By: Jennifer Portee
5/10/2026
FRIDAY’S GAME RECAP:
The 2026 WNBA season opened with exactly the kind of chaos and energy that makes opening week worth circling on the calendar. The New York Liberty rolled over the Connecticut Sun, the Washington Mystics pulled out a win over the Toronto Tempo in the franchise’s first-ever game, while the Golden State Valkyries handled the Seattle Storm to close out Friday night. Then on Saturday, the Dallas Wings held off the Indiana Fever in a wild 107-104 finish, the Phoenix Mercury stunned the Las Vegas Aces with a blowout, the Atlanta Dream pulled off the upset against the Minnesota Lynx, and the Chicago Sky got the job done against the Portland Fire.
New York made the loudest noise of the first night, beating Connecticut 106-75 behind Breanna Stewart’s dominant 31-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance. The Liberty also got double-figure scoring from four of five starters and looked every bit like a team intent on reestablishing itself near the top of the league. In Toronto, the Mystics spoiled the Tempo’s first-ever home game with a 68-65 win, and Sonia Citron led Washington with 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting.
Golden State rounded out Friday with a 91-79 win over Seattle, with hot perimeter shooting and a strong bench presence. Janelle Salaün scored 20 points and hit five threes, while Dominique Malonga added 21 points and eight rebounds for Seattle in a losing effort. The Valkyries’ 15 made threes and 40.5 percent shooting from deep stood out as one of the best offensive signs of the opening weekend.
SATURDAY’S GAMES RECAP:
The most anticipated matchup of the weekend delivered a show: Dallas beat Indiana 107-104 in a back-and-forth game featuring multiple No. 1 picks. Paige Bueckers scored 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting, Arike Ogunbowale added 22 points, and Odyssey Sims chipped in 20 as the Wings survived late misses from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. The Fever got a strong battle from its players, but Dallas’ offense was simply too efficient in the final minutes.
Phoenix also made a major opening-week statement by crushing Las Vegas 99-66 in the Aces’ ring-night game. Alyssa Thomas posted 20 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and three steals, while A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 19 points in a tough opener for the defending champs. Atlanta’s 91-90 win over Minnesota and Chicago’s 98-83 victory over Portland rounded out a day that underscored how competitive the league already looks in 2026.
Opening week scores
- Liberty 106, Sun 75
- Mystics 68, Tempo 65
- Storm 91, Valkyries 79
- Wings 107, Fever 104
- Mercury 99, Aces 66
- Dream 91, Lynx 90
- Sky 98, Fire 83