By: Jennifer Portee
5/22/2026
Golden State walked into New York and left with a win. Gabby Williams led the way with 16 points, and the Valkyries got contributions from all over the floor in an 87-70 win Thursday night. For New York, it was a rough night on both ends, and Satou Sabally’s season debut didn’t have the kind of impact the Liberty hoped for.
Sabally was back in the lineup after a long wait, and the crowd showed her love when she was introduced. But Golden State made sure the story stayed on the scoreboard. The Liberty were missing key pieces, and with Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton still out, they never found enough rhythm to keep up.
The Valkyries came out aggressive early, built an 18-9 lead just over six minutes into the game, and stayed in front the rest of the way. By halftime, they were already in command, and after three quarters, the score had grown to 63-46. New York just never put together the kind of run it needed to make things interesting.
What stood out most was how Golden State’s players performed. Five players finished in double figures, which made the win feel less like one hot hand and more like a complete effort. Williams led the way, but the whole group followed it.
Breanna Stewart scored 18 points and Jonquel Jones added 16 for New York, but the Liberty couldn’t make enough shots from deep and finished just 6-for-24 from three. That kind of night usually leaves little room for recovery, and this one was no different.
For Golden State, it was the type of win that can matter early in a season not just because of the score, but because of the way it was built. For New York, it was a reminder that talent alone doesn’t guarantee results, especially when a team is still getting players back into the lineup.