score. Both teams wouldn’t be able to get a three-pointer to go in until almost the last two minutes of the quarter.

Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton would make the team’s first three-pointer with two minutes left in the first quarter, after getting a hard foul from Angel Reese. Reese was trying to create space in the paint, and elbowed Thornton in the face. So, Thornton’s three-pointer would give the Valkyries the lead, but Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard would end the first quarter with a made three-pointer, Atlanta’s first three-pointer of the night. At the end of the first quarter, Atlanta leads Golden State, 14-13.

Going into the second quarter, it was both of the team’s lowest-scoring performances. Golden State would only drop 12 points, while Atlanta would only drop 8 points in the second quarter. However, at the start, Valkyries Veronica Burton would score the team’s first 5 points by herself. She would be the start of the team’s 9-2 scoring run, and the team went 4-of-5 on their first five shot attempts. After that, the Valkyries would miss nine shots in a row in a span of five minutes.

Both teams were struggling on their offense and shooting in the first half. However, the low-scoring performances from the teams were mainly due to both teams’ defense. These two teams were ranked the top two defensive teams in the WNBA. At halftime, Golden State would have the lead over Atlanta, 25-22. Burton would lead the Valkyries so far with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.

The third quarter was the takeover and spark the Valkyries needed, especially playing back at home after playing the last two games of the series in Atlanta. Golden State would explode for 21 points alone in the 3rd quarter. In the first two minutes of the 3rd quarter, the Valkyries would go on a quick 7-0 scoring run, and this was the start of the Valkyries taking game 5 from Dream.

Halfway through the 3rd quarter, Atlanta would get the closest to tying the game with Golden State by being down by 3 points, 34-31. However, Kiah Stokes would take over and put up two blocks by herself in the 3rd quarter, and also drop 8 points alone. Her efforts and, at the buzzer to end the 3rd, Burton would be able to get a floater to go in before the buzzer and make the score 46-40. Golden State made sure that Atlanta would feel their defensive pressure in game 4, as the Valkyries would have 8 blocks as a team before the final quarter.

Going into the final ten minutes of the game, Golden State’s shooting would see a slight increase, but just enough to take over and start to hold a commanding lead over Atlanta. The Valkyries’ defense would hold the Dream’s shooting to 14-of-51 (27%). Although Atlanta wasn’t gonna just give up, especially with the series being the championship. Dream’s Jordin Canada would immediately score at the start and cut Valkyrie’s lead to four points, 46-42.

Right after Canada’s made basket, on Atlanta’s next offensive possession, Valkyrie’s Burton would get a block on Allisha Gray and set up Gabby Williams for a driving layup and get fouled. Williams would get a 3-point play and extend Golden State’s lead, 49-42. Then, Kiah Stokes wasn’t done for the night as she made her third three-pointer of the night and gave the Valkyries their largest lead of the night, 52-42.

At the halfway mark of the final quarter, Valkyries Cecilia Zandalasini would make a turnaround jump shot and push the lead to 12 points, 56-44. Then, in the final two minutes, Golden State was starting to enter victory formations while Atlanta’s dreams of winning game 5 were becoming just a dream. The score would be 60-46, Valkyries holding the lead. Then, in a final act of desperation, Atlanta would be able to make two back-to-back three-pointers in the last minute, 62-52.

However, the Valkyries’ lead was too big for Atlanta, and the clock was not on their side. Golden State would get the win in game 5 of the WNBA Finals. The Valkyries are now leading the series, 3-2, with the final score being 64-55. Kiah Stokes now has six straight games with 3+ blocks, tied with Lisa Leslie (2003) for the longest streak in a single postseason in WNBA playoff history. Also, Veronica Burton led the team with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. Burton’s four blocks tie Diana Taurasi (2009) as the most blocks by a guard in a WNBA Finals game. This was also her career high in blocks

With one more win for the Valkyries on becoming the 2026 WNBA Champions, they’ll head on the road for game 6 with possibilities of ending it in Atlanta. The Atlanta Dream are now playing the rest of the championship series with a “do-or-die” mentality. Game 6 of the WNBA Finals will be on Thursday, October 29th, at 9:30 a.m., and will be broadcast live on Peacock and USA Network.

