The Golden State Valkyries secured the No. 2 seed in the WNBA playoffs following a thrilling 76-75 comeback victory over the No. 10 Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night. This crucial win guaranteed the Valkyries home-court advantage as they prepare for the postseason.
Despite losing out on the top seed to Minnesota, Golden State showed remarkable resilience, erasing a 13-point deficit in the final stages of the game. Forward Gabby Williams emerged as the hero, hitting the decisive three-pointer that clinched the win and maintained the Valkyries’ strong position in the standings.
“In our second year, we’ve learned a lot from our mistakes,” explained Golden State coach Natalie Nakase. “What I have to do is build the confidence within our team and make sure we’re highly, highly connected.”
Postseason Preview: Golden State vs. Dallas
Looking ahead, the Valkyries will open their playoff campaign against the No. 7 seed Dallas Wings, a team they swept in the regular season. Golden State’s dominance at home this year is evident, having suffered only five losses on their own court.
Dallas has made significant progress this season, improving their win total by 17 games compared to 2025—a remarkable turnaround. A major contributor to this success has been rookie Paige Bueckers, who is making her playoff debut this year.
“Paige has an unbelievable trust in her teammates,” said Dallas coach Jose Fernandez. “That’s just a credit to who she is.”
The first game of the series will take place in Golden State on Sunday at 9 PM ET, setting the stage for an intense postseason battle.