Golden State erased a 16-point deficit to win its first playoff series in franchise history and advance to face the Las Vegas Aces.
The Golden State Valkyries secured their first-ever playoff series victory on Friday night by defeating the Dallas Wings 77-73 in a dramatic Game 3 at Chase Center. It was a game that saw the Valkyries stage a 16-point comeback after falling behind by as many as 16 points in the third quarter.
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase went down briefly during a timeout with 1:40 remaining and collapsed to the floor before being helped up by her assistant coaches according to Yahoo Sports. After getting back on her feet Nakase returned to the huddle and called a play that led to Gabby Williams scoring the go-ahead basket with 1:17 left. Williams finished the game with 19 points including several clutch shots in the final minutes of play.
Nakase remained on the sideline for the rest of the game but left shortly after the buzzer sounded under support from a team staffer. She did not attend the postgame news conference though teammates said she was fine and in good spirits afterward. Assistant coach Kasib Powell spoke on behalf of the team during the press conference and said Nakase had been locked in and focused throughout the incident.
Powell noted that the team did not miss a beat after Nakase went down and continued to execute its game plan effectively.
Williams scored all but two of her points after halftime and helped the Valkyries shift momentum in the second half. The Wings led 44-37 at halftime before stretching their advantage to 53-37 in the third quarter. Tiffany Hayes contributed 18 points off the bench while Kaila Charles hit a key three-pointer to tie the game with 6:51 left.
Veronica Burton added 16 points with 10 rebounds and six assists in the win while Kiah Stokes pulled down 13 rebounds. Arike Ogunbowale scored 30 points in Game 3 despite appearing to deal with a groin issue after setting a WNBA playoff scoring record with 45 points in Game 2.
The Valkyries struggled offensively for stretches of Game 3 with long scoring droughts and missed opportunities that allowed the Wings to build a commanding lead. But once they found their rhythm on defense and began making plays in the final minutes the team’s energy and communication turned the tide. Hayes said the key moment came when the team started to believe in themselves again during those final minutes.
The victory marks a major milestone for the expansion franchise which entered the playoffs as the second seed after finishing the regular season 32-12.
Game 1 of the semifinals is scheduled for Sunday at Chase Center against the Las Vegas Aces. The Valkyries’ defense was a major factor in their success especially after allowing Dallas to score 108 points in Game 2. Despite their offensive struggles in Game 3 they managed to score at a high rate in the final stretch and capitalize on defensive stops.
This was the first playoff series win for the Valkyries since their debut in 2025. The team’s resilience and ability to respond under pressure ultimately led them to their first-ever playoff semifinal appearance.
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