The Minnesota Lynx beat the Golden State Valkyries 77-66 on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco, in a matchup between the Western Conference’s top two teams. Minnesota came into the night with a WNBA-best 29-7 record, including a 19-2 mark within the West, according to CBS News’ San Francisco affiliate. Golden State entered at 25-9 and had already clinched a playoff spot for the season. Minnesota has never lost to Golden State — the Lynx entered Wednesday’s game 8-0 against the Valkyries and improved to 9-0 with the win, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Key facts
- Final score: Minnesota 77, Golden State 66, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco
- Minnesota improved to 9-0 all-time against Golden State
- Minnesota entered at 29-7 (19-2 within the West); Golden State entered at 25-9 and had already clinched a playoff spot
- Lynx guard Olivia Miles left in the fourth quarter with an apparent left ankle injury after 20 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds; no word yet on severity
- Top scorers: Kayla McBride (20 points) and Napheesa Collier (18 points, 8 rebounds) for Minnesota; Veronica Burton (14 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals) for Golden State
Olivia Miles exits with ankle injury
Lynx point guard Olivia Miles left the game midway through the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a left ankle injury, after putting up 20 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds. She did not return, and no word has been released yet on how serious the injury is or how long she might be out.
Minnesota’s scoring
Minnesota got scoring from elsewhere on the roster, too. Guard Kayla McBride also had 20 points, and forward Napheesa Collier added 18 points and 8 rebounds. Guard Courtney Williams came off the bench for Minnesota in the win. Now in her third season with the Lynx, Williams re-signed in April 2026 on a two-year, $2.4 million contract and made her third career All-Star team this summer, after 2021 and 2025.
Golden State’s scoring
For Golden State, guard Veronica Burton led the Valkyries with 14 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals, per ESPN and Fox Sports. Burton joined the Valkyries through the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft, was the league’s Most Improved Player in the team’s first season in 2025, and signed a new three-year contract with Golden State in April 2026.