Burton fuels Valkyries’ win, tightening playoff race as Wings sink
Veronica Burton produced 25 points, 13 assists and a career-high four blocks to lift the Golden State Valkyries to a 90-81 victory over the Dallas Wings on Sunday. The win snapped a three-game skid for Golden State and gave the Valkyries a one-game edge over the Los Angeles Sparks for the eighth and final playoff spot as the postseason approaches.
The Valkyries received strong support from Iliana Rupert, who tied her career high with 17 points, Kaila Charles, who matched her career best with 16, and Kate Martin, who knocked down four three-pointers on her way to 12 points. Burton’s 10-0 run capped by a layup with 7:53 remaining stretched Golden State’s lead to 69-55, the largest cushion of the night.
Dallas, now 9-28, has dropped 10 of its last 11 games. Maddy Siegrist led the Wings with 16 points, followed by Myisha Hines-Allen with 15. Amy Okonkwo, in her second WNBA appearance, contributed a career-high 12 points, and Grace Berger added 11. Rookie Paige Bueckers had nine points on 3-for-12 shooting and tied her career best with nine rebounds and five assists.
Dallas did not have three rotation players available due to knee injuries: JJ Quinerly, Li Yueru and Arike Ogunbowale.
Upcoming schedule: The Valkyries host Washington on Saturday, while Dallas visits Connecticut on Wednesday.
What this means: Golden State’s improvement and Burton’s all-around performance keep them in the thick of the playoff race, with a crucial home game against a conference opponent on the horizon. For Dallas, the loss compounds their late-season troubles as they continue to fight for younger talent to step up alongside veterans.