Valkyries lose Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, Atlanta Dream ties the series 1-1

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SAN FRANCISCO – Atlanta Dream Angel Reese (#5) shows her excitement as the Atlanta Dream win Game 2 of the WNBA Finals in a WNBA basketball game at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA, on October 19th, 2026(Photo credit: Getty Images)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – Ballhalla welcomed and hosted Game 2 of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. The Valkyries took Game 1 on Saturday afternoon, 68-64. But a new day, a new game, and Atlanta lived up to it as the Dream got their first win of the Finals on the road over Golden State, 79-65. This loss was the Valkyries’ first time at home in this postseason, while the win for Atlanta was their first-ever Finals win.

After getting Golden State’s first-ever win in the WNBA Finals. Head coach Natalie Nakase has a lot of pride and respect for her starters, so she didn’t wanna change any of that. Nakase started Kayla Thornton, Cecilia Zandalasini, Kiah Stokes, Gabby Williams, and Veronica Burton. Williams scored a game-high 26 points for Golden State to give them the 1-0 series lead.

Atlanta’s head coach Karl Smesko, in his second year coaching in the WNBA, wasn’t concerned about the Dream’s Game 1 loss to the Valkyries. Coach Smesko believes and knows his team can make their shots in Game 1 when it was crunch time, but Atlanta couldn’t get over Golden State’s defense. So Coach Smesko went with the same group for the starters: Naz Hillmon, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard.

In the first quarter of the game, things were looking great for the Valkyries. Atlanta’s Angel Reese would get the game going with a made layup to have the Dream strike first in Ballhalla. Golden State’s Kaila Charles would sub in and, in just three minutes, would have 6 points after making two three-pointers for the Valkyries. At the end of the first quarter, Charles’ shooting off the bench helped give the Valkyries the lead, 21-18.

Heading into the second quarter, Atlanta was starting to build a rhythm, and they went with it. Especially with help from Angel Reese and Alisha Gray. Gray scored 8 points, and Reese scored 7 points by themselves. Gray also knocked down two big three-pointers for Atlanta, and their shooting gave the Dream the lead. Heading into halftime, the score was 39-37; the Valkyries were down by 2 points.

Coming back from halftime, the Valkyries were struggling in the third quarter. Golden State dropped 16 points in the second quarter, but came back in the third. The Valkyries were only able to score just 9 points. Atlanta took advantage of the Valkyries’ poor shooting and was able to extend their lead and play comfortably in Chase Center. Also, the Valkyries would foul the Dream seven times alone in the third quarter; they would finish with 23 fouls by the end of the game. Right before the end, Atlanta’s Jordin Canada would make a three-pointer at the logo to get her team hyped going into the final quarter of play.

In the final quarter, Atlanta’s lead was starting to get bigger over Golden State. Four minutes in, Dream got their largest lead in the night over the Valkyries by 21 points, 69-48. The Valkyries were having a hard time not fouling, and their shots weren’t going in for them. With under a minute left in the game, the Valkyries were down by 15 points. With time not on their side, the Valkyries were trying to move fast, but Jordin Canada got fouled with 40 seconds left and was able to put away Golden State for Atlanta.

The Atlanta Dream came back into Ballhalla and got the win in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. Atlanta was led by Angel Reese, who recorded a double-double: 30 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Reese’s performance helped Atlanta tie the series with Golden State. Valkyries will play Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta. Game 3 will be on October 21st at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC.

Valkyries take Game 1 of the WNBA Finals over Dream, 68-64

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Golden State Valkyries Kaitlyn Chen makes a pass in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream in Chase Center on Saturday, October 17th, in San Francisco, CA. (Photo credit to GETTY Images)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Valkyries’ first-ever appearance in the WNBA Finals ends with a win over the Atlanta Dream, 68-64. After sweeping the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals, the Valkyries will host the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals. The finals require a team to win four games in this series, with Golden State taking the first game. The Valkyries are three more wins away from being the WNBA Champions.

Atlanta makes their way to San Francisco after sweeping the New York Liberty in game 3. So for the first time since 2013, the Atlanta Dream are in the WNBA Finals. Angel Reese led the team with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Also, with no Allisha Gray, DeWanna Bonner stepped up big for them with a double-double on 13 points and 13 rebounds.

