Golden State smothers Las Vegas's firepower

Valkyries guard Gabby Williams is ready for her close-up.

Golden State starts strong against Aces

No. 2 Golden State ran the floor last night, fending off No. 3 Las Vegas 71-60 in front of a hyped Balhalla crowd to grab a one-game WNBA semifinal lead.

• Guard Gabby Williams led with 25 points and 11 rebounds, setting the tone for a smothering Valkyries defense that held the Aces to just 29% shooting.

• “We were really connected tonight,” Williams said. “And then it came down to rebounding.” (Watch full highlights)

Up next: Las Vegas will look to shake off the hostile environment in Game 2, hunting a critical road win in the best-of-five series.

• Outside its Big Three — A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young — the usually explosive Aces combined for just nine points on Sunday.

• “The good news is, we played like ass and only lost by 10,” coach Becky Hammon wryly noted. (See full clip)

Tune in: Golden State hosts Las Vegas on Wednesday at 9:30 PM ET (ESPN).

Atlanta rocks New York in Game 1

No. 4 Atlanta brought the heat, clamping down on No. 8 New York 92-82 on Sunday to take an early semifinal lead at home.

• Guard Jordin Canada showed off on both sides of the ball, dropping 25 points while helping the Dream score a near-record 32 points off turnovers.

• “They just kind of raced it down our throats, and we need to be better,” said Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. (Watch full highlights)

Injury report: Atlanta could face a steeper climb on Wednesday, after top-scorer Allisha Gray exited Game 1 with a hand knock — though the severity is unknown.

• Veteran forward DeWanna Bonner picked up the slack, posting 23 points in 30 minutes to prove her value off the bench.

• “She was exactly what we needed,” said coach Karl Smesko. “Not just because she’s a veteran presence and all the experience, [but] because she still plays like she did tonight.” (See full remarks)

Tune in: Atlanta hosts New York on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET (ESPN).

Kansas City rains goals on Bay FC

No. 5 Kansas City is on the up and up, rocketing up the NWSL standings after dismantling No. 14 Bay FC 5-1 on Saturday.

• The Current recorded the first back-to-back hat tricks in league history behind midfielder Debinha’s three tallies — mirroring forward Haley Hopkins’s scoreline in last Saturday’s 4-1 over No. 10 Denver.

• “She runs for the team, she plays for the team, she works hard every day for her game,” manager Chris Armas said of Debinha. (Watch full highlights)

Chutes & ladders: The win launched KC three spots up the table, cementing a +10 goal differential with just three regular-season matches remaining.

• No. 8 North Carolina beat No. 9 Seattle 1-0 to enter the international break above the playoff line, while Shield hopeful No. 1 Gotham holds a four-point lead over No. 2 San Diego despite Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Angel City.

• “Our ambition is big,” said Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amorós. “We want to win the Shield. We want to be the best team.” (See full recap)

Janelle Salaün wins 6th Player of the Year

Janelle Salaün is playing her part, as the Golden State forward earned 2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year by a first-ever unanimous vote on Sunday.

• Salaün averaged 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 40 appearances off the bench, helping the Valkyries to a No. 2 playoff seed.

• Her cumulative plus-minus (+160) outpaced all reserves with a minimum of 20 appearances, while also setting single-season bench records for points (509), 3-pointers (93), and 10-point games. (See full release)

How it works: The Sixth Player of the Year award spotlights the season’s best bench player — a role the French star is embracing after starting much of last year.

• “I really like this group — a great bench; we have a great second unit,” she said. “It wouldn’t be possible without you guys, so thank you.” (See full clip)

PWHL drops 2026/27 season schedule

The PWHL is puck-drop ready, unveiling its 2026/27 season schedule and format changes as it prepares to welcome four expansion sides to the fold this winter.

• Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose will join the fourth-year league’s existing eight teams in a brand-new conference format divided by region.

• Boston, Hamilton, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto make up the East, while Detroit, Las Vegas, Minnesota, San Jose, Seattle, and Vancouver power the West. (See full report)

How it works: Each team will play 30 regular-season games — 18 conference and 12 non-conference — from November 22nd to April 18th, pausing for a first-ever All-Star Game in March before kicking off an expanded postseason.

• “The introduction of conferences and an expanded playoff format will deepen rivalries and fuel the competitiveness that makes PWHL action so exciting from the very first puck drop until the Walter Cup is raised,” said EVP of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford. (See full changes)

Quote of the day

Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell
on her future as a free agent after Indiana’s WNBA playoffs exit.