SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden State Valkyries beat the Dallas Wings 78-70 to clinch a playoff spot Monday night, becoming only the fourth franchise to make the playoffs in each of its first two seasons, and the first expansion team to do it.
"There's such a level of joy that we have together," said Veronica Burton, who had 16 points and five assists. "You make it to the playoffs, and that means you've succeeded because you accomplished the goal, but to do it in this way and you do it with these kinds of people, it just means that much more."
Monday saw the Valkyries take on the same Wings team they had to beat a year ago to make the playoffs -- but in an entirely different context.
Last season, Golden State was clinging to the 8-seed with only four games left in the regular season. It took a winning and-1 shot from Burton for the Valkyries to clinch a playoff berth, and they went on to lose their last four regular-season games and get swept in the first round of the playoffs.
This time, the Valkyries have 10 games left on their schedule and a chance at a top-2 seed. The Valkyries say they don't believe they're exceeding expectations.
"There's a level of experience and that breeds confidence going into where we're at," Burton said. "[There's] a steadiness and composure that wasn't there as much last year. ... There's a level of, 'OK, we belong here.' We know what to do once we're here."
Said forward Gabby Williams: "I knew we were going to do it since I got here. I came here to win. I've said that since day one. I've been very clear about it."
Williams led the Valkyries with 23 points and seven rebounds, her sixth 20-point game this season. Tiffany Hayes provided a massive boost off the bench with 10 points.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase challenged her team, which boasts the top-ranked defense in the WNBA, to perform better on that end against Dallas.
In the first half, the Valkyries held Paige Bueckers to two points, which tied for her second fewest in a first half this season. The Wings' 28 first-half points were their fewest in any half in 2026.
Bueckers would go on to finish with 21 points for her 38th career 20-point game, as Dallas made a push in the fourth quarter to come within striking distance.
It left the Valkyries with homework through the final weeks of the season.
"Not that I even want perfection, but I just want to empty the tank for four quarters," Nakase said. "But the overall battle and composure were there."
Last year, Nakase said she was a "party pooper" after her team secured a playoff spot, unwilling to celebrate the accomplishment and instead wanting to focus on the next scouting assignment.
That sentiment still holds this time too. She makes it known to her players and to the fans that she is proud, but that making it to this point is only a small piece of Golden State's ultimate goal.
And until that goal is met, the only thing she is focused on is getting there.
"The goal is to be the team that wins the last game of the season," Nakase said. "With that, this is just the art of the process that we have to build to be in the playoffs. But we have so much work to do."
She continued: "We are playing against teams with a lot more experience together. How can we get better, and how can we get prepared for the playoffs?"