With tip-off being in the afternoon, the Valkyries and the Dream were ready to get the WNBA Finals going. Returning from her injury with Atlanta, Allisha Gray would get the first basket of the day on a driving layup. The first quarter would be a slow quarter for the two teams. However, with this series being the championship series, both teams are trying to analyze one another and find gaps in the defense to score. Atlanta would have the lead over Golden State at the end of the 1st quarter, 22-14.

In the second quarter, it was all Golden State. The Valkyries exploded for a 28-point quarter to end the first half. That 28-point performance had a lot to do with Gabby Williams for Golden State. Three minutes into the second quarter, Williams had dropped 10 points by herself in that timeframe. Then right after that, Cecilia Zandalasini would go on and drop 5 points, by herself, and bring the score to 32-30, halfway through the second quarter. Right at the two-minute mark, Golden State would take the lead off of a made 3-pointer from Gabby Williams, 40-37.

At halftime, Golden State would hold the lead at 42-39 over Atlanta. Valkyries Gabby Williams would have 16 points altogether by the end of the first half. Williams has now become only the sixth player in WNBA Finals history to record 15+ points in a quarter. Angel Reese for Atlanta so far in this game has 14 points and 6 rebounds.

Starting the third quarter, Atlanta came out with new energy and a sharper focus. The score would see multiple ties and lead changes all the way to the final minute of the third quarter. Three minutes in the quarter, Rhyne Howard would do a spin, fadeaway shot and make it while falling to the ground. Her efforts gave Dream the lead back, 46-44. The biggest lead for Atlanta this quarter was 6 points, 50-44, with four and a half minutes left. The Valkyries saw some struggles in this quarter, scoring just 9 points altogether.

Going into the final quarter of Game 1 in the WNBA Finals, Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard would get fouled, shoot, and make both of her free throws, extending the lead to 7 points, 58-51. Then Tiffany Hayes from Golden State would make a crucial 3-pointer from 26 feet to cut the lead to 58-55. Her shot got the Valkyries’ offense going and ultimately took over the game. The Valkyries would put up 17 points over Atlanta’s 8 points in the final quarter.

With two minutes and thirty-eight seconds left, Atlanta had the lead 64-61. However, Gabby Williams for Golden State would score the final six of the seven points of the game. She would finish the game with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists to help Golden State take Game 1 and a 1-0 series lead. She also ties for the 4th most points by a player in the Finals debut in WNBA History.

The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream are gonna have a one-day rest, as they get ready for Game 2 on Monday evening. The game will start at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Peacock, USA Network, and CNBC.

WNBA Final/Golden State Valkyrie podcast Michael Roberson: Gabby, Thornton, and Stokes ready to battle Atlanta

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Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (left) works with Gabby Williams (right) at the Sephora Performance Facilty in Oakland on Mon Oct 12, 2026 in prepartion of meeting the Atlanta Dream in game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Sat Oct 17, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP News photo)

Golden State Valkyrie podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Can Gabby Williams lead the Golden State Valkyries past the Atlanta Dream’s elite defense?

#2 How will Kayla Thornton and Kia Stokes contain Angel Reese on the boards?

#3 Can Veronca Burton disrupt Atlanta’s backcourt and control the pace?

#4 Will Tiffany Hayes deliver a Finals performance against his former team?

#5 Can Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini provide the perimeter shooting Golden State needs?

Michael Roberson does the Golden State Valkyrie podcasts during the WNBA Finals at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Aces Suffer Tough Loss to Dream At Home 97-82

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It was all a bad dream as the Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon had to be restrained by center A’ja Wilson (22) and assistant coach Larry Lewis after being ejected in the first half against the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Aug 18, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

After a bit of a slow start mid-way through the first ten minutes of play on Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Aces (24-13) tied up the game in their matchup with the Atlanta Dream (22-13) 12 apiece. The Aces finished off the first quarter with a slim 25-24 lead.

Mid-way through the second quarter the Dream made a huge move and did not back down for the rest of the quarter. They took the lead and continued to extand that lead taking a 52-41 advantage into the locker room at the half.

