Five games across the WNBA and ACB produced a clean split between statement wins and late-game pressure. The Las Vegas Aces beat the Los Angeles Sparks 79-69, the Golden State Valkyries handled Portland 95-77, and the New York Liberty pulled away from the Toronto Tempo 97-82.
In Spain, Valencia survived Bilbao 83-80 in the closest game of the slate, while Baskonia delivered one of the night’s more controlled results with an 85-71 win over Joventut Badalona.
WNBA: Aces Win on the Road, Liberty and Valkyries Create Separation
Las Vegas Aces W 79, Los Angeles Sparks W 69
Las Vegas left Los Angeles with a 79-69 road win, a result built on separation rather than a shootout. The Aces held the Sparks to 69 points and did enough offensively to keep the game out of one-possession territory.
For Las Vegas, the takeaway is efficiency of outcome: a double-digit road win without needing a massive total. For Los Angeles, the issue was the scoring ceiling. Against a team comfortable managing margins, 69 points left little room for error.
Golden State Valkyries W 95, Portland W 77
Golden State delivered the highest-scoring performance of the night, beating Portland 95-77. The 18-point margin was the largest on the board and reflected a game the Valkyries were able to stretch beyond Portland’s reach.
The number that matters is 95. In a slate where no other winning team reached that mark until New York later hit 97, Golden State’s offensive output stood out. Portland’s 77 points were competitive in isolation, but not enough against that kind of pace and shot-making pressure.
New York Liberty W 97, Toronto Tempo W 82
New York closed its matchup with Toronto as the top offensive team of the day, winning 97-82. The Liberty paired the night’s highest point total with a 15-point margin, turning the game into another reminder of how quickly they can generate scoreboard pressure.
Toronto reached 82 points, but the Tempo could not trade baskets at the level required. Against New York, keeping contact means sustaining offense for four quarters. The Liberty’s 97 made that a difficult standard to meet.
ACB: Valencia Survives, Baskonia Controls at Home
Valencia 83, Bilbao 80
Valencia and Bilbao produced the tightest finish of the slate, with Valencia holding on 83-80. In a night defined largely by double-digit margins, this was the outlier: a three-point game where every late possession carried weight.
Valencia’s win was less about dominance and more about execution under pressure. Bilbao stayed within striking distance throughout the final margin, but Valencia found enough answers to protect its home floor.
Baskonia 85, Joventut Badalona 71
Baskonia handled Joventut Badalona 85-71, securing a 14-point win that fit the profile of a controlled home performance. The margin was decisive without needing an inflated total, and Baskonia’s defensive result was one of the stronger marks of the slate.
Joventut Badalona finished at 71 points, giving Baskonia the kind of game script teams want at home: enough offense to stay comfortable, enough defensive resistance to prevent a late swing.
Nightly Snapshot
The WNBA results leaned toward offensive separation, with Golden State and New York both clearing 95 points and Las Vegas winning by double digits on the road. The ACB games brought contrast: Valencia had to close a three-point game, while Baskonia created a more stable cushion against Joventut Badalona.
Across the five-game slate, only Valencia-Bilbao finished within single digits. The rest were decided by 10 points or more, a clear marker of how quickly the night’s winners established control once they found separation.