Valkyries Depth on Full Display 82-66 | Game Highlights vs. Portland Fire | September 18, 2026

The Golden State Valkyries returned from their three-week FIBA break in dominant fashion, cruising past the Portland Fire 82-66 without All-Star Gabby Williams, Sixth Player of the Year frontrunner Janelle Salaün, and starting wing Cecilia Zandalasini. Golden State suffocated Portland early, saw a double-digit halftime lead trimmed to six in the third quarter, and then found its rhythm again to close out an easy win.

The bench carried the load once again, scoring 43 points on the night. Kaitlyn Chen knocked down five three-pointers on his way to 17 points, while Laeticia Amihere used her speed to slice through Portland's frontcourt, sparking an 8-0 run in the third quarter and finishing with 17 points of her own. Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes each added 13 points as starters, showing that two weeks away from game action didn't slow this group down.

Juste Jocyte also made her mark, playing forward in her first stint back and knocking down two three-pointers, including one that brought the crowd to life late in the first quarter, before fouling out in the fourth after 18 minutes and nine points. Portland became the fifth straight opponent held under 70 points as Golden State improved to 30-11, keeping its second-seed position ahead of hosting Seattle for the final home game of the regular season.

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Golden State Valkyries | WNBA | Game Recap | Kaitlyn Chen, Laeticia Amihere, Kayla Thornton | Portland Fire | 2026