This was the Aces largest deficit at home this season. Las Vegas outscored the Dream in the third quarterk but did not make up much ground winning the third quarter 20-19. As the clock continued to count down in the fourth quarter, there would be no run for the Aces as they continued to trail Atlanta by double digits.

The Aces would get as close as six points but they had dug a deep hole going into the fourth quarter and the Dream would not let them back in the game. The final was 97-82 as the Dream went on a 9-0 run in the closing minutes to cinch the win.

GAME RECAP

It was a slow start for the Las Vegas Aces to start their matchup with the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena. At the five minute mark the Aces tied up the game at twelve and took their first lead of the game at 1:51 in the opening quarter.

They had a slim 25-24 lead going into the second quarter. The Dream who are currently in fifth place in the standings are not a team to be played with and the Aces needed to step up before this game went into the half. Las Vegas would be looking to extend that lead before half time.

This game could not have been closer through the first five minutes of the second quarter but it took a turn in favor of the Dream for the remainder of the quarter. Atlanta pushed their lead out and continued to extend it leading at the half 62-41.

At 5:06 in the second Head Coach Becky Hammon got intensely heated over a perceived non-call on an A’Ja Wilson play. She didn’t let it rest but instead unleashed a furious verbal outburst at the referees. She was physically restrained by A’Ja Wilson before being officially ejected.

When the ejection took place it was a one-point game. The team would have to play the second half without her on the court. The best way to get the record straight would be for Las Vegas to go ehad and win this game but they sure had their work cut out for them trailing by double digits.

Las Vegas faced a tough task in the second half and it would not be at all easy. Since the ejection of Hammon it had not gone very well for the team. The starters for the Dream were playing a more balanced offense. Atlanta was making Las Vegas work much harder offensively than expected.

The Aces supporting scoring really had to step up in the third quarter. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray along with the other perimeter players needed to capitalize when the Dream covered Wilson. The Dream had been attacking the paint all evening and getting transition opportunities.

The Aces fell behind in the third quarter by as much as 15 points but battled back going into the fourth quarter trailing 71-61. This season they have struggled in the fourth quarters of games but in recent outings this has not been the case.

The team had to get A’ja Wilson involved from the start of the quarter. She needed to attack the paint rather than settling for difficult jumpers from deep. Las Vegas had to force turnovers and scoring quick points instead of trying to chip away at the deficit. They could not afford another cold shooting stretch and Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Nalyssa Smith needed to step up. They would need a major run to start the quarter and get the momentum back.

The fourth quarter did not get underway very well for Las Vegas. They continued to trail by double digits 2 1/2 minutes into the quarter. At 7:30 the Aces cut the double digits into a nine point deficit but it did not last long as the Dream punched back taking a 12 point lead 82-70.

As the clock continued to wind down to the mid-way point of the fourth quarter the Dream were stubbornly hanging onto a 83-73 lead. With three minutes left in the game, the Aces desperately needed stops and it just wasn’t happening.

With just under two minutes left on the clock the Dream had a six point lead. Atlanta hung tough causing a turnover with a little over a minute left to play and this game was all but over. The final was 97-82 and the Dream had successfully won a road game in Las Vegas.

GAME NOTES:

It was a tough loss for the Aces. It all seemed to unravel after the ejection of Head Coach Becky Hammon. They were only trailing by one point when Hammon left the court in the second quarter. A’Ja Wilson had the game high a double double with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Jackie Young had 24 points, Chelsea Gray with 13 and Nalyssa Smith with ten. The rebound battle was almost even but Las Vegas had 17 turnovers which hurt them.

The Dream’s Angel Reese also had a double double with 21 points and ten rebounds. The high for the Dream was Rhyne Howard who finished with 23 points.

On Thursday night the Aces will try to re-group as they take on the Connecticut Sun remaining at ULTRA Michelob Arena. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Aces Come Close But Fall to the Lynx 92-87

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) blocks a shot on the Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) in the first half at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Aug 15, 2026 (AP News photo)

By. Rich Perez

Saturday night the Las Vegas Aces (24-12) lost to the Number one Minnesota Lynx (29-7) at Michelob ULTRA Arena 92-87. The Aces couldn’t knock off the best in the WNBA.

