Aces Visit Valkyries in WNBA Playoff-Positioning Rematch at Chase Center

A half-game separates them, and the No. 7 seed is the prize
The Aces and Valkyries meet again with Golden State able to reclaim the No. 7 seed.
Mark

Why does a game between two teams barely above .500 matter so much?

Mimi

Because they're separated by a half-game. Las Vegas is 15-14, Golden State 14-14, and the No. 7 seed is at stake.

Mark

The Aces won the first meeting big, didn't they?

Mimi

101-77, after leading 50-25 at halftime. Jewell Loyd scored 27 off the bench and hit seven of eleven threes.

Luke

That's one game, though. A 25-point halftime lead tells us about Sunday, not necessarily about Wednesday.

Mark

And the Aces had just been crushed by Minnesota.

Mimi

Yes, 111-58. So the win over Golden State came right after one of their worst nights of the season.

Luke

Worth noting that calling it one of their most timely wins is the preview's framing, not a measured fact.

Mark

What went wrong for Golden State?

Mimi

They fell behind early, scored better in the second half, but couldn't defend enough. Iliana Rupert had 17 points and eight rebounds.

Luke

The source doesn't say why the defense struggled, or whether lineups will change, so any prediction is guesswork.

  • The Aces' 101-77 rout of Golden State left the Valkyries chasing a 25-point halftime hole they never climbed out of.
  • Golden State now sits a half-game behind Las Vegas for the No. 7 seed, and every possession carries playoff weight.
  • Las Vegas is trying to steady itself after a 111-58 loss to Minnesota, and a second win over a direct rival would cement that recovery.
  • Jewell Loyd's 27 points off the bench and Iliana Rupert's 17 points and eight rebounds frame the individual battles that could decide the night.
  • The rematch tips off at 10:00 PM ET on NBA TV, with the seeding race hanging on whether the Valkyries can reverse the earlier result.

On a Wednesday evening in San Francisco, the Las Vegas Aces and the Golden State Valkyries meet again within a single week, two teams separated by little more than a half-game in the long climb toward the playoffs. The sport asks each side to prove, night after night, that it belongs among the contenders, and here the question is sharpened by a recent lopsided result that still lingers. Golden State hopes to reclaim its footing at Chase Center, while Las Vegas seeks to confirm that its recent recovery was more than a passing moment.

The Las Vegas Aces and the Golden State Valkyries return to Chase Center on Wednesday, August 6, for their second meeting in a single week. Tip-off is 10:00 PM ET, and the game airs nationally on NBA TV. Las Vegas enters at 15-14, while Golden State sits at 14-14, just a half-game separating them in the race for the No. 7 seed.

The stakes are clear. Golden State's last loss, to these same Aces, dropped it below Las Vegas in the standings. A win here would let the Valkyries take back the seventh spot, while another Aces victory would strengthen Las Vegas's grip on a playoff berth.

The earlier meeting on Sunday was decisive from the opening minutes. Las Vegas led 50-25 at halftime and won 101-77, with Jewell Loyd scoring 27 off the bench, hitting 7 of 11 from three. It came just after a painful 111-58 loss to Minnesota, so the bounce-back carried real weight for the Aces. Golden State rallied in the second half but could not erase the early deficit, and Iliana Rupert led the team with 17 points and eight rebounds.

The result will show whether the Valkyries can reclaim their place in the playoff picture or whether the Aces pull further ahead.

The Las Vegas Aces and the Golden State Valkyries meet at Chase Center on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, for the second time in a single week. Tip-off is at 10:00 PM ET, and the game is nationally televised on NBA TV. Las Vegas arrives at 15-14. Golden State sits at 14-14, and the gap between them is the reason this game matters.

The standings explain the stakes. The Valkyries' most recent loss, to these same Aces, dropped them below Las Vegas by a half-game. A win in San Francisco would let Golden State take back the No. 7 seed. For the Aces, a second victory would reinforce their hold on that position in a push to secure a WNBA playoff berth.

The earlier meeting, on Sunday, was lopsided from the start. Las Vegas led 50-25 at halftime and cruised to a 101-77 win. Jewell Loyd came off the bench and scored 27 points, hitting 7 of her 11 three-point attempts.

That win came at a useful moment for the Aces. They had just absorbed one of their worst losses of the season, 111-58 to Minnesota. Bouncing back with a 24-point victory over a direct competitor for playoff position was, in the framing of the Newsweek preview, among their most timely results of the year.

Golden State, meanwhile, fell behind early and never closed the gap. The Valkyries found their scoring in the second half, but the defense could not keep up well enough to erase a 25-point halftime deficit. Iliana Rupert led the team with 17 points and eight rebounds.

The two teams had also met earlier in the season, on July 12 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. A photo from that game shows the Aces' Jackie Young driving against the Valkyries' Kate Martin in the first half.

For viewers, the game is on NBA TV, and Fubo offers a one-month free trial for new subscribers. Regional restrictions may apply. The result will show whether Golden State can reclaim the No. 7 seed or Las Vegas pulls further ahead in the standings.

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