Phoenix Mercury 81, Golden State Valkyries 87
WNBA · 2026-06-09 · Winner: Golden State Valkyries
Golden State Valkyries defeated Phoenix Mercury 87–81 on 2026-06-09 in WNBA play, a 6-point result. A 13-0 road team run ending at Q1 3:20 swung win probability 82% → 34%. Below is the quarter-by-quarter linescore, a win-probability timeline, and an automated breakdown of why Phoenix Mercury lost.
Linescore
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Mercury | 18 | 14 | 29 | 20 | 81 |
| Golden State Valkyries | 22 | 27 | 17 | 21 | 87 |
Win probability
Turning point — A 13-0 road team run ending at Q1 3:20 swung win probability 82% → 34%.
Why Phoenix Mercury lost
- Lost Q2 14-27 - the worst stretch of the game.
- Gave up a 9-0 run ending at Q1 1:18 (win probability 34% → 70% for the home side).
- Lost the turnover battle 16-9.
- Outscored 23-12 at the free-throw line.
- Game was within 5 with 5:00 left - lost the closing stretch.
Scoring runs
| Team | Run | Ends | Win-prob swing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Valkyries | 8–0 | Q1 6:39 | 56% → 82% |
| Phoenix Mercury | 13–0 | Q1 3:20 | 82% → 34% |
| Golden State Valkyries | 9–0 | Q1 1:18 | 34% → 70% |
| Golden State Valkyries | 9–0 | Q2 4:18 | 75% → 96% |