The first two quarters were played on an equal playing floor. The Lynx outscored the Aces in the first quarter 23-19 taking a four-point lead going into the second quarter. The Aces came right back outscoring the Lynx in the second 29-25 and going into the half this game was tied at 48.

It was anyone’s game going into the third quarter. The tide began to change in the third quarter as the Lynx began to distance themselves from the Aces. Las Vegas got sloppy mid-way through the quarter with far too many turnovers and as the quarter came to an end they trailed by 12 points 74-66.

The Aces pushed back in the fourth quarter and at 7:27 trailed by a single point 74-73. The Lynx put an end to the Aces’s push taking a 80-73 lead. Las Vegas had not shot well from beyond the arc which had been a part of the struggles shooting at only 31%.. Minnesota picked up their 15th straight road win.

GAME RECAP

The first quarter of this game could not have been closer with both teams battling for an early lead. The Aces had a very competitive first quarter but were not particularly efficient.

The Lynx were making the Aces work really hard for their shots. Las Vegas had some trouble generating some consistent offense. Despite trailing by four points after the first ten minutes of play this was very manageable.

Of the utmost importance to the Aces going into the second quarter was taking care of the ball and especially getting A’Ja Wilson more involved offensively. They would need to disrupt the Lynx’s offense.

Las Vegas did outscore the Lynx in the second quarter 29-25 which tied up the game going into the half 48-48, It was anyone’s game with Las Vegas remaining extremely competitive.

Mid-way through the third quarter the Aces played a sloppy stretch turning the ball over six times although the Aces had forced 13 Minnesota turnovers. As the quarter came to an end Minnesota had estalished a ten-point lead 74-64. Las Vegas had some work to do and only a single quarter to do it.

The Aces threatened in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Two minutes into the quarter Las Vegas had rallied cutting the Minnesota ten-point lead down to three points trailing 74-71.

The Aces continued to threaten but were missing a lot of open shots. Minnesota already had six players in double digits while Las Vegas had only two. They desperatly needed Jackie Young to step up in the final four minutes of the game.

The Aces continued to trail by five points but not make much more headway. The Lynx were relentless answering every Las Vegas basket with one of their own. With two minutes left on the clock the Lynx were clinging onto a 88-82 lead.

Down the stretch the Aces missed some critical shots spelling the difference in this game. A’Ja Wilson would hit two free throws but the 88-84 score with 1:09 left in the game was just enough to seal the deal for Minnesota. The final was 92-87 and the Lynx had won their 15th straight road win.

GAME NOTES

What was so frustrating for Las Vegas was the third quarter struggles. This game had been extremely competitive. The game was tied at the half 48-48, but the struggles in the third quarter were really hard to overcome.

Las Vegas tried to rally in the fourth coming as close as a single point but only won the quarter by four points 20-16, The Lynx’s defense had really tightened up in the third quarter which may have had a lot to do with some of the Las Vegas struggles.

The Aces could not turn their fourth quarter push into a complete comeback. Las Vegas got close in this game but Minnesota made some key defensive plays and free throws down the stretch to secure the win. The Aces were playing well enough to win this game at the half but but lost the game in the third quarter.

The high score in this game was the Aces A’Ja Wilson finishing with 32 points. Nalyssa Smith had a double double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. She played a great game. Chelsea Gray finished with12 points and Jewell Loyd had ten off the bench.

One of the big pluses for the Lynx was the consistent scoring from their starters. Every one of them had double digits with Olivia Miles’s 23 points the team high. Natasha Howard had a double double, 13 points with 11 rebounds.

It was a tough loss for Las Vegas coming so close but falling short. This will sting for awhile but throughout the game they had opportunities proving that they can hang with the best. They will be back on the court this coming Tuesday matching up with the Atlanta Dream. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Valkyries Win on Pride Night, getting back-to-back Wins on the Atlanta Dream, 78-75

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Golden State Valkyries #3 Laeticia Amihere fighting her way in the paint against the Atlanta Dream’s defense at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA on Friday June 26th, 2026. (Photo Credits to Robert Edwards-Imagn Image)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Valkyries returned to action at their home this Friday night. Once again, the Golden State is hosting the Atlanta Dream as the team celebrated Pride Night in Ballhalla. Just two days ago, Golden State got its first win over Atlanta, 77-66. Friday night, Atlanta came into Chase Center wanting to run it back, and they got it. As the Golden State would take an early-season series on them 2-0, the Valkyries hang on and beat the Dream, 78-75.

