The No. 2 seed Golden State Valkyries will play their first-ever playoff game at Chase Center when they host Paige Bueckers and the No. 7 seed Dallas Wings for Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA playoffs on Sunday. The Valkyries and Wings are two of the most improved teams in the league this season, with Golden State jumping six spots up from the eighth seed in their inaugural season and Dallas making WNBA history for the largest year-over-year win increase with 17 more wins. The Valkyries swept the regular-season series with the Wings 3-0, beating them by an average margin of 12.3 points per game. 

Golden State played its first home playoff game at the SAP Center in San Jose last season due to a scheduling conflict. They seek their first playoff win this season after being swept by the Minnesota Lynx 3-0 in 2025. The first round of the WNBA playoffs is a best-of-three series with a Game 3 if necessary slated for Oct. 2 at Chase Center.

Valkyries vs. Wings
Sunday, Sept. 27 | Tipoff: 6 p.m.
WATCH: USA Network, CNBC
LISTEN: 95.7 The Game, ESPN 1320, The Audacy App
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MATCHUP TO WATCH: VERONICA BURTON VS. PAIGE BUECKERS
Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5.9 APG) and Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (5.7 APG) are two of the WNBA’s top playmakers, ranking eighth and ninth among qualifiers in assists per game. Bueckers is also fifth among qualifiers in scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game and is one of three 20-point scorers shooting over 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. However, the Valkyries limited her efficiency in their three regular-season matchups, as she averaged 17.7 points, shot just 28.6% from three, and nearly had as many turnovers (11) as assists (12). Golden State primarily defended Bueckers with two All-Defensive Team wings, Burton and Gabby Williams. Williams’ size and length helped her navigate screens, contest shots, and stay attached to the hip both on and off the ball. Burton provided tenacious ball pressure and knew she had backline help, forcing Bueckers into tough jumpers. On the other end, Burton thrived, carving up the Wings defense to average 16.3 points, 4.2 more than her regular-season average, and shoot 50% from both the field and from three. Burton leads the WNBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.92), and she dished out 17 assists with just three turnovers over the three matchups. She benefits from not having an all-league primary defender, but reigning Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith is a formidable rim deterrent. Whichever point guard is more effective at generating efficient offense can provide a big boost to their team in this series. 

IMPACTFUL ALL-STAR ADDITIONS: GABBY WILLIAMS AND JESSICA SHEPARD
The Valkyries and Wings both added a high-impact free agent who made the 2026 All-Star team, with Golden State signing Gabby Williams and Dallas picking up Jessica Shepard. Williams became the first All-Star starter in franchise history and is receiving consideration for the Defensive Player of the Year, All-WNBA team, and All-Defensive team. She led the Valkyries is scoring and assists. Shepard made her first career All-Star team and is in the running for the Most Improved Player award, increasing her scoring average by 6.5 points per game, her rebounds per game by 3.8, and her assists by 2.7. Sheppard is the only WNBA player this season to average at least 14 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. The two versatile forwards are significant difference-makers to watch in this series. 

GAME WITHIN THE GAME: TURNOVER BATTLE 
The Valkyries (11.5 TOV; 1st) and Wings (12.1 TOV; 2nd) are the two best teams at protecting the basketball, committing the fewest turnovers in the league. However, the Valkyries are significantly better at forcing turnovers, tied for causing the third-most (14.6 OPP TOV), while the Wings allow the second-fewest (12.6 OPP TOV). Golden State has the league’s best defensive rating (99.1 DEFRTG), while the Wings are sixth among the eight playoff teams. The Valkyries won the overall turnover battle by seven during their head-to-head regular season matchups (39-32) and in two of their three wins.

For more details of the regular season matchups against the Wings, click here. All information on 2026 WNBA Playoffs can be found here.