Aces face Valkyries in WNBA semifinal opener

Old results, new series

Las Vegas had answers for Golden State every time during the regular season.

The Aces won the first meeting 91-81 in San Francisco, then followed with 84-79 and 92-73 wins at Michelob ULTRA Arena. A’ja Wilson was steady throughout, scoring 28, 28 and 19 points while grabbing 15, 14 and nine rebounds.

Jackie Young gave Golden State problems in different ways. She scored 23 points with nine assists in the first meeting, followed with 27 points in the second, then added 21 points and five assists in the third.

Las Vegas also shot efficiently in all three games. The Aces finished at 48 percent, 43 percent and 62 percent from the field.

Still, those meetings came before either team reached its final form.

Golden State became one of the league’s hottest teams after the last meeting, going 22-5 the rest of the regular season. Las Vegas also changed during that stretch, and the roster that swept the Valkyries is not the same one entering Sunday.

NaLyssa Smith played in all three regular-season games and had 15 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting. She is out for the season. Meanwhile, Jewell Loyd has taken on a larger role, including a start in the Aces’ Game 3 win over Indiana after Stephanie Talbot was unable to play.

Image | Source: Dice City Sports

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young shoots against Golden State Valkyries forwards Janelle Salaun and Gabby Williams on June 21, 2026, at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Young scored 21 points as the Aces won 92-73 to complete a three-game regular-season sweep of Golden State. Las Vegas now faces the Valkyries in the WNBA semifinals. Photo credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Perimeter battle

Golden State’s willingness to live from beyond the arc was a constant in the season series.

The Valkyries attempted 35 3-pointers in each of the first two meetings, then took 30 in the third. The results swung dramatically.

Golden State shot 46 percent from deep in the first game, 31 percent in the second and 17 percent in the third. That variance remains one of the clearest matchup points entering the semifinals.

Las Vegas spent much of the Indiana series emphasizing point-of-attack defense and protecting the paint. Becky Hammon said after Game 3 that the Aces became more connected defensively as that series progressed.

“Whoever we face, we’ll have a game plan that I know we’ll be able to execute, especially defensively,” Hammon said.

That challenge now shifts to a Golden State offense that can stretch the floor and create pressure across multiple spots.

Rest before another grind

The Aces had little time to celebrate eliminating Indiana.

Wilson scored 36 points with 10 rebounds in the deciding game, while Chelsea Gray added 23 points and Young finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The three combined for 77 of Las Vegas’ 94 points.

Gray and Young also carried heavy minutes. Young played all 40, and Hammon acknowledged afterward how much she had asked from her core.

That made recovery the immediate priority.

“Honestly, the biggest thing for us is rest and getting healthy,” Hammon said. “I want them to sleep, recover mentally. This was a grind. It’s never easy. It’s not going to get easier with either team we face.”

The opponent is now set, and the next round presents a different problem.

Golden State enters with home court and momentum from a comeback win in Game 3. Las Vegas enters with the confidence of a season sweep, but enough distance from those games to know they offer context, not guarantees.

The Aces have already shown they can win at Chase Center. Sunday will test whether the matchup advantages they found in May and June still translate in October.

Up next

The Aces open the best-of-five semifinals against Golden State on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Chase Center in San Francisco. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. PT on NBC.