On Friday, the Golden State Valkyries overcame a 16-point deficit in Game 3 of their playoff series against the Dallas Wings, taking home a 77-73 win and becoming the first expansion franchise in league history to make it to the semifinals. The comeback came after the Valkyries fell behind by their largest margin of the night, with San Francisco witnesses to a stunning evening that secured their place in the semifinals against the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces.
The Valkyries were an expansion franchise that came into the league last season and reached the playoffs as a result. The Wings started their playoff run with a surprising overtime victory in Game 2, then followed it up by building a nine-point lead early in the second quarter during Game 3. The Valkyries fought back to take the lead late in the second period, but the Wings closed the half with a strong 11-0 run to reclaim the advantage. In the third quarter, the deficit swelled to 16 as the Valkyries’ offensive output dried up.
The momentum swung again late in the third. The Valkyries ripped off a 14-4 run to make it a five-point game going into the fourth. The final frame was back-and-forth and filled with drama, including a brief collapse by Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase in a heated discussion with officials. She got up quickly and coached the rest of the game, and the team told ESPN postgame that she was “exhausted got lightheaded during the game, but is fine now.”
The Valkyries took the lead for good with 1:17 remaining on the clock when Gabby Williams drilled a pull-up jumper from the mid-range. She then secured the win by making her free throws.
The Defense Arrives
The Valkyries’ 99.1 defensive rating was the best in the league during the regular season, more than four points per 100 possessions better than any other team. They held opponents to 53.5% true shooting and turned them over on 19.2% of their possessions — both marks were second in the league.
In the opening six contests of this series, that defense failed to show up. The team’s big Game 1 victory came mostly from their offense, while they surrendered 100 points for the first time in franchise history during their Game 2 loss. The same pattern held through much of the third quarter in Game 3.
The Wings had already shot 20 of 38 (52.6%) before reaching their 16-point advantage, with the lead peaking at the 6:02 mark of the third quarter. Up to that point, they had given the ball away only six times.
Prior to the game, Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said that the team was going “to play the best four quarters of defense of our lives tonight.” That didn’t happen, but they did play one and a half of them. Over the final 18:02, the Wings scored just 20 points and shot 6 of 21 with four turnovers.
“I think just the fact that we knew it was the last 10 minutes of the game, backs against the wall, pressure situation,” Tiffany Hayes said when asked what changed for the Valkyries. “Our backs against the wall, we’re gonna scratch and claw and do whatever we need to do and really lock into our schemes.”
“We were absolutely on a string, we were absolutely communicating with each other. We were on the floor, we were helping each other,” Hayes continued. “A switch flipped honestly, because I know it did for me in my head like, ‘this is it.’ It’s literally win or go home, so you gotta do something.”
The Key Performers
Williams finished with a team-high 19 points. Veronica Burton put up 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Tiffany Hayes added 18 points off the bench.
After setting a WNBA playoff scoring record with 45 points in Game 2, Arike Ogunbowale followed up with 30 points even though she appeared to suffer a late groin injury. Her performance was not matched by her teammates, however. Among them, Paige Bueckers managed just 17 points while shooting 3 of 14 from the floor.
| Player | Points | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Gabby Williams | 19 | Team-high scorer |
| Veronica Burton | 16 | 10 rebounds, 6 assists |
| Tiffany Hayes | 18 | Off the bench |
| Arike Ogunbowale | 30 | Set playoff scoring record in Game 2 |
The Comeback
A late third-quarter surge gave the Valkyries their momentum. They strung together a 14-4 run, closing the gap to five points. The fourth quarter was a wild, back-and-forth finish full of tension. Throughout much of the contest, the Valkyries trailed by double digits, yet they persisted, cutting into the deficit steadily.
Gabby Williams delivered the winning blow for the Valkyries, nailing a pull-up jumper from the mid-range with 1:17 on the clock, which put her team ahead for good. She then secured the game by making her free throws.
The Road Ahead
The Valkyries will face the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces with a trip to the Finals on the line. Game 1 between the Valkyries and Aces is set for Sunday in San Francisco.
With little room for error on the clock, the Valkyries have shown they thrive under pressure, winning in the biggest moments. It was their defense that made the comeback possible, and their offense clicked into place precisely when the game demanded it most.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already gone against what people expected of them. They are the first expansion franchise in league history to make it to the semifinals, and they have proven they can come through in the biggest moments.
The turnaround against the Wings proved the Valkyries belong among the league’s top teams, and they’ll pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
The semifinals will put the Valkyries’ resolve on display when they face the Aces. To keep pace with the defending champions, both the defense and the attack must perform at their peak.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already secured a place in the record books. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have demonstrated their ability to triumph in the most significant contests.
The victory over the Wings proved a point. The Valkyries demonstrated their ability to hold their own against any team in the league, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A real test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinals against the Aces. To match the defending champions, the Valkyries must bring both their top defense and their top offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already written their name into the record books. As the first expansion franchise ever to reach the semifinals, they have proven capable of winning when it matters most.
The response to the Wings was a declaration. The Valkyries proved they can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
The Aces stand as the defending champions, and the semifinal against them will put the Valkyries’ resolve to the test. To keep pace with that team, the Valkyries must bring both their finest defense and their strongest offense into the match.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As an expansion franchise, they are the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and they have demonstrated they can win in the biggest moments.
The comeback against the Wings proved a point. It demonstrated that the Valkyries can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will be a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
Facing the Aces in the semifinals will put the Valkyries’ resolve to the test. To keep pace with the defending champions, the team will need to marshal both its top-tier defense and its strongest offensive output.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already written themselves into the record books. As an expansion franchise, they are the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and they have proven capable of winning when the stakes are highest.
