Golden State Valkyries sweep Aces to reach WNBA Finals in Year 2

The Golden State Valkyries advanced to the WNBA Finals with an 87-77 overtime victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Friday, completing a three-game sweep of the defending champions. Playing on the road at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, the Valkyries forced overtime after trailing by six points late in regulation, then dominated the extra period with a 16-6 scoring run to secure the series.

Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Gabby Williams added 16 points (eight in overtime) and Kiah Stokes contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. The Valkyries' depth proved decisive throughout the series: different players stepped up in each game, with Tiffany Hayes scoring a game-high 21 points in Game 2 and multiple contributors in Game 1. Stokes, a three-time champion, shot five of five from the field in the clinching game and played tight defense against Aces MVP A'ja Wilson, who finished with 21 points but shot just six of 19.

The Aces, seeking back-to-back titles, struggled defensively and could not recover from Golden State's second-half adjustments. Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon acknowledged the defensive shortfall: "If you want to win championships, you need to be a top-three, top-four defense, and we weren't this year." Chelsea Gray added 17 points and five assists for the Aces, while Jackie Young contributed 16 points.

The Valkyries' sweep marks a historic achievement for the franchise, which joined the WNBA as an expansion team in 2025 and made the playoffs in its inaugural season before losing to Minnesota in the first round. Now in Year 2, Golden State finished second in the regular season and will face the Atlanta Dream in the Finals. The Dream completed their own sweep of the New York Liberty on Friday and will travel to San Francisco for Game 1 on October 17, with the Valkyries holding home-court advantage at Chase Center. The best-of-seven series marks Golden State's first WNBA Finals appearance.