The Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries locked horns in a highly anticipated matchup at Ballhalla on Monday. While both teams came into the game needing a win, the stakes were very different. Golden State needed a victory to clinch its playoff berth, while Dallas was looking to bounce back after its loss to the Indiana Fever. In the end, the Valkyries secured a 78-70 win, but Gabby Williams’ brutally honest message during the game is what caught everyone’s attention.
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The Valkyries ended the first quarter with a 20-19 lead, with Williams scoring five points on a three-pointer and two free throws. Yet despite Golden State’s lead, the Valkyries’ start had been sluggish, and Williams knew adjustments were needed. The Wings were on their way to taking a lead into the second quarter before Tiffany Hayes stopped near the midcourt logo and launched a three-pointer that gave the Valkyries the lead. So, as the quarter came to an end, Williams made sure to voice what she wanted from her team during a sideline interview, per an X post by WNBA on NBC and Peacock
“We suck right now. Their pace is too much. We need to slow them down. We need to pick them up higher.”
And as it turned out, the Valkyries listened.
Golden State completely took control in the second quarter of the game and held Dallas to just nine points as they built a significant halftime lead. Valkyries guard Veronica Burton knocked down three three-pointers in the period, while Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini added another as the Golden State closed the half on a 44-28 lead.
Although the Wings never completely went away, Gabby Williams and her teammates continued to show up with an answer whenever Dallas threatened to make things interesting. Paige Bueckers led the Wings with 21 points, while Arike Ogunbowale added 17. Yet Dallas struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 5-of-22, while Williams and Burton combined for six three-pointers for the Valkyries.
Gabby Williams led the way with a game-high 23 points, along with seven rebounds, three assists and four steals, while Burton added 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals as Golden State eventually secured the victory.
And that performance was impressive enough to catch the attention of Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry.
“They seem like they have great chemistry. It’s great to watch,” Curry said during a courtside interview with Matt Lively. “When everything’s going great, and the energy is right, it’s kind of contagious.”
With this win, Gabby Williams and the Valkyries have now extended their win streak to six games and clinched a playoff berth, making them just the third team this season after the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.
For Dallas, however, the situation is becoming uncomfortable. The Wings currently sit in eighth place, meaning they remain in the playoff picture but have little room for another stumble. With the regular season winding down, every upcoming game carries added pressure for Paige Bueckers and Co., especially after losing five of their last six games.
So while Gabby Williams may have admitted that the Valkyries “suck” during the opening quarter, by the final buzzer, Golden State had completely flipped the script.