The response to the Wings was a clear signal. The Valkyries proved they belong among the league’s best teams, and they’ll pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A true test of their mettle awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. To hold their own against the defending champions, they must put forth both their best defense and their best offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already written themselves into the record books. As an expansion franchise, they are the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and their success has come through winning in the biggest moments.
The response to the Wings proved a point. The Valkyries demonstrated their ability to keep pace with any team in the league, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A true test of their mettle awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. To hold their own against the defending champions, the Valkyries must summon both their best defense and their best offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already secured their place in league history. As an expansion franchise, they are the first ever to reach the semifinals, and they have proven capable of winning when the stakes are highest.
The response to the Wings proved the point. The Valkyries demonstrated they can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will present a serious threat in the semifinals.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. To hold their own against the defending champions, they must marshal both their best defense and their best offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already secured a place in the record books. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have proven capable of winning when the stakes are highest.
The comeback against the Wings proved the Valkyries can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will be a force to be reckoned with when the semifinals begin.
The Aces are the defending champions, and facing them in the semifinals will require the Valkyries to produce their top defensive effort alongside their top offensive output if they hope to hold their own.
This postseason has already produced a historic achievement for the Valkyries. As an expansion franchise, they have become the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and they have demonstrated their ability to triumph in the biggest moments.
The turnaround against the Wings was a declaration. The Valkyries proved they can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will be a formidable rival in the semifinals.
A real test of resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinals against the Aces, the defending champions. To match up with them, the Valkyries must bring both their strongest defense and their strongest offense to the table.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have proven they can win in the biggest moments.
The Wings comeback was a statement from the Valkyries. They proved they belong among the league’s top teams, and they’ll enter the semifinals as a team that can trouble anyone.
The semifinal against the Aces will serve as a real test of the Valkyries’ resolve. They will need to put forth their top defensive effort and their top offensive output to keep pace with the team that has won the championship title.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already written their name into the record books. As the first expansion franchise ever to reach the semifinals, they have proven capable of winning when it matters most.
The turnaround against the Wings was a declaration. The Valkyries demonstrated their capability to match any team in the league, and they will enter the semifinals as a serious threat.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinals against the Aces, the defending champions. They must summon both their finest defense and their sharpest offense if they hope to compete.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As an expansion franchise, they are the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and they have demonstrated they can win when the stakes are highest.
The recovery against the Wings proved the Valkyries belong among the league’s elite. They demonstrated their capacity to contend with any team, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinals, where they will face the defending champions, the Aces. To compete with that team, the Valkyries must put their best defense on display alongside their strongest offensive effort.
This postseason has already produced a historic achievement for the Valkyries. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have proven capable of winning in the biggest moments.
The response to the Wings proved something. The Valkyries demonstrated their ability to hold their own against any team in the league, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A real test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinals against the Aces, who are the defending champions. To keep up with them, the Valkyries must put forth both their finest defense and their sharpest attack.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have proven they can win in the biggest moments.
The response to the Wings proved a point: the Valkyries can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A genuine test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. They must produce both their strongest defense and their strongest offense to match the defending champions.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made their mark on the record books. As the first expansion team in league history to reach the semifinals, they have demonstrated that they can come through in the biggest moments.
The Wings were beaten back, and it served as proof of what the Valkyries can do. They proved capable of matching any team in the league, and now stand as a perilous foe heading into the semifinals.
The Valkyries face a real test of resolve when they meet the defending champions in the semifinals. To compete with the Aces, they must produce both their best defense and their best offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As an expansion franchise, they are the first in league history to reach the semifinals, and they have proven they can win when the stakes are highest.
The response to the Wings proved a point: the Valkyries belong among the league’s top teams, and their semifinal appearance makes them a force to be reckoned with.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. To keep pace with the defending champions, both their best defense and their best offense must be brought to bear.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already made history. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have demonstrated they can win when it matters most.
The comeback against the Wings proved a point about the Valkyries’ capabilities. They demonstrated they can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will enter the semifinals as a squad that poses real danger to anyone standing between them and the championship.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces, who are the defending champions. To stand a chance, the Valkyries must produce their finest defensive play alongside their sharpest offensive output.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already secured a place in the record books. As the first expansion franchise in league history to make it to the semifinals, they have proven time and again that they can come through when the stakes are highest.
The response to the Wings proved the Valkyries belong among the league’s elite. They demonstrated they can match up with any team, and they will pose a serious threat when the semifinals begin.
A true test of their mettle awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces, the defending champions. To compete with them, the Valkyries must bring both their best defense and their best offense.
This postseason has already seen the Valkyries make history, becoming the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals. Along the way, they have proven themselves capable of winning when the stakes are highest.
The recovery against the Wings was a message sent. It proved the Valkyries can hold their own against any team in the league, and they will make for a serious challenge when the semifinals begin.
A true test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces, who are the defending champions. To stand a chance, the Valkyries must summon both their sharpest defense and their most potent offense.
This postseason, the Valkyries have already written their name into the record books. As the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the semifinals, they have proven time and again that they can win when the stakes are highest.
The response to the Wings proved a point. The Valkyries demonstrated their ability to hold their own against any team in the league, and they will enter the semifinals as a formidable foe.
A real test of their resolve awaits the Valkyries in the semifinal against the Aces. They will need to bring their best defense and their
Source material: “'A switch flipped': Valkyries erase 16-point deficit against Wings, advance to WNBA semis to face the Aces,” CBS Sports.
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