Veronica Burton’s late three rescues Valkyries in 83-81 win over Aces

Golden State built the cushion early

For most of the night, this looked like a controlled Golden State win rather than a late scramble. The Valkyries scored the game’s first seven points, took a 19-11 lead after one quarter and carried that edge into halftime at 42-31. Las Vegas shot well enough to stay within range, but it spent the evening chasing a margin Golden State had established almost immediately.

The opening stretch set the tone. Kayla Thornton hit from deep at 9:39 of the first quarter, Cecilia Zandalasini added two free throws, and Gabby Williams finished a driving layup to make it 7-0 before the Aces got moving. Chelsea Gray and A’ja Wilson steadied Las Vegas, yet Golden State kept spacing the floor. Thornton hit a second first-quarter three, Williams added one of her own, and the Valkyries finished the period with a clear edge.

That advantage widened in the second quarter behind a brisk burst from the home bench. Tiffany Hayes drilled a 26-foot three, knocked down a pull-up, converted a layup and free throw, then added another jumper as Golden State pushed ahead by double digits. Kaitlyn Chen chipped in with a 27-foot three later in the quarter, Thornton closed the half with another long ball, and the Valkyries went to the break up 11 points.

Hayes and Williams gave the Valkyries enough scoring everywhere

Golden State did not win with one overwhelming statistical category. It won by getting production from several places at the right times. Hayes was the sharpest scorer of the night, pouring in 21 points in 17 minutes on 6-of-10 shooting and a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. Her scoring lifted a Golden State bench that outscored Las Vegas reserves 34-14, a decisive layer in a two-point game.

Williams supplied 20 points and three assists, Thornton added 16 points and went 7-for-7 on free throws, and Burton’s final total of eight points mattered far beyond the raw number because of when they arrived. Chen’s seven points were also important, especially her pair of early fourth-quarter driving layups that interrupted Las Vegas runs. Even with only 12 assists as a team, the Valkyries found enough timely offence through shot-making, second chances and nearly flawless work at the stripe.

The Aces finally broke through, then Burton answered

Las Vegas never disappeared. Wilson finished with 24 points and seven rebounds, Gray added 19 points and six assists, and Jackie Young had 14 points, eight assists and four steals. By the end of the third quarter, the Aces had trimmed the gap to 66-55, and the fourth became the kind of shot-for-shot finish Golden State had spent three quarters trying to avoid.

Young opened the last period with a three, Stephanie Talbot hit one later in the quarter, and Gray’s 23-footer with 2:10 left finally erased the deficit at 74-74. When Wilson drove for a layup with 1:36 remaining, Las Vegas had its first lead of the night at 76-74. It was also the Aces’ largest lead, a reminder of how thoroughly Golden State had controlled the game before the closing scramble.

The response came fast. Williams tied it with a pull-up jumper 11 seconds later, and Burton then stepped into the biggest shot of the night, a 28-footer off a Williams assist for a 79-76 lead with 41.5 seconds to go. The final seconds belonged to free throws: Gray made two, Thornton made two, Young made two, and Burton made two more with 6.4 seconds left. Young added the first of two free throws at 5.9 seconds, but Golden State’s edge held.

Our take

Golden State earned this result well before the last possession. The Valkyries led for 95 per cent of the game, won the rebounding battle 30-25, collected 10 offensive boards and shot 25-of-27 on free throws. Those margins were essential because Las Vegas was actually more accurate from the field overall, hitting 43.9 per cent to Golden State’s 41.4, and also shot better from three-point range.

