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Dallas Wings season ends with close loss to Golden State Valkyries in WNBA Playoffs

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FOX 4
Dallas Wings
Published October 2, 2026 10:33 PM CDT
Published October 2, 2026 10:33 PM CDT

The Brief

    • The Dallas Wings fell 77-73 to the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night, knocking the Wings out of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs.
    • Arike Ogunbowale had 30 points for the Wings, who held a late lead but went cold from the field in crunch time.
    • The Wings have not won a WNBA playoff series since 2023.

DALLAS - The Dallas Wings fought until the very end, but fell short in their best of three WNBA playoff series against the Golden State Valkyries.

Wings fall to Valkyries

By the numbers:

The Dallas Wings lost to the Golden State Valkyries 77-73 in the third game of their best of three WNBA playoff series on Friday night.

It's the first playoff series victory in Valkyries history, who are in their second season of existence. The Wings have not won a playoff series since 2023.

Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 30 points. Paige Bueckers chipped in 17 points but shot only 3-14 from the field.

Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 19 points.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 2: The Dallas Wings celebrate during the game against the Golden State Valkyries during Round One Game Three of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs on October 2, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User exp

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Dig deeper:

Dallas entered the fourth quarter with the lead thanks to a 20-0 run across the second and third quarters, but couldn't hold it against a team that beat them twice in the regular season.

Clinging to a 72-67 lead with 3:13 left in the game, the Wings missed their final five attempts from the field to allow the Valkyries to take the lead for good.

The Valkyries won Game 1 of the series in San Francisco before the Wings tied things up thanks to an overtime win in Game 2. Ogunbowale set a WNBA record with 45 points in the Game 2 win.

The Wings played this game and this series without Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. Fudd has been injured since Aug. 5 with a knee injury.

What's next:

The Valkyries will move on to face the Las Vegas Aces in a WNBA playoff semifinal series. The Aces knocked out the Indiana Fever 2-1 in their previous series.

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Dallas Wings and the WNBA.

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