Particle.news
Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
25 ARTICLES
·
4h ago

Valkyries’ Depth and Defense Power 71-60 Semifinal Win Over Aces

Golden State’s bench scoring, elite rebounding and team defense decided the game while coach Natalie Nakase begins wearing a heart monitor to track her recovery.

Image
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase gestures toward players during the first half of Game 3 of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Dallas Wings, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Francisco.
Alison Garvin, left, of Oakland, looks at friend Mallory Haggart of El Sobrante as Haggart gives her best Janelle Salaün impression during a timeout as the Golden State Valkyries face the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals at Chase Center on Sunday. “Ballhalla is a special thing. The spirit is fun at Ballhalla,” Haggart said. “It’s happy, joyous and zany (when describing their costumes). We make it on the Jumbotron a lot.”
Mary A. Villa Jr., left, of Oakland, and Antoinette Redwood, of San Francisco, cheer after  the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals at Chase Center on Sunday.

Overview

  • The Valkyries beat the defending-champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60 at Chase Center on Sunday, Oct. 4, outrebounding Las Vegas 52-25 and holding the Aces to a season-low 60 points.
  • Janelle Salaün was named the 2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year unanimously after setting single-season reserve records with 509 points and 93 three-pointers while averaging 12.7 points off the bench.
  • Coach Natalie Nakase, who collapsed on the sideline from exhaustion during Golden State’s Oct. 2 playoff clincher, was examined by team doctors, cleared to coach and said she will wear a heart monitor as a precaution.
  • Golden State’s win reflected its deep rotation rather than one superstar performance, with key reserve minutes from players such as Kaitlyn Chen and Aminata Gueye and a bench that outscored the Aces’ reserves 27-7 in Game 1.
  • The result underlines the Valkyries’ rapid rise from a 2025 expansion team to a No. 2 seed and raises questions about Las Vegas’s depth and injuries as the best-of-five series moves to Game 2 on Oct. 7.