Recapping the Valkyries' run to a WNBA Championship in their second season

The Valkyries' Veronica Burton boxes out Dallas' Jessica Shepard in the second half during Golden State's 77-73 win over the Wings in the decisive Game 3 of the WNBA first-round playoff series at Chase Center on Oct. 2. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle) Here's a game-by-game snapshot of the Golden State Valkyries' historic 2026 run in the WNBA playoffs:First round - Valkyries 2, Wings 1Game 1: Valkyries 104, Wings 80 at Chase Center - In the first-ever playoff game at Ballhalla, Golden State treated fans to an offensive showcase. After riding their league-best defense to the WNBA's second-best record, the Valkyries earned the franchise's first playoff win by scoring the most points in the team's two-year history. The game was largely decided after the Valkyries' 37-point blitz in the second quarter. The Valkyries made 18 of 36 3-point attempts, including Cecilia Zandalasini's 4-for-5 performance from deep as she scored a team-high 22 points in 16 minutes. Paige Bueckers led Dallas with 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting.Game 2: Wings 108, Valkyries 100 (OT) in Dallas - After setting a franchise record for scoring three days earlier, Golden State surrendered the most points in franchise history. Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale's 45 points broke the WNBA playoff record for the highest-scoring game, outdueling Valkyries star Gabby Williams, who finished with a career-high 36 points on 12-for-23 shooting. Dallas earned its first win over Golden State this year, but Williams found her groove.Game 3: Valkyries 77, Wings 72 at Chase Center - Golden State appeared headed for an early playoff exit, trailing by 16 points in the second half as Ogunbowale made tough shot after tough shot en route to another 30-point night. Then Veronica Burton snapped a 20-0 Dallas run with a stepback 3-pointer midway third quarter. The point guard helped lead a feverish comeback alongside Williams, whose 11 fourth-quarter points included the go-ahead mid-range bucket with a minute remaining. Moments earlier, Natalie Nakase collapsed during a heated conversation with an official. She coached Golden State until the buzzer, and later attributed it to a moment of exhaustion. WNBA semifinals - Valkyries 3, Aces 0Game 1: Valkyries 71, Aces 60 at Chase Center - Facing the reigning champions led by A'ja Wilson, who days later would be named WNBA MVP for the fifth time, Golden State did not flinch, holding the Aces to their fewest points all season and dominating the glass (58-34). Kiah Stokes - who won titles with the Aces in 2022, '23 and '25 - led three Valkyries in double-digit rebounds with 14, including seven offensive boards. Williams finished with a game-high 25 points to go with 11 rebounds and five assists. Aces head coach Becky Hammon offered a silver lining: "Good news is we played like ass and only lost by (11)."Game 2: Valkyries 83, Aces 81 at Chase Center - One basket from Burton put Golden State one win from the WNBA Finals. With the score tied, 42 seconds remaining and the defense closing in, Williams looked to the perimeter to find Burton, who had missed her only two previous field-goal attempts. No matter. Burton pulled up from 28 feet and swished the decisive 3-pointer, drawing a roar from Ballhalla and silencing Las Vegas, which had fought back from a 17-point third-quarter deficit. "I had to do something up there," Burton said. "So I appreciate Gabby trusting me in that moment."Game 3: Valkyries 87, Aces 77 (OT) in Las Vegas - Golden State's "Strength in Numbers" mantra paid off when it mattered most, as the Aces' star-studded roster wore down in overtime as they were outscored 16-6. And so the second-year franchise eliminated the winners of three of the past four WNBA championships. The Valkyries' bench outscored Las Vegas' reserves 27-13. Kayla Thornton scored a team-high 18 points, Williams (16 points) took control down the stretch and Stokes contributed a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) while helping limit Wilson to 6-for-19 shooting.WNBA Finals - Valkyries 4, Dream 3Game 1: Valkyries 68, Dream 64 at Chase Center - Burton got whacked in the face. Williams took a hit in the mouth and another to her knee. Tiffany Hayes smacked her head on the court. Golden State weathered the blows, and dished out some of its own, to rally from a seven-point deficit in a physical