The Valkyries scored the game's first 17 points but were unable to hold on, falling to the Portland Fire in overtime 90-82 at Moda Center on Tuesday. Former Valkyries guard Carla Leite had the dagger 3-point play in overtime as Golden State was outscored 13-5 in the bonus period. The Valkyries had their five-game winning streak snapped and lost out on a chance at the first seed in the 2026 WNBA playoffs. They will be either the second or third seed depending on the results of Thursday's regular season finale.
Gabby Williams paced the Valkyries with 17 points and played 41 minutes in her first game back from the FIBA World Cup. Veronica Burton had a complete floor game with 13 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 37 minutes.
Highlights: Golden State Valkyries 82 - Portland Fire 90 | 9/22/26
VALKYRIES OPEN GAME WITH 17-0 RUN, FORCE SIX-MINUTE SCORING DROUGHT
The Valkyries dominated the opening minutes of Tuesday’s game, scoring the first 17 points, tied for the fifth-largest scoring run to begin a game in WNBA history. Golden State held the Fire scoreless for the first 6:40, the ninth-longest scoring drought in league history. Neither team scored in the game’s first two minutes before Veronica Burton got on the board with a 3-pointer. Cecilia Zandalasini added a 3-pointer on the next possession, and from there the floodgates opened. Eight different Valkyries scored in the opening quarter, with Kayla Thornton leading the way with six points. Portland mustered just 10 points in the frame on 15 shots, while Golden State had 24 points on 16 shots.
FIRE RESPOND AND TAKE SECOND-QUARTER LEAD
The Fire were relentless in the second quarter, methodically chipping away at the Valkyries' lead before taking their first lead of the game, 37-35. The Valkyries had a lengthy scoring drought of their own, which Portland capitalized on. Golden State regained the advantage by halftime with a 4-point play that put them up 40-37. However, a game that was once a blowout became tightly contested in the second half.
BACK-AND-FORTH BATTLE HEADS INTO OVERTIME
After an even third quarter and falling behind in the fourth, the Valkyries pulled ahead with a 12-2 fourth-quarter run. Gabby Williams hit a go-ahead 3-pointer from the left corner, assisted by Veronica Burton, her eighth assist of the night. Then, Williams came up with a steal, and a 3-on-1 advantage in transition led to a Kaila Charles layup. Tiffany Hayes capped the run with a 3-pointer from the opposite corner, which forced a Fire timeout. Portland regained momentum after the timeout, as an and-1 finish by former Valkyrie Carla Leite emphasized a 9-0 response that regained the Fire's lead. Williams executed the front end of the 2-for-1 perfectly, tying the score with a lefty layup, but she couldn't convert the game-winning shot for Golden State on the final possession of regulation, sending the game into overtime.
Natalie Nakase Postgame Press Conference | 9/22/26
Gabby Williams and Veronica Burton Postgame Press Conference | 9/22/26
HIGH POSTSEASON STAKES IN PORTLAND
With the loss, the Valkyries are unable to claim the top seed in the WNBA playoffs, meaning they will either be the second or third seed depending on the result of Thursday's season finale. Golden State can clinch the second seed with a win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday which would guarantee themselves home-court advantage in at least the first two rounds of the playoffs. Tickets for the first round of the 2026 playoffs are on-sale now and fans have an opportunity to witness the first Valkyries playoff game at Chase Center on Sunday — last year's home playoff game was played at the SAP Center in San Jose due to a scheduling conflict.
UP NEXT
The Valkyries will conclude the 2026 regular season facing the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m.
By the Numbers
- Gabby Williams led the Valkyries in scoring with 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists, shooting a perfect 4-4 from the line without committing a single turnover while playing 40:40.
- Veronica Burton finished with 13 points, a team-high eight assists, seven rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. Burton went 2-4 (50 percent) from three and 7-8 (87.5 percent) from the free throw line.
- Janelle Salaün scored 11 points, her 27th double-digit scoring performance of the year, a WNBA single-season record for a reserve player. Janelle also added five rebounds and two assists.
- Kayla Thornton posted 11 points and seven rebounds, reaching 1,500 career boards with her third rebound of the game in the third quarter. Thornton shot 4-8 (50 percent) from the field and 2-4 (50 percent) from beyond the arc.
- Tiffany Hayes was the fifth player to score in double figures with ten points, while also adding three assists and one block.
- Cecilia Zandalasini contributed seven points, two assists, and two steals, shooting 1-2 (50 percent) from the field, 1-2 (50 percent) from three, and 4-5 from the line (80 percent).
- Kiah Stokes, Burton, and Thornton each had seven rebounds. Stokes grabbed six defensive rebounds in the first half alone.
- Golden State began the game with a 17-0 lead, holding Portland scoreless for the first six minutes and 40 seconds which is the ninth-longest scoreless streak to start a game in WNBA history. The 17 consecutive points scored are tied for the fifth-most to start a game in league history (per Elias).
- The Valkyries shot a franchise-high 30 free throws.
- It was Golden State’s second-ever overtime game, with the first coming on June 9, 2025 at Los Angeles (89-81 victory).
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