The Valkyries had to dig deep for this one. For nearly three quarters, they looked like a team headed for elimination. They were down by 16 points in the third quarter, and while they were staging a dramatic comeback, their coach was collapsing on the sideline. But somehow, they found a way through it all, rallying past the Dallas Wings 77-73 in a thrilling Game 3 to book their ticket to the WNBA semifinals.

It was indeed one wild night for the Valkyries, especially for Gabby Williams, who went from scoring just two points in the first half to becoming one of the biggest reasons Golden State pulled off the comeback. For the Wings, on the other hand, especially for Paige Bueckers, it was a particularly disappointing night, one that left the 25-year-old guard broken down in tears and visibly dejected.

Ultimately, the win gave the Valkyries a 2-1 series victory and the first playoff series win in franchise history. They now advance to face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA semifinals. But before we get there, here are all the biggest storylines from this wild Game 3.

Gabby Williams’ Crazy Night: From Two Points to the Biggest Plays of the Game

Gabby Williams was almost invisible offensively in the first half. The Valkyries forward had just two points at halftime, with the Golden State Valkyries trailing 44-37 and looking increasingly like a team running out of answers. However, whatever changed during the break clearly worked, because Gabby Williams came out of the locker room looking like an entirely different player.

She finished the game with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals, scoring 17 of those 19 points after halftime. And almost every single one of those points carried significant weight.

With 7:18 remaining, she knocked down a three-pointer to give Golden State their first lead of the fourth quarter at 63-62. But that was not her biggest shot of the night. After the game was tied at 72-72, she also received the ball from Veronica Burton and calmly pulled up for a 17-foot jumper with 1:17 left, putting the Valkyries ahead 73-72. And when Golden State needed to seal the win, she stepped to the free-throw line with 13.1 seconds remaining and knocked down both attempts to effectively end the contest.

It was indeed a big-time display of leadership from Gabby Williams, and the Valkyries definitely knew who they had to turn to when the game got tight. Tiffany Hayes particularly had nothing but praise for her teammate, describing Williams as the team’s leader.

“She’s our dog, she’s our leader, and she’s the one we go to,” Hayes said postgame. “And she showed you exactly why. We’ll do it again and again, and over and over. That’s Gabby f—ing Williams.”

That quality of leadership will be exactly what the Valkyries need when they face the defending champion Las Vegas in the semifinals.

Natalie Nakase’s Scary Sideline Collapse

The Golden State Valkyries’ comeback was dramatic enough on its own. But then, with the game still hanging in the balance, the Valkyries experienced one of the most frightening moments in the entire postseason so far.

With roughly 1:40 remaining and Dallas holding a slim 72-71 lead, head coach Natalie Nakase suddenly collapsed near the Valkyries’ bench during a Dallas timeout. Just seconds prior, Gabby Williams had hit a massive 17-foot jumper to bring Golden State within one. And during the ensuing timeout, Nakase was in a heated conversation with a referee near the sideline when she became lightheaded and crumpled to her hands and knees. Athletic trainer Katelin Knox was immediately at her side and helped her back up, and she returned to the bench where she continued coaching.

Despite the scare, she remained engaged and communicative throughout the closing minutes, drawing up plays, directing her players, and seeing the comeback through to its conclusion. But she was escorted off the court after the final buzzer sounded.

However, assistant coach Kasib Powell later reassured reporters that Nakase was doing fine, and the team confirmed she was expected to coach Game 1 of the semifinals against Las Vegas. The moment was undeniably unsettling for everyone inside Chase Centre. The fact that the Valkyries held their composure and finished the game without missing a beat says a lot about the resilience of the entire group.

Paige Bueckers’ Emotional Exit After a Difficult Shooting Night

“My heart. My body. I want to feel like I’m dead after the game. Just everything I have.” Those were Paige Bueckers’ words heading into Game 3, a promise of everything she had left to give after the Wings’ Game 2 victory had kept their season alive. That was not particularly her best showing, finishing with 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting and just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, which is why she was coming into this third game with a stronger resolve.

As it appears, she brought the determination. The results, however, did not follow. Once again, it ended up being another disappointing shooting night. Bueckers finished with 17 points and six assists, but she struggled to find her rhythm from the field, going just 3-for-14 from the floor. 

She did make all 10 of her free throws, which helped her reach 17 points, but just like in Game 2, the Valkyries made life difficult for her throughout the game, denying her the clean looks she needed to impose herself offensively. It was another night where the desire was clearly present, and the execution was not.

After the final buzzer, the weight of it was visible. Bueckers broke down in tears while speaking after the season-ending loss, the frustration of the defeat and her own shooting struggles clearly hitting her hard. Her teammates and coaching staff were, however, quick to defend her effort, pointing to her workload and her contributions on both ends of the floor. 

But for a competitor of her calibre, those assurances were unlikely to offer much comfort in the immediate aftermath of a game she had promised to give everything to.

Golden State Valkyries Mount 16-Point Comeback

The Valkyries were in serious trouble. After trailing 37-31 late in the second quarter, Golden State went cold, and Dallas capitalised. The Wings launched a 20-0 run that stretched deep into the third quarter, transforming the deficit into a 53-37 advantage that had Chase Centre quieter than it had been all night.

But then the Golden State Valkyries found a spark. Veronica Burton stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer at the 5:38 mark of the third quarter, and the comeback was underway. Tiffany Hayes began attacking the basket with purpose. Williams started finding her rhythm from midrange. Kiah Stokes continued to battle relentlessly on the glass. And Kaila Charles provided important two-way contributions across the comeback stretch.

The Valkyries closed the third quarter down just five, 59-54, after being down 16. And then they took complete control of the fourth. They outscored Dallas 23-14 in the final period, converting a five-point deficit into a four-point victory to complete one of the more dramatic comeback wins the WNBA playoffs have produced in years. The first playoff series victory in franchise history had been earned the hard way. But it made it all the more meaningful.

Arike Ogunbowale Drops 30, But Dallas Still Comes Up Short

Arike Ogunbowale did everything she could to keep Dallas alive. After her historic 45-point performance in Game 2, Ogunbowale once again led the Wings offensively, finishing Game 3 with 30 points, five rebounds and two assists.

She was particularly important during Dallas’ dominant stretch. Even in the fourth quarter, when Golden State began to make its comeback, she continued to attack. She scored with 6:59 remaining to put Dallas ahead 65-62 and later added another basket to make it 72-67 with just over three minutes left.

But the Valkyries’ defence finally forced some difficult looks, and Dallas eventually struggled to maintain its offensive momentum when it mattered most. Ultimately, 30 points from Ogunbowale were not enough to save the team from elimination.

The Valkyries Make Franchise History

This victory means more than simply moving on to the next round. As a second-year expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries have now won their first playoff series in franchise history.

Their first year in the league was also record-breaking. During their 2025 inaugural season, the Valkyries made sports history by becoming the first WNBA expansion team ever to qualify for the playoffs in its debut year. And along the way, they shattered the league record for the most wins by an expansion team with 18 wins. Their journey, however, ended in the first round of the playoffs.

Now, however, they have gone a step further. They will now be looking to extend their historic run even further by defeating the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, in the semifinals. They will face the Aces in a five-game series, with the Valkyries hosting Game 1 on Sunday. 

Right now, there is very little time to celebrate their history-making triumph over the Wings, or even to recover from the emotional and physical toll of Friday night’s game. But hopefully, they can regroup quickly and be ready for another tough battle against the defending champions.