The Golden State Valkyries are staring down a brutal 1-6 record against the Las Vegas Aces as they head into the WNBA semifinals. This isn’t just a bad stat; it is a massive hurdle for the ascendant second-year franchise, who are set to face the defending champions in a best-of-five series. With their lone win against Vegas coming way back in June 2025, in the very first game between the two teams, and a tough 0-3 sweep this season, the road ahead looks seriously challenging.
From Expansion Darlings to Playoff Pressure Cooker
Look, the Valkyries have absolutely shattered expectations in their two seasons. They burst onto the scene making the playoffs as an expansion team, then came back this season as the No. 2 seed. That’s unreal growth. But beating the Aces in these WNBA semifinals would be their biggest flex yet. It would be a statement that Golden State is now the Bay Area basketball franchise that’s truly “light-years ahead,” as the WNBA itself put it. Game 1 kicks off Sunday in San Francisco at 4 p.m. ET, live on NBC and Peacock. If the Valkyries can somehow flip the script and overcome their record against Vegas, we might just see the WNBA Finals land in Ballhalla. But if the Aces stay dominant, Sin City is getting its Finals back.
Defense, Or Lack Thereof, When It Matters Most
This is where things get tricky for Golden State. They wrapped up the 2026 regular season with the WNBA’s best defense, rocking a 99.1 defensive rating that was over four points better than the next team. Impressive, right? But here’s the kicker: out of only six times all season they registered a defensive rating of 110.0 or worse, *three of those games* were against the Aces. And their absolute worst defensive performance of the season? That was on June 21, when Vegas handed them a 19-point beatdown, 92-73, with both the margin and the Aces’ point total being Golden State’s worst of the regular season. Vegas also dropped 91 points in a 10-point win in late May. Even in the closest game, an early June five-point win for Vegas, the Aces still put up 84 points. It really feels like the Aces are just immune to the defensive schemes of Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase, who used to be an assistant for Vegas.
And it isn’t just the Aces that have given them trouble. Golden State’s defense also didn’t hold up in their first-round series against the Dallas Wings. After a solid Game 1 shutdown win, the Wings just lit up the Valkyries in Games 2 and 3. Golden State ended that series with a 112.5 defensive rating against a Dallas team that had a 111.3 offensive rating for the regular season. To put that in perspective, in the Wings’ three regular-season losses to the Valkyries, Dallas never even hit an offensive rating better than 103.9. The Aces’ defense also saw a dip, going from a 105.1 regular-season mark to 108.1 in the first round against an Indiana Fever squad.
So, Valkyries fans, get ready. This series starts Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. It’s time to see if Golden State can finally solve the Aces’ puzzle and prove they’re ready for the big stage.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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