WNBA Recap | August 26, 2026
Wednesday's two-game slate delivered blowouts on both ends, and Golden State's momentum off Monday's franchise-defining win over Minnesota carried straight through into a dominant road win over Connecticut. Seattle handled a shorthanded Toronto team missing four starters. Here's how it all went down, plus a look at how the preview predictions and season-to-date record held up, and where the playoff seeding picture stands with the field now set.
Valkyries Ride Monday's Momentum to Blowout Win Over Sun
Connecticut Sun 64, Golden State Valkyries 89
Golden State carried Monday's franchise-defining win over Minnesota directly into Connecticut, building a 26-point cushion by halftime and cruising from there. Final: 89-64, Golden State improves to 28-11 and extends its hold on second place in the West over Las Vegas, while Connecticut, playing the back end of a back-to-back, falls to 10-28 and stays 14th in the East.
Kaila Charles was exceptional, going 5-of-6 from the field for 14 points at 90.2% true shooting with eight rebounds. Janelle Salaun added 15 points on 4-of-6 from three, and Veronica Burton dished seven assists with a plus-24. Golden State's 54 bench points and their 40% three-point shooting as a team reflected a Valkyries roster still riding the emotional high of Monday, exactly the balanced-scoring carryover the preview flagged as their path to another comfortable win.
Connecticut, playing loose on the back end of a back-to-back exactly as the preview anticipated, could not keep pace. Charlisse Leger-Walker was efficient, going 5-of-6 from the field (3-of-4 from three) for 17 points at 103.7% true shooting. But Connecticut's 31% shooting as a team and their 19.4% three-point shooting reflected a roster running on fumes after Tuesday's game, unable to sustain any offensive rhythm against Golden State's defense.
CON 64 · GSV 89
Storm Handle Shorthanded Tempo at Home
Toronto Tempo 78, Seattle Storm 90
Seattle controlled this game against a Toronto team missing four starters, exactly the attrition gap the preview identified as decisive. The Storm led throughout and closed with a 26-17 fourth quarter. Final: 90-78, Seattle improves to 9-31 but remains dead last in the league, while Toronto falls to 11-27 and stays 13th in the East.
Flau'jae Johnson led the way with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting (66% true shooting), and Dominique Malonga added 18 points on 9-of-19 shooting with seven rebounds. Jade Melbourne contributed 16 points and seven assists. Seattle's 25 assists and 13 steals, converting into 25 points off Toronto's turnovers, reflected exactly the healthier-rotation advantage the preview flagged given Toronto's four missing starters.
Toronto competed hard despite the attrition. Kiki Rice was outstanding, going 6-of-12 from the field for 24 points at 71.3% true shooting with a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Isabelle Harrison posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds despite 31.3% shooting. But Toronto's replacement-level rotation, missing Julie Allemand, Maria Conde, Marina Mabrey, and Nyara Sabally, and their 15.4% three-point shooting reflected exactly the unfamiliar-roles challenge the preview anticipated for a depleted roster on the road.
TOR 78 · SEA 90
GSV & SEA Wins.
Wednesday was a night for the favorites, and Golden State's continued momentum off Monday's franchise-first win over Minnesota is the story that matters most heading into the season's final stretch. The Valkyries now hold a two-game cushion over Las Vegas for the West's second seed with only five games left for each team. Seattle's win over a depleted Toronto team was expected given the roster gap, but it's a reminder that even the league's worst team by record can look dangerous against an opponent missing four starters.
Star of the Night: Kiki Rice, Toronto Tempo
24 points | 6-of-12 FG | 71.3% true shooting | 11-of-11 FT
In a losing effort for a Toronto team missing four starters, Rice stepped into an expanded role and delivered a near-perfect night at the free throw line to go with efficient shooting from the field. Charles's 90.2% true shooting night for Golden State made a strong case, but Rice's performance under the circumstances, carrying a depleted roster, stands out above the rest of the slate.
Dud of the Night: Diamond Miller, Connecticut Sun
8 points | 3-of-12 FG | 25% field goal percentage | 3 turnovers | minus-17
Miller's shooting struggles on the back end of a back-to-back reflected a night where nothing worked for Connecticut against Golden State's defense. Her minus-17 was among the worst individual plus-minus marks of the slate, in a game the Sun were never competitive in.
How We Did: Checking the Preview Predictions
Wednesday's picks went a clean 2-for-2 on sides, with the totals both landing close to the number.
Golden State @ Connecticut: The preview leaned Golden State -13.5 with the under at 150.5, citing both teams' recent cold shooting stretches. Golden State won by 25, comfortably covering, but the total came in at 153, just over the number by the narrowest of margins. The side hit clean, the total missed by a hair.
Toronto @ Seattle: The preview leaned Seattle -6.5 with the over at 176.5, citing Toronto's four missing starters against a healthier Seattle rotation. Seattle won by 12, comfortably covering, but the total came in at 168, under the number. The side hit clean, the total missed on the low side.
The headline takeaway: two correct sides on a night where both favorites had clear, well-supported edges, and both totals landed close enough to the number that neither miss reflects a real misread of the game's pace or competitiveness.
Season Predictions Record
Tracking every graded pick against the spread and total from the preview articles this season, updated through August 26:
Spread / Side: 47-40
Total (Over/Under): 44-49
Eighty-seven games graded so far across thirty-one preview articles. The side calls sit at 54%, while the totals sit at 47%. We'll keep this tally updated with every recap going forward.
The Playoff Seeding Picture
All eight playoff spots are filled and confirmed: Minnesota, Golden State, Las Vegas, Indiana, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, and Washington will make up this year's field. With the bracket set, attention now shifts entirely to seeding, which will determine home-court advantage and first-round matchups.
The clearest storyline is at the top of the West. Golden State's win over Connecticut extends its lead over Las Vegas for the conference's second seed to two full games, with both teams holding just five games left to play, a cushion that is close to decisive given how little runway remains. Minnesota still sits comfortably atop the West despite Monday's loss to Golden State. In the East, Indiana and Atlanta remain closely bunched near the top, while New York, Washington, and the East's fourth playoff position continue to shift on a near-daily basis as the season's final stretch plays out. With most teams now down to somewhere between 4 and 6 games remaining, these seeding battles will resolve quickly.