Aces held to season-low points in Game 1 loss to Valkyries

Justin Lafferty October 4, 2026 - 3:17 pm The Las Vegas Aces found themselves surrounded by lavender hues as they took the floor for the WNBA semifinal opener versus the Golden State Valkyries at San Francisco’s Chase Center. Whenever A’ja Wilson, the team’s all‑everything guard, received the ball, a wall of purple‑clad defenders collapsed on her. Fans filled the arena in matching lavender “We Are Ballhalla” shirts, chanting about the energetic atmosphere. The scoreboard reflected the pastel‑toned reality: a 71‑60 defeat to Golden State in Game 1 of the semifinals, a contest notable for its low‑scoring nature. Wilson paced the Aces with 24 points. Chelsea Gray, who became the WNBA’s all‑time playoff assists leader on Sunday, added 16 points. Brianna Turner pulled down a team‑high seven rebounds. For the Valkyries, Gabby Williams delivered a complete performance, scoring 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Kiah Stokes, a three‑time champion with Las Vegas, contributed 14 rebounds and three blocks against her former squad. Las Vegas will have a couple of days to regroup before returning to Chase Center for Game 2, scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. PT. Golden State entered the game as one of the league’s top defensive units this season and demonstrated that reputation once again. The Valkyries dominated the boards, limiting Wilson’s comfort. She faced relentless triple‑teams, most often with Stokes shadowing her, and finished 8‑for‑21 from the field with a plus/minus of ‑12. The Aces did not secure an offensive rebound until Brianna Turner grabbed one roughly two minutes into the second half. Overall, Las Vegas was out‑rebounded 52‑25. When the Aces managed to get an open look at the basket, the shots rarely fell. After shooting 45.3 percent from the floor in the first‑round clincher versus the Indiana Fever, their accuracy dropped to 33.8 percent against the Valkyries. Depth has been a concern for Las Vegas over the past few games, and that issue persisted in Game 1. Stephanie Talbot missed her second straight contest while recovering from a near‑knee injury. Head coach Becky Hammon noted earlier that Talbot’s status is day‑to‑day. The situation worsened when Jewell Loyd, who had filled in for Talbot during Thursday’s win over the Fever, suffered a near‑leg injury early in the second half and did not return. Hammon again leaned on her veteran core—Wilson, Young and Gray—to log heavy minutes. Young exceeded 38 minutes on the court, while Wilson and Gray each played approximately 35 minutes. Golden State burst out of the gate, leading by as many as 11 points in the opening period. Las Vegas answered with an 8‑0 run to close the second quarter, trimming the deficit to a single possession (34‑31) at halftime. **This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.**