The Golden State Valkyries host the Dallas Wings at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday night. Tip is set for 10:00 PM ET. This is the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season, with Golden State winning two of the first three.
Golden State is 22-18 on the year and sits fourth in the Western Conference, currently holding a playoff spot with four games to play. Dallas is 9-32 and in last place in the West, already eliminated from playoff contention. The teams last met on August 24 when Golden State pulled out a 90-81 win in Dallas.
Valkyries Preview – Defense Driving the Push
The Valkyries have won four straight, including recent wins over Indiana, New York, and Washington. Their defense has been the key, holding those teams to 63, 58, and 62 points. They rank second in the WNBA in points allowed per game at 76.4, and opponents are shooting just 40.4% against them, the best mark in the league.
Janelle Salaun continues to play an important role as a rookie. She has scored in double figures in three straight games and is shooting 53% from three over that stretch. Temi Fagbenle had 16 points and 5 rebounds in the last outing, while Tina Charles provided 10 points and steady play inside.
Golden State is 13-7 at home and has one of the league’s most reliable home-court defenses. They are 25-14-1 against the spread this year, making them one of the strongest ATS teams in the league. The offense averages 81.5 points per game, which ranks ninth, but they rely more on balanced scoring than individual stars.
Injuries have forced adjustments. Kayla Thornton is out for the season with a knee injury, and Tiffany Hayes is out with a knee issue. Despite these losses, the Valkyries have kept momentum, leaning on depth players like Veronica Burton, who had 9 assists and 9 rebounds in the last game.
Wings Preview – Short-Handed and Searching
Dallas has had a rough season and enters this matchup on an eight-game losing streak. They’ve struggled badly on the road, going 4-16 away from home. During this losing streak, they have dropped games by large margins, including 100-78 at Atlanta and 96-71 at Minnesota.
Paige Bueckers continues to lead the team. The rookie is averaging 18.9 points per game, the most among first-year players in the league. She scored 17 in the last game against Minnesota, showing her consistency as the team’s primary option without Arike Ogunbowale.
Maddy Siegrist has stepped up as a secondary scorer, adding 12 points in the last outing, while Myisha Hines-Allen provides rebounding help inside. However, the roster is thin. Ogunbowale remains out with a knee injury, and several other players, including Lou Yueru, Jacy Sheldon, and Jazmine Quinerly, are out for the season.
Dallas averages 81.5 points per game, but their defense has not been able to keep pace. They allow 85.4 points per game, one of the highest marks in the WNBA. They do lead the league in offensive rebounding with 9.9 per game, but turnovers and inconsistent perimeter shooting have limited their ability to win close games.
The Wings are 18-23 against the spread this season, but they have failed to cover in many recent games during this losing streak. Even with Bueckers’ growth as a leader, the lack of veteran depth has left them struggling to compete against stronger rosters.
Head-to-Head Notes
The season series stands at 2-1 in favor of Golden State. Dallas took the first meeting 80-71 at home in June, but Golden State responded with an 86-76 win at home in July and a 90-81 win on the road in August. Rookie stars Bueckers and Salaun have highlighted the matchups, though Golden State’s balanced scoring and defense have decided the last two games.
In the last 10 head-to-head matchups, Golden State has the edge, winning two of three this season and showing an ability to slow down Dallas’ guards. The Wings will need Bueckers and Siegrist to have big nights to stay in this one, while Golden State will aim to continue its defensive dominance at Chase Center.
Betting Prediction
The spread is set at Golden State -10.5 with a total of 158.5. The Valkyries are heavy moneyline favorites at -625, while Dallas sits at +450. Golden State’s strong home record and elite defense give them a clear edge in this matchup.
Dallas has struggled to keep games close without Ogunbowale, and their defense has been unable to contain playoff-level opponents. Golden State has held opponents under 65 points in three straight games, which suggests their defense can control this game. Predicted score: Golden State 82, Dallas 70. That points to Golden State covering the spread and the Under hitting.
Pick: Golden State -10.5
