The Moda Center was buzzing with anticipation on September 22, 2026, as the Portland Fire prepared to close out their inaugural WNBA season. Facing them were the Golden State Valkyries, a team riding high on a six-game winning streak and aiming to clinch the league’s best record. What unfolded, however, was a dramatic, come-from-behind victory for the Fire that snapped the Valkyries’ streak and sent shockwaves through the playoff picture.
Golden State came out of the gates on fire—no pun intended—blitzing Portland with a jaw-dropping 17-0 run in the first 6 minutes and 40 seconds. Treys rained down from Kayla Thornton, Veronica Burton, and Cecilia Zandalasini, and it looked for all the world like the Valkyries would cruise to another easy win. Portland’s offense sputtered until Bridget Carleton finally broke the ice with a 3-pointer, but by the end of the first quarter, the Fire trailed 24-10. It was as if the Valkyries had already penciled in another victory.
But basketball, as fans know, is a game of runs and resilience. Portland clawed back in the second quarter with a 17-5 run of their own, capitalizing on a Valkyries second unit that struggled to maintain the early momentum. Although Golden State was outscored 27-16 in the quarter, a last-second 3-pointer from Burton gave them a slim 40-37 lead at halftime. Burton was everywhere, finishing the night with 13 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, but the Fire were just getting warmed up.
“I thought we had the mindset going in, the right intent, and then we kind of just let it slip away,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said after the game. “They played harder than us. Give Portland credit, they played harder than us. That is unacceptable.” Nakase’s frustration was palpable, and it was clear the loss stung, especially with playoff seeding on the line.
The third quarter saw the Valkyries settle down a bit, with Gabby Williams, just back from European World Cup duty, knocking down back-to-back mid-range jumpers. Williams would lead Golden State with 17 points, while Janelle Salaun contributed 11 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Zandalasini added seven points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 18 minutes. Despite these efforts, the Fire kept coming, with Tiffany Hayes’ free throws sending Golden State to the fourth quarter nursing a 61-58 lead.
Portland’s belief never wavered. Early in the fourth, Frieda Buhner’s jumper capped a 10-4 run that gave the Fire their first lead of the night at 64-63. The Valkyries responded—Williams’ steal led to a Kaila Charles fastbreak bucket, and Hayes drilled a clutch 3-pointer with just over two minutes to play, stretching Golden State’s lead to 75-68. Surely, this was the moment the Valkyries would put the game away?
Not so fast. With under two minutes to go, Carla Leite stole the ball and, after a Hayes turnover, Portland found themselves within a single point. “They stepped up and made some adjustments,” Williams admitted postgame. “I think our energy dipped, where theirs just kept (up), they just kept feeding off of their momentum and off of each other, and we just couldn’t stop the run.”
With 37.8 seconds left in regulation, Leite drove hard to the hoop and converted an and-1 floater, giving Portland a 77-75 lead. Gabby Williams answered with a charging layup just eight seconds later to tie the game at 77. The Valkyries had a chance to win it in regulation after a defensive stop, but Williams’ final shot attempt missed, sending the contest into overtime—the first for Golden State since June 9, 2025.
Overtime was a tense, back-and-forth affair. The Valkyries had a golden opportunity to seize control, but a missed Charles 3-pointer with less than a minute to play left the door open. Leite, once again, was the difference-maker. Her jump shot, combined with a Charles foul, turned into a three-point play that effectively sealed the victory for Portland. The Fire outscored the Valkyries 13-5 in the extra period, ultimately triumphing 90-82.
Bridget Carleton was the star for Portland, pouring in 25 points on 21 shots and spearheading the Fire’s relentless comeback. Emily Engstler also made her mark, with a highlight-reel spin move in the post that had fans and commentators alike buzzing. “Throw the fire, right on the money, Emily Engstler. So Portland with Engstler working on the block. Spins away. Ooh. Beautiful move. Ooh, that was nice. Emily Engstler says, ‘Take that,’” exclaimed the broadcast team as Engstler showcased her skills against Golden State’s defense.
For the Valkyries, the loss brought their record to 31-12, just behind Minnesota’s 32-11 after the Lynx fell to Indiana earlier in the evening. Golden State’s path to the coveted No. 2 seed is now a little less certain—they’ll need to win their regular-season finale against Los Angeles on September 24 or hope Las Vegas falters against Phoenix. “Our only option is to look at it as a positive,” said Veronica Burton. “Like we have to learn from this. It is a wake-up call, and obviously, we would probably have liked to avoid it. But at the end of the day, it happened, so we got to make the most out of it, and we need to learn.”
The defeat also marked Golden State’s first loss since August 21, ending a month-long stretch of dominance and serving as a timely reminder that no team can afford to coast into the postseason. “There’s a lot of lessons in this game,” Williams reflected. “We need to find out what happened with our shot selection, or what happened on defense, where they beat us, where we didn’t adjust. And also, every possession matters. I think we had a lot of possessions that were our mistakes, not necessarily something they did, and that’s something that we can fix. It’s a positive going into playoffs to have this game now.”
Coach Nakase echoed the need for self-reflection and collective growth. “I think it just exposes us in terms of our execution in every possession,” she said. “I thought a couple possessions for us just completely just were not intentional on what we’re trying to execute. So to me, we’re gonna watch a lot of film, because sometimes they don’t understand. From my perspective, I see something completely different than they do. So, just again, like putting more into it, being a little bit more mindful as a collective and not individually.”
With the WNBA postseason set to tip off on September 27, both teams now look ahead—Portland with pride after a signature win to end their first campaign, and Golden State with a renewed sense of urgency as they chase playoff glory. Thursday’s regular-season finale in Los Angeles will be the Valkyries’ last chance to right the ship before the games start to really count. For now, the Fire’s remarkable comeback and the Valkyries’ stumble have set the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the regular season.