In their last matchup on Wednesday evening in San Francisco, Valkyries Gabby Williams dropped 23 points on her 9-of-16 shooting. With a big contribution from her teammate Kayla Thornton, as she knocked down five three pointers and topped it off with her 17 points in their win. That win against Atlanta also snapped their four-game winning streak.

So, once again, with no changes to their starting lineup. Golden State sent out Kayla Thornton, Gabby Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini, Kiah Stokes, and Veronica Burton as their starting five. Golden State’s Cecilia, in the last game, also went 4-of-6 on shooting beyond the arc.

Hoping to bounce back in their last loss at Chase Center. The Atlanta Dream would send out Naz Hillmon, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard as their starting five. Coming off the bench and leading the Dream in scoring was Madina Okot with her 16 points, five rebounds, and one assist.

Valkyries Kiah Stokes would start the game off in Ballhalla with a 24-foot 3-point jumper and get the Valkyries’ first points of the night. Then, halfway through the first quarter, Kiah Stokes would throw a bad pass, leading Atlanta for a quick running layup, and tying the score, 10-10. Then in the final seconds of the first quarter, again Golden State would cause another turnover, and again leading to Atlanta scoring. Only this time, Dream’s Jordin Canada would make them pay with a 25-foot 3-point step back jump shot. Atlanta holds a 1-point lead, 21-20.

Two minutes into the second quarter, Golden State would get the first basket of the quarter with Kaitlyn Chen driving in for a layup. She would bring the Valkyries lead back by one point, 22-21. The Valkyries would also see more turnovers and shooting fouls called on them. So with that, Atlanta would take advantage and build some momentum, and even take the lead and push it to 6-points, 35-29.

Right before halftime, in the final minute and a half, Golden State’s Kiah Stokes would hit a big three point jumper. Getting the fans and her teammates back on their feet with full of excitement and hope. So at the end of the first half, Golden State is down to Atlanta in their home by just three points, 35-32.

At the start of the second half, Atlanta Dreams Angel Reese would make a quick, inside basket to start the third quarter. Followed right after in the next possession, with Kiah Stokes getting an inside bucket to go in for her own. Atlanta is getting in the paint and seeing some shots going in. Golden State was mentally struggling in their home court and trying to get their offensive momentum going.

Then, Valkyrie Tiffany Hayes fights off a defender for an and one, cutting the lead to two-points, 41-38. That basket would bring some life into Golden State because right after that possession. Golden State’s Kaitlyn Chen would make a 25-foot 3-point jumper and give them the lead, 42-41. In the final 19 seconds of the third, Atlanta’s Jordin Canada would knock down a 3-pointer while getting fouled for a four-point play, 55-49. However, Golden State quickly responded with a driving layup and bringing the lead within four points, 55-51.

So, entering the final quarter of the game, Golden State again would score the first basket of the quarter. Then, eventually, two minutes in, tying the game, 55-55, but it wouldn’t hold long as Atlanta’s Jordin Canada drove it in for the layup. Canada’s impact and style of play were crucial for Atlanta in this game. At the halfway point, Atlanta took the lead by two, due to Jordin Canada once again finding a way inside the paint to score, 63-61.

Entering the final two minutes of the game, both teams were exchanging buckets, back and forth, until Atlanta would challenge a ball possession and lose that challenge. Then, on the next possession, Gabby Williams would make a midrange jumper, giving Golden State the lead, 71-69. Just seconds later, Williams would get a steal on Atlanta’s Jordin Canada and go in for the layup with a minute remaining.

Then it was smooth sailing from there as Golden State would hang on and get the win against Atlanta as time winded down. The final score would be 78-75, as Gabby Williams would lead the Valkyries with her 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists. With big help from her teammate, Kiah Stokes, off of her 13 points and had four rebounds.