fourth quarter, holding Atlanta to 2-for-19 shooting to take the lead. Williams finished with a game-high 26 points, and Golden State leaned on Laeticia Amihere, a seldom-used forward these playoffs, to help counter Angel Reese, who missed her only two shots after halftime. The Valkyries outscored the Dream by nine points in Amihere's 14 minutes, as she contributed five points, five rebounds, a block and a steal.Game 2: Dream 79, Valkyries 65 at Chase Center - "Get me the f-ing ball!" Reese shouted to no one in particular. Her teammates complied, as the Defensive Player of the Year channeled her frustration from a lackluster second half in the series opener into one of the most dominant performances in WNBA postseason history. Reese piled up 30 points and 16 rebounds, becoming the third player ever to put a 30-15 stamp on a Finals game. Golden State suffered just its fourth loss of 10 points or more this season, its first playoff defeat at Chase Center and its first regulation loss in nearly two months.Game 3: Dream 97, Valkyries 71 in Atlanta - Golden State failed to find any answers as Reese continued to assert herself with 21 points and 12 rebounds while Williams, who had been the Valkyries' offensive engine, continued her shooting struggles: 16-for-55 (29%) through three games. Janelle Salaün, the Sixth Player of the Year who had fallen out of the rotation, gave Golden State some life with 13 points (3-for-4 from 3) in 12 minutes. But the Dream defense caused havoc, turning 17 turnovers into 22 points. Williams gave her teammates an impassioned postgame speech after they showed none of the fight they had promised to Nakase. For the first time this year, the Valkyries faced a series deficit - and serious doubt. Game 4: Valkyries 67, Dream 62 in Atlanta - Safe to say Williams' speech fired them up. Herself, too. Williams scored a team-high 17 points and keyed a Valkyries defense that rediscovered its identity. Stokes humbled Reese, if that's possible, outrebounding her 16-9 and holding her to 2-for-12 shooting. Stokes blocked three shots, bringing her series total to 14 - a WNBA Finals record. Nakase's adjustments were a massive factor, as she inserted Hayes and Kaila Charles into the starting lineup in place of Thornton and Zandalasini, a much-needed infusion of energy. "We can do that because we have a really egoless team," Nakase said. "So, yeah, you definitely saw some energy, a better fight." Game 5: Valkyries 64, Dream 55 at Chase Center - The Stokes for Finals MVP chatter went from a whisper to a roar, with fans chanting "M-V-P!" at her in the aftermath of another forceful defensive showing on Reese complemented by some offensive flashes. Stokes finished with 13 points (3-for-4 from 3-point range), eight rebounds and three blocks while holding Reese to 2-for-8 shooting. Burton, Stokes' 5-foot-9 teammate, blocked four shots - tying Diana Taurasi in 2009 for most in a Finals game by a guard - and tied Stokes for team highs in points and rebounds. Golden State held Atlanta to its fewest points all season, a striking 36 points below its 2026 average.Game 6: Dream 80, Valkyries 69 in Atlanta - This one was over before the Bay Area finished its morning coffee. With tipoff moved to 12:30 p.m. Eastern so the Dream could play at higher-capacity State Farm Arena and avoid a conflict with the Hawks, Atlanta gave Golden State a wakeup call to the tune of a 32-point first quarter. The Dream rode hot 3-point shooting to lead by as many as 25 in the first half. Williams fueled a fourth-quarter rally to close the gap to eight, but it was too late. She finished with a game-high 26 points. Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 23 points (5-for-7 from 3).Game 7: Valkyries 68, Dream 63 at Chase Center - With history on the line for the second-year franchise, Golden State and Atlanta traded blows in another tight defensive fight from the start. The situation looked dire when the Valkyries went without a basket for the first five minutes of the second quarter to fall behind 30-24 at the half, but Gabby Williams delivered a 15-point third quarter to get them up 45-44 going into the last 10 minutes, where Williams' 31-foot dagger three with 2:18 left made it 60-57 and gave Golden State a lead it would never relinquish, crowning themselves WNBA champions on Halloween.SubscribeThere’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Recapping the Valkyries' run to a WNBA Championship in their second season.