VALKYRIES ERASE 16-POINT DEFICIT TO BEAT WINGS, REACH WNBA SEMIS

The Golden State Valkyries overturned a 16-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Dallas Wings 77-73 in Game 3, winning the playoff series 2-1 and advancing to the WNBA semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. Golden State trailed 44-37 at halftime and fell further behind before rallying in the closing stages. Forward Gabby Williams, who had scored only two points by halftime, became central to the comeback as the game progressed. Head coach Natalie Nakase briefly dropped to her hands and knees near the bench during a fourth-quarter timeout before returning to coach the remainder of the game. The result secured the Valkyries' first playoff series victory since the franchise's launch as an expansion team in 2025.

The series had gone the distance after Golden State won Game 1 but lost Game 2 in overtime in Dallas, sending the decisive match back to San Francisco. Nakase said afterwards that she did not recognise her team in the Game 2 defeat, noting the Valkyries had scored at least 100 points in each of the first two games. Before Game 3, the team said it had set out to play what Nakase described as the best four quarters of the season. For Dallas, Paige Bueckers struggled with her shooting during the game and left the court visibly emotional as the Wings' season ended.

Golden State now turns to a semifinal series against the Las Vegas Aces, described as the defending champions. No further details on the scheduling of that series were given in the reports. The win marks a notable early playoff achievement for a team in its first season since joining the WNBA.