With one more game remaining in the month of June for Golden State. The Valkyries will remain in their home at Ballhalla and host the New York Liberty. The New York Liberty are coming off a loss in Seattle against the Storm, 99-88. In that loss, Liberty was led by Jonquel Jones with 26 points and eight rebounds. The game will be broadcast at 4:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Golden State Valkyries makes 15 Three Pointers in Win over Atlanta Dream, 77-66

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The Golden State Valkyries bench react after a play against the Atlanta Dream in the second quarter of a WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – On this last Wednesday evening of June, the Golden State Valkyries returned to Ballhalla for some action, hosting the Atlanta Dream. Atlanta came to the Bay riding a four-game win streak and has also gone 6-2 on the road this season. So Atlanta isn’t fazed when it comes to playing on other teams’ courts, but they haven’t played the Valkyries yet this season and found out why Golden State is dangerous at home. As the Valkyries would make 15 three-pointers in the win over the Atlanta Dream, 77-66.

In their last game, the Golden State Valkyries went on a quick road trip back to Las Vegas, where they faced off and lost to the Aces, 93-72. The Valkyries struggled offensively on the road. In the second quarter of that game, Golden State had only put up a low 13 points. Compared to Las Vegas in that quarter, where they had put up 27 points. So Golden State was ready to make this game a bounce back from last Sunday, and use their home court advantage on Atlanta.

The Valkyries sent out Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, Gabby Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini, and Kiah Stokes as their starting five for this one. In the last game, Cecilia Zandalasini led the Valkyries with her 12 points and three rebounds. This was also the first time these two teams saw each other for the season, so both of them were looking to take game 1 in this season series.

The Dream sent out Naz Hillmon, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard as their starting five. Atlanta, looking to make this their fifth straight win of the season, will rely on their inside scoring, which has brought it great success. In fact, Atlanta leads the WNBA in inside scoring, averaging 43.6 points in the paint. In Atlanta’s most recent game, Rhyne Howard led the team with her 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting from deep and bringing in seven rebounds in the Dream’s 94-87 win over the Toronto Tempo.

Atlanta Dream would get the game going here in Ballhalla from Rhyne Howard’s 12-foot shot. Then the Valkyries responded with a three-point jumper by Kayla Thornton. Halfway through the first, the game is tied, 11-1, but then Valkyries Gabby Williams would knock down a three-pointer to give Golden State the lead, 14-11.

Valkyries shooting would take over the first quarter. Golden State would go 4-of-8 from deep, lifting them to a 22-18 lead. In the Golden State’s last game on Sunday in Las Vegas, the team went a terrible 5-of-30, so already a huge improvement for the Valkyries. This momentum would get carried through the second quarter for the Valkyries.

With 4 minutes left in the first half, Golden State’s lead jumped to double digits over Atlanta by 14 points, 36-22. The Valkyries are just thriving in their home court, as they’re just feeling themselves and making almost all their shots. They’re shooting over 54% in all of their shooting categories so far in this game. At the end of the 1st half, Golden State’s lead over Atlanta was 17-points, 44-27.

Starting the second half, the Valkyries would score first by Veronica Burton attacking the rim for a quick layup. Then, two minutes into the third quarter, the lead jumped to 23 points by Cecilia Zandalasini, knocking down a corner three-pointer, the largest lead of the game. Ballhalla would turn into a splash party, as Golden State would make its 11th three-pointer of the night.

At the end of the third quarter, the score was now 63-40, with the Valkyries heading into the final quarter with full control of the game. So, going into the fourth and final quarter, Atlanta went on a 7-0 scoring run, and this second unit for the Dream got some rhythm going late in the game. That 24-point lead Golden State had cut to a 12-point lead over Atlanta.

A much-needed three-pointer goes in for Golden State as Cecilia Zandalasini would get one to fall. That shot would be their first field goal of the quarter, which took almost seven minutes in the fourth quarter. With three minutes remaining, the lead was 13 points, 69-56. Atlanta would get as close as a ten point lead, but Valkyries Kayla Thornton would hit a crucial three-pointer that ultimately sealed the game for Golden State.

