No. 1 Minnesota held off No. 5 Golden State 87-84 in Thursday's Lynx vs Valkyries matchup.
Cecilia Zandalasini's buzzer-beating 3-point attempt fell short, sealing the result for Minnesota in its second 2026 WNBA Commissioner's Cup game.
Olivia Miles, Kayla McBride Combine to Sink Golden State
The victory kept the Lynx perfect in the early Western Conference Commissioner's Cup race, as rookie guard Olivia Miles led the team with a career-high 28 points. She shot 8-of-11 from beyond the arc, setting a WNBA rookie stats record for made 3-pointers in a single game.
Meanwhile, veteran Kayla McBride directed the offense, keeping Minnesota organized through a tight fourth quarter.
The Lynx trailed 75-70 with seven minutes left before going on an 11-0 run to retake the lead, but Golden State's bench kept the game close.
Zandalasini scored a team-high 18 points and hit her 100th career 3-pointer during the first quarter.
Second-year Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün caught fire in the third frame, scoring nine of her 17 points by sinking three consecutive long-range shots, while Tiffany Hayes chipped in 15 on 6-for-9 shooting.
With her final basket, Hayes passed Hall of Famer Maya Moore on the WNBA's all-time scoring list.
Still, it wasn't enough to lift the Valkyries over the home side.
Golden State Continues Losing Streak vs Minnesota
Veteran guard Courtney Williams put her team up by three with just five seconds left in the game, going 1-of-2 from the free throw line. She finished with 17 points on the night, joining Miles, McBride, and forward Natasha Howard as the Lynx's top scorers.
The Lynx now becomes the only team in the WNBA that the Valkyries have never beaten.
This latest win shakes up the Western Conference table, with Minnesota improving to a 2-0 Commissioner's Cup record while Golden State drops to 1-1.
Where to Watch WNBA Games This Weekend
Golden State next heads to Las Vegas to play the Aces on Saturday at 3 PM ET, before the Lynx host the Storm earlier at 1 PM ET. Both games air live on ESPN.