If there is a caution for Golden State, it is that a 17-point lead became a one-possession escape. The Valkyries committed 15 total turnovers and sent the Aces to the line 26 times, giving Las Vegas the opening it needed late. For the Aces, the lesson is simpler and harsher: the comeback was good enough to make the finish tense, but the early hole and the rebounding deficit left too little margin. Against a bench scoring 34 points and a team getting to the line that often, chasing from the first quarter onward is an expensive way to play.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 9:39

   Kayla Thornton makes 24-foot three point jumper (Veronica Burton assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 8:51

   Cecilia Zandalasini makes free throw 1 of 2

3. 1st Quarter · 8:51

   Cecilia Zandalasini makes free throw 2 of 2

4. 1st Quarter · 8:19

   Gabby Williams makes driving layup (Veronica Burton assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 8:01

   Chelsea Gray makes 27-foot three pointer

6. 1st Quarter · 7:24

   A'ja Wilson makes 4-foot layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 6:20

   Kayla Thornton makes 24-foot three point jumper (Gabby Williams assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 5:12

   Chelsea Gray makes 12-foot step back jumpshot

9. 1st Quarter · 4:43

   Gabby Williams makes 24-foot three pointer

10. 1st Quarter · 3:46

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

11. 1st Quarter · 3:46

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

12. 1st Quarter · 2:31

    Kaila Charles makes driving layup (Kiah Stokes assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 1:46

    A'ja Wilson makes 8-foot two point shot (Mai Yamamoto assists)

14. 1st Quarter · 50.7

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 2

15. 1st Quarter · 50.7

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 2 of 2

16. 1st Quarter · 21.3

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 2

17. 1st Quarter · 21.3

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 2 of 2

18. 2nd Quarter · 9:42

    Kalani Brown makes layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

19. 2nd Quarter · 9:20

    Tiffany Hayes makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kaila Charles assists)

20. 2nd Quarter · 8:36

    Tiffany Hayes makes 9-foot pullup jump shot

21. 2nd Quarter · 8:21

    Janelle Salaun makes running layup (Tiffany Hayes assists)

22. 2nd Quarter · 8:04

    Kalani Brown makes free throw 1 of 2

23. 2nd Quarter · 7:40

    Kalani Brown makes layup (Dana Evans assists)

24. 2nd Quarter · 6:53

    Tiffany Hayes makes driving layup

25. 2nd Quarter · 6:53

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 1

26. 2nd Quarter · 5:50

    Tiffany Hayes makes two point shot

27. 2nd Quarter · 5:24

    Chelsea Gray makes 19-foot step back jumpshot

28. 2nd Quarter · 4:59

    Kaitlyn Chen makes 27-foot three point jumper (Kaila Charles assists)

29. 2nd Quarter · 4:39

    Jackie Young makes 25-foot three pointer (A'ja Wilson assists)

30. 2nd Quarter · 4:11

    Kalani Brown makes layup (Jackie Young assists)

31. 2nd Quarter · 3:48

    Gabby Williams makes 25-foot three pointer

32. 2nd Quarter · 3:03

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

33. 2nd Quarter · 3:03

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

34. 2nd Quarter · 2:18

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 1 of 2

35. 2nd Quarter · 2:18

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 2 of 2

36. 2nd Quarter · 2:05

    Stephanie Talbot makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 1:21

    Stephanie Talbot makes free throw 1 of 2

38. 2nd Quarter · 1:21

    Stephanie Talbot makes free throw 2 of 2

39. 2nd Quarter · 59.2

    Kayla Thornton makes 23-foot three point jumper (Gabby Williams assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 50.2

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

41. 3rd Quarter · 9:32

    Stephanie Talbot makes 14-foot fade away jump shot (Jackie Young assists)

42. 3rd Quarter · 9:15

    Gabby Williams makes 11-foot two point shot (Veronica Burton assists)

43. 3rd Quarter · 9:05

    A'ja Wilson makes 10-foot turnaround jump shot (Jackie Young assists)

44. 3rd Quarter · 9:05

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

45. 3rd Quarter · 8:16

    Gabby Williams makes 17-foot pullup jump shot

46. 3rd Quarter · 8:04

    A'ja Wilson makes driving layup (Jackie Young assists)