Valkyries Gabby Williams led the team in this win with her 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Williams had shot over 56% in all her shooting categories this game. Along with help from Kayla Thornton’s 17 points on 5-of-10 from three pointers, and bringing in five rebounds. Although going into the fourth quarter, the Valkyries couldn’t get a shot to go in until almost halfway in, but showed Wednesday night how the Valkyries can always bounce back when they play at home.

The Valkyries will have two more games left in June, and both of those games will be played at home for Golden State. So they’ll be looking forward to winning the last two games of the month and walk into July on a three game winning streak. On Friday evening, at 7:00 p.m., the Valkyries will run it back for another game with the Atlanta Dream right back in here at Chase Center. The game will be broadcast live on ION.

Aces Battle Back From Ten-Point Deficit Beating Dream 74-72 For Eighth Straight Win

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) led the way in scoring with 32 points over the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Aug 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

This had to be one of the toughest battles the Las Vegas Aces (22-14) faced all season beating the second place Atlanta Dream (22-13) 74-72. The game was a collection of lead changes, ties and some very physical basketball.

This game was not decided until the clock ran out. A’Ja Wilson had another amazing game finishing with 32 points and 12 rebounds. Jackie Young also had a solid game with 16 points and seven rebounds. Chelsea Gray had seven rebounds, 11 assists and eight points. The Aces has now won eight games in a row.

Game recap: The Atlanta Dream took a 19-18 lead as the clock ran out on the first quarter in their matchup with the Las Vegas Aces. It had been a really close game in the quarter with this game very slow to evolve.

After the first three minutes of play only three points had been scored in a slow start for both teams. Mid-way through the quarter this game was tied at 7-7. It had been a very low scoring quarter with four ties and both teams trading leads.

The second quarter was another close one with the Aces coming out on top 23-21 taking a one-point lead, 41-40 into the half.

The Aces were able to pull a small lead in the third quarter 48-44 but the Dream tied up the game 48-48 at 6:11. The intensity continued to escalate as the quarter wore on and with 3:35 left in the quarter it was again tied at 52. As the quarter ended the battle had continued with the Aces now trailing by four points 57-61. They had their work cut out for them going into the fourth quarter.

The Dream continued to extend their lead in the fourth quarter going on a 11-0 run taking a ten-point lead 67-57. Las Vegas hunkered and pulled to within two points with a lot of time left on the clock 65-67.

WIth 4:44 left on the clock this game was once again tied at 67. There was yet another stoppage of play in the quarter something that had persisted throughout the second half of play. With 3:22 left in the fourth quarter this game took on a life of it’s own as the clock began to countdown.

As the seconds ticked away, this game turned into a battle of wills and it was the Las Vegas Aces that were winning. With under two minutes left in the game Las Vegas was hanging onto a 72-69 game but the battle was hardly over.

The Dream tied up the game with 1 1/2 minutes left in the game. It all came down to the final seconds and with 15.9 left on the clock, the Aces had a 74-72 lead in one crazy game. In an absolutely amazing battle the Las Vegas Aces realized their eighth win in a row 74-72.

This Aces has improved by leaps and bounds in their past eight games. They fought hard for this win led by the incomparable Wilson along with every one of her teammates.

Wilson finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds another double double for her something that has become commonplace for her. Young had 16 points and seven rebounds. Gray had 11 assists and seven rebounds. They have now won eight games in a row.

Game notes: After beating the Dallas Wings Sunday winning their seventh game in a row, the Aces picked up their their eighth win in a row beating the Atlanta Dream at Michelob ULTRA Arena Tuesday night. Wilson has been on a tear for awhile now and the Aces got more of the same Tuesday night.

Wilson has a terrific cast of support with Young and Gray. Bell had a great game on Sunday coming away with 18 points and 6 rebounds. The Aces is also getting a lot of help from Lloyd off the bench. They hit 18 three’s in that game.

The Dream who are in second place in the league and got upset against the Aces. This game was a huge test for Las Vegas who pulled it off. They were able to contain Allisha Gray who is always a scoring threat. The win Tuesday night was huge for Las Vegas. The Aces beat the Dream back on July 22, 87-72 and have one more game against the Dream in season play on Wed Aug 27 in Atlanta.

Thursday night the Aces will again take the floor at Michelob ULTRA Arena. They will face the Mercury looking for their ninth win in a row. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.