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Valkyries sweep Aces to clinch first-ever WNBA Finals berth, will face Dream
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- Valkyries sweep Aces to clinch first-ever WNBA Finals berth, will face Dream
Valkyries sweep Aces to clinch first-ever WNBA Finals berth, will face Dream originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
In just Year 2 of the franchise's existence, the Golden State Valkyries are headed to the WNBA Finals.
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After winning Games 1 and 2 at home, the Valkyries defeated the Las Vegas Aces 87-77 in overtime on Friday at Michelob ULTRA Arena to complete a three-game sweep in the semifinals.
Kayla Thornton led the way with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Kiah Stokes tallied 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in a thrilling victory to clinch their spot in the WNBA Finals.
Next, Golden State will take on the Atlanta Dream, who completed a three-game sweep of their own on Friday to take down the New York Liberty in the other semifinals matchup. The Valkyries won all three regular-season matchups against the Dream, with each game taking place within a two-week span between June 24 and July 4.
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Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, a best-of-seven series, will tip off on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12:30 p.m. PT at "Ballhalla," as the Valkyries have dubbed their home floor at Chase Center. Golden State owns home-court advantage for the series thanks to its higher seed; Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 — the latter two only if necessary — will be held at Chase Center.
Despite trailing by nine points at halftime and as much as 11 early in the second half, the Valkyries went on a 17-0 run in the third quarter to claim their first lead of the night over the Aces.
The Aces wouldn't go down easy at home, though, re-taking a six-point advantage in the final three minutes. Three-time reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson wasn't at her best on Friday, but she still led all scorers with 21 points to go with 10 rebounds.
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But the Valkyries battled back again, responding with an 8-0 run that helped eventually force overtime.
In the extra period, Golden State's top-ranked defense — along with their leading scorer Gabby Williams — took control. Williams scored eight of her 16 points in overtime, and the Valkyries outscored the Aces 16-6 in the frame.
In 2025, the Valkyries made the WNBA playoffs in their inaugural season, losing in the first round to the Minnesota Lynx.
A year later, Golden State is four wins away from bringing home a title — and quickly satisfying owner Joe Lacob's confident declaration that the team would win a championship within its first five seasons.