47. 3rd Quarter · 8:04

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

48. 3rd Quarter · 7:50

    Cecilia Zandalasini makes 24-foot three point jumper (Aminata Gueye assists)

49. 3rd Quarter · 7:21

    Gabby Williams makes 27-foot three pointer

50. 3rd Quarter · 7:04

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

51. 3rd Quarter · 7:04

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

52. 3rd Quarter · 6:18

    A'ja Wilson makes 12-foot pullup jump shot (Chelsea Gray assists)

53. 3rd Quarter · 5:30

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

54. 3rd Quarter · 5:30

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

55. 3rd Quarter · 5:10

    Gabby Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

56. 3rd Quarter · 4:56

    A'ja Wilson makes driving layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

57. 3rd Quarter · 3:49

    Tiffany Hayes makes 20-foot step back jumpshot

58. 3rd Quarter · 3:27

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 2

59. 3rd Quarter · 3:27

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 2 of 2

60. 3rd Quarter · 2:34

    Dana Evans makes free throw 1 of 2

61. 3rd Quarter · 2:34

    Dana Evans makes free throw 2 of 2

62. 3rd Quarter · 2:22

    Tiffany Hayes makes driving layup

63. 3rd Quarter · 2:22

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 1

64. 3rd Quarter · 1:47

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

65. 3rd Quarter · 1:47

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

66. 3rd Quarter · 1:32

    Chelsea Gray makes 27-foot three point jumper (A'ja Wilson assists)

67. 3rd Quarter · 1:08

    Aminata Gueye makes 3-foot layup (Tiffany Hayes assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 52.6

    A'ja Wilson makes driving layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

69. 3rd Quarter · 52.6

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

70. 3rd Quarter · 19.8

    Chelsea Gray makes 13-foot pullup jump shot

71. 4th Quarter · 9:13

    Jackie Young makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dana Evans assists)

72. 4th Quarter · 8:51

    Kaitlyn Chen makes driving layup

73. 4th Quarter · 8:28

    Stephanie Talbot makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

74. 4th Quarter · 8:08

    Kaitlyn Chen makes driving layup

75. 4th Quarter · 6:55

    A'ja Wilson makes layup (Chelsea Gray assists)

76. 4th Quarter · 6:55

    A'ja Wilson makes free throw 1 of 1

77. 4th Quarter · 5:53

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 1 of 2

78. 4th Quarter · 5:53

    Tiffany Hayes makes free throw 2 of 2

79. 4th Quarter · 5:33

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 2 of 2

80. 4th Quarter · 5:18

    Kalani Brown makes free throw 1 of 2

81. 4th Quarter · 5:18

    Kalani Brown makes free throw 2 of 2

82. 4th Quarter · 4:46

    Chelsea Gray makes 5-foot two point shot

83. 4th Quarter · 3:35

    Kayla Thornton makes technical free throw

84. 4th Quarter · 2:43

    Dana Evans makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

85. 4th Quarter · 2:10

    Chelsea Gray makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jackie Young assists)

86. 4th Quarter · 1:36

    A'ja Wilson makes driving layup

87. 4th Quarter · 1:25

    Gabby Williams makes 13-foot pullup jump shot

88. 4th Quarter · 41.5

    Veronica Burton makes 28-foot three point jumper (Gabby Williams assists)

89. 4th Quarter · 9.2

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 1 of 2

90. 4th Quarter · 9.2

    Chelsea Gray makes free throw 2 of 2

91. 4th Quarter · 7.9

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 1 of 2

92. 4th Quarter · 7.9

    Kayla Thornton makes free throw 2 of 2

93. 4th Quarter · 7.0

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2

94. 4th Quarter · 7.0

    Jackie Young makes free throw 2 of 2

95. 4th Quarter · 6.4

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 1 of 2

96. 4th Quarter · 6.4

    Veronica Burton makes free throw 2 of 2

97. 4th Quarter · 5.9

    Jackie Young makes free throw 1 of 2