The 2026 WNBA playoffs first round concludes Friday night with a winner-take-all Game 3 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Dallas Wings at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The winner advances to face the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals, cbssports.com reported.
Where to Watch Valkyries vs. Wings Game 3
Tipoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 2, with a live broadcast on ESPN2 and fubo, according to cbssports.com and sports.yahoo.com. FanDuel lists the Valkyries as 7.5-point favorites with an over/under set at 158.5, while sports.yahoo.com notes a consensus line of 7.5 and an over/under of 157.5.
How Dallas Forced a Deciding Game
The series shifted after Dallas dropped Game 1 in a 104-80 blowout where Golden State led by as many as 36 points. In Game 2, Arike Ogunbowale scored 45 points in the highest-scoring playoff game in league history, leading the Wings to a 108-100 overtime victory that leveled the series at 1-1, cbssports.com reported. Alysha Clark added 21 points for Dallas, and Aziaha James contributed 13 points.
Valkyries Dominate Regular Season Meetings and Home Defense
The Valkyries finished the regular season with a league-best 17-5 home record, while the Wings struggled on the road at 11-11, cbssports.com noted. Golden State also swept the three regular-season matchups against Dallas, winning each by at least eight points, according to sports.yahoo.com data. Defensively, the Valkyries allowed 75.1 points per game during the regular season and posted a 99.1 defensive rating.
Expert Predictions and Betting Odds for Friday Night
cbssports.com analysts project an 84-70 victory for Golden State, anticipating a slower half-court pace and a defensive rebound from the team’s Game 2 performance. Meanwhile, sports.yahoo.com highlights Action Network projections that favor the Valkyries at -9 against the spread and point to Tiffany Hayes exceeding her 7.5-point player prop, noting she averaged 9.0 points in the regular season and cleared that mark in seven of her last eight games.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Series
Who awaits the winner of Game 3 in the semifinals?
The Las Vegas Aces await the winner of Friday’s game after eliminating the Indiana Fever in a winner-take-all contest on Thursday, cbssports.com reported.
What were the regular season head-to-head results between Golden State and Dallas?
Golden State won all three regular-season games against Dallas, with eight points serving as the smallest margin of victory across those meetings, according to sports.yahoo.com.
What are the moneyline odds for the elimination game?
FanDuel lists the Valkyries as a -320 favorite to win outright, while the Wings sit at +245 to pull off the upset, as reported by sports.yahoo.com.
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