Veronica Burton buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 41 seconds left to send the Golden State Valkyries past the Las Vegas Aces 83-81 on Wednesday night, giving Golden State a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five WNBA semifinal series.
Burton added two free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win after her shot erased a late Las Vegas push. The result puts the Valkyries one victory away from a trip to the WNBA Finals in just the franchise’s second season.
The Main Development
Golden State led 66-55 entering the final 10 minutes before the defending champion Aces clawed back behind A’ja Wilson, who finished with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting and seven rebounds. Las Vegas pulled within striking distance late, but Burton’s three-pointer put the Valkyries ahead for good.
The Aces had one more chance after Burton’s free throws. Jackie Young missed the second of two free throws with six seconds remaining, and Kiah Stokes blocked a layup attempt by Chelsea Gray in the final seconds to preserve the win.
Tiffany Hayes described the tension of watching Burton’s shot in the air. “I think I held my breath the whole time the ball was in the air,” Hayes said, according to CBS Sports.
Burton explained the sequence that led to her go-ahead shot. “I was just saying I had to do something out there. I appreciated Gabby trusting me in that moment, obviously a big moment. We trust her with the ball in her hands as well and so for her to pass it up to me not just once in that possession but twice … the second one I knew that had to go up,” Burton said.
What It Means For The Series
Golden State now controls the best-of-five semifinal and needs just one more win to reach the WNBA Finals. Las Vegas, which entered the postseason defending its title, faces elimination for the first time this postseason.
Aces coach Becky Hammon pointed to Burton’s shot as the turning point after her team’s slow start. “That Burton 3 was massive. We battled back and gave ourselves a shot after a really abysmal first half,” Hammon said.
Context And Background
Golden State’s balanced scoring carried the night. Tiffany Hayes finished with 21 points, Gabby Williams added 20 points and five rebounds, and Kayla Thornton chipped in 16 points for the Valkyries.
The win continues a historic run for the Golden State Valkyries, who became the first expansion team in WNBA history to reach the playoffs in their inaugural season a year ago. The franchise has already shown it can win close, physical series this postseason, including a comeback victory detailed in the Valkyries’ win over the Wings.
What’s Next
Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Friday in Las Vegas, where the Aces will try to stave off elimination on their home floor. Golden State can close out the series and advance to the WNBA Finals with a win.
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