The Golden State Valkyries have become the fastest expansion franchise in WNBA history to reach the Finals, sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 87–77 in overtime to complete an extraordinary playoff run in just their second season.
The Golden State Valkyries have turned an ambitious expansion project into a championship opportunity, defeating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 87–77 in overtime on Friday night to book their first appearance in the WNBA Finals.
In only their second season as a franchise, the Valkyries completed a 3–0 sweep of Las Vegas in the semifinals, overcoming a late deficit before taking complete control during overtime.
Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points, while Gabby Williams contributed 16, including eight in overtime. Kiah Stokes and Tiffany Hayes, both former Aces players, added 11 points apiece, with Stokes also collecting 10 rebounds.
The result marks another historic milestone for an organisation that became the first expansion franchise to reach the WNBA playoffs in its inaugural season in 2025.
Now, the Valkyries have gone a step further. They are the first expansion team in WNBA history to reach the Finals in its second season, putting themselves four victories away from the first championship in franchise history.
But this was not a straightforward victory. Golden State had to recover from a difficult stretch against an experienced Las Vegas team before producing the decisive plays that ended the Aces’ title defence.
A Comeback That Changed Everything
The Valkyries’ route to the Finals was built on resilience.
Las Vegas appeared to have the upper hand during the second half, opening a six-point advantage late in the fourth quarter. With the defending champions attempting to extend their season, Golden State needed a response under enormous pressure.
Williams helped deliver it.
After the Aces had built their lead, the Valkyries generated the defensive stop they needed. Williams stole the ball from A’ja Wilson, and Thornton finished the resulting transition opportunity with a layup to tie the game at 69–69 with 1:50 remaining.
Golden State briefly moved ahead when Veronica Burton converted a nine-foot floater with 1:12 left. Las Vegas responded through Jackie Young, who tied the score at 71–71 with 27 seconds remaining.
Neither team could produce the decisive basket before the end of regulation, sending the contest into overtime.
For Golden State, surviving that sequence was significant. The Valkyries had been pushed to the edge by a championship-winning opponent, yet they remained composed enough to force another five minutes.
Overtime would reveal just how much control they were about to take.
Gabby Williams Leads the Decisive Charge
Williams delivered when the game demanded its biggest plays.
The forward finished with 16 points, including eight in overtime, and provided the composure and execution that helped Golden State pull away.
Her decisive contribution came with 54.7 seconds remaining in overtime, when she hit a step-back mid-range jumper that effectively sealed the victory.
The Valkyries outscored Las Vegas 16–6 in the extra period, turning a contest that had remained uncertain late in regulation into a convincing ten-point victory.
Williams’ performance was part of a broader team effort. Thornton’s 18 points led the scoring, while Stokes provided 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, helping Golden State contest Las Vegas’s opportunities around the basket.
That distribution of contributions is important. Golden State did not depend on one player to solve every problem. Different players made important contributions at different stages, allowing the team to respond when the pressure increased.
The overtime display also reinforced the Valkyries’ identity as a team capable of combining defensive work with timely scoring.
Against a team that had won three of the previous four WNBA championships, that combination proved decisive.
The Defending Champions Could Not Find an Answer
The defeat ends another postseason campaign for Las Vegas, a franchise that has established itself as one of the WNBA’s defining teams in recent years.
The Aces entered the game seeking to extend their championship defence, but Golden State’s three-game sweep denied them the opportunity to return to the Finals.
Wilson, who had been honoured before the game after winning a record fifth WNBA Most Valuable Player award, scored 21 points and collected 10 rebounds. However, she shot six of 19 from the field.
Young added 18 points, while Chelsea Gray finished with 17 for Las Vegas.
Those contributions kept the Aces competitive, but they could not prevent Golden State from taking control during the decisive stretch.
The Valkyries’ defence was particularly important in overtime, when Las Vegas managed only six points.
For a team accustomed to navigating championship pressure, the Aces found themselves unable to generate enough offence to halt Golden State’s momentum.
The result should not erase what Las Vegas has accomplished in recent seasons. Instead, it underlines the challenge of sustaining a championship run when an opponent can match experience with energy, depth and execution.
Golden State did precisely that.
From Expansion Team to Championship Contender
The Valkyries’ rapid rise is one of the defining stories of the 2026 WNBA season.
The franchise entered the league in 2025 and made history by reaching the playoffs in its first season. A year later, Golden State has moved beyond simply establishing itself as a competitive expansion team.
It has become a finalist.
That progress reflects more than one outstanding postseason performance. The organisation has built a team capable of competing with established franchises and maintaining its composure during high-pressure moments.
Golden State’s second-seeded position entering the semifinals also demonstrated that its progress was not limited to a brief playoff surge. The team earned a strong position during the regular season before eliminating the third-seeded Aces without losing a game in their semifinal series.
The significance extends beyond the standings.
Expansion teams typically face the challenge of building chemistry, developing a winning culture and competing against organisations with established identities. The Valkyries have moved through those stages quickly.
Their achievement now gives the franchise an opportunity to turn a remarkable beginning into a championship legacy.
However, reaching the Finals and winning them are different challenges. Golden State has earned its place in the series, but the final test will demand another level of consistency.
Atlanta Dream Await in the WNBA Finals
The Valkyries will face the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals after Atlanta swept the New York Liberty in its own semifinal series.
The championship series begins on Saturday, October 17, at Chase Center in San Francisco. Golden State will have home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
The matchup guarantees a new champion: both Golden State and Atlanta are seeking the first title in their respective franchise histories.
For the Valkyries, home-court advantage offers an important opportunity to carry their postseason momentum into the championship series.
They have already demonstrated that they can recover from difficult stretches, make defensive plays under pressure and find scoring contributions from multiple players.
The Finals will test whether they can reproduce those qualities against an Atlanta side that has also demonstrated its ability to close out a playoff series.
Golden State cannot afford to treat its historic qualification as the final achievement. The opportunity now is considerably bigger: four more wins would deliver a championship in just the franchise’s second season.
That would transform an already remarkable story into one of the most significant expansion-team achievements in professional basketball.
GUZ Sport Verdict
The Golden State Valkyries have made history, but their achievement is about more than reaching the WNBA Finals quickly.
They completed a sweep of the defending champions, survived a late deficit and dominated overtime when their season could have gone either way.
Thornton led the scoring, Williams supplied the decisive late-game execution, and Stokes and Hayes contributed against their former team. Together, the Valkyries produced the kind of balanced performance required to eliminate an experienced championship contender.
Las Vegas leaves the playoffs after another strong season, but Golden State has earned its moment.
Now comes the biggest challenge yet.
The Valkyries have made history in Year Two. Four more victories could make them WNBA champions.
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