Overview
- The WNBA Finals begin Oct. 17 in Golden State in a best-of-seven (2-2-1-1-1) series with the Valkyries holding home-court advantage.
- Atlanta completed a 3-0 semifinal sweep of the New York Liberty on Friday and rode Angel Reese’s 22 points and strong performances from Jordin Canada and DeWanna Bonner to reach the franchise’s first Finals since 2013.
- Golden State swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3-0 to clinch the other Finals berth, using balanced scoring, intense team defense and bench depth including an 18-point game from Kayla Thornton.
- Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson received a record fifth regular-season MVP but the Aces were still eliminated, underscoring the gap between individual awards and playoff outcomes.
- The series will hinge on Atlanta’s health and short rotation depth if Allisha Gray cannot return from a left-hand finger injury, Angel Reese’s continued postseason scoring and Golden State’s depth-driven defense as a test of the league’s shifting balance.