The Golden State Valkyries beat the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60 in Game 1 of the best-of-five semi-finals series Sunday, while the Atlanta Dream overcame an injury to leading scorer Allisha Gray to grab a 1-0 lead on the New York Liberty with a 92-82 win in the other semi.

Gabby Williams had 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to carry Golden State, which went 32-12 in the regular season to finish as the No. 2 seed in the play-offs - just ahead of third-seeded Las Vegas (31-13).

Reserve Kaitlyn Chen was the only other player on the Valkyries to score in double figures with 11 points as Golden State shot just 37.7 per cent.

The Aces, though, were worse at 33.9 per cent.

Four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting from the field.

GAME 1. GOLDEN STATE. SAY IT WITH US, VALKS WIN! @Chase Freedom https://t.co/Kxdq928U1J

— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) October 4, 2026

In Atlanta, the fourth-seeded Dream lost Gray to a left-hand injury before Jordin Canada went on to score 20 of her 25 points in the second half against No. 8 seed New York.

Gray, who led the Dream with a career-high 19 points per game during the regular season, initially hurt her hand in the first quarter before trying to play through it.

The four-time All-Star, however, left for good with 3:44 left in the first half.

Canada went 4 for 6 from 3-point range and added five steals and four assists, and DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and nine rebounds off the bench as Atlanta moved to 3-0 in the play-offs after winning its last five regular-season games.

Sabrina Ionescu led the way with 27 points for the Liberty, who swept the Minnesota Lynx in the first round to become the first No. 8 seed in league history to eliminate the No. 1 seed.

WHO ELSE BUT JC She put on a SHOW in Game 1 of our semifinals series! From steals to timely buckets and the heart to will us to the win, Jordin Canada is YOUR @albertapp Player of the Game https://t.co/kNppBiDNu6

— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) October 4, 2026