Steph-less Golden State fall to Los Angeles

• American star Kelsey Plum lights up Valkyries for 37 points to secure LA Sparks' first win
• Golden State Valkyries Tiffany Hayes was a rebound short of a 19-point double double
• Golden State Valkyries are an expansion franchise in 2025, playing at the home of the Golden State Warriors

Australian forward Steph Talbot, 35, missed the first game in the history of the Golden State Valkyries against her former WNBA club Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

And they needed her, losing 84-67 in a lopsided clash at the Chase Center, led by Sparks star Kelsey Plum's explosive 37-point performance.

Key Details

• Result: Los Angeles Sparks 84 def. Golden State Valkyries 67
• When: May 17, 2025
• Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
• Standings: Los Angeles Sparks (#1) | Golden State Valkyries (#12)

By the Numbers

• Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks) starred with 37 points, two rebounds, six assists, and five steals in 40 minutes.
• Tiffany Hayes (Golden State Valkyries) scored 19 points, and had nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in 30 minutes.

What Happened

Talbot was listed a game time decision (GTD) and day-to-day.

The Valkyries started strong on their home court, edging the Sparks 20-19 after the first quarter. Los Angeles gradually found their rhythm in the second period, outscoring Golden State 23-19 to take a narrow 42-39 lead into halftime. The Sparks extended their advantage with a 24-21 third quarter before completely dominating the final frame.

The fourth quarter proved decisive as Los Angeles smothered Golden State with suffocating defence, holding the Valkyries to just seven points while adding 18 of their own. This lopsided period transformed what had been a competitive contest into a comfortable 17-point victory for the visitors.

Plum was simply unstoppable for the Sparks, shooting an efficient 11-from-19 from the field, including 4-from-6 from three-point range. Her perfect 11-from-11 performance at the free-throw line highlighted her aggressive approach and ability to draw fouls. Dearica Hamby contributed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Rickea Jackson added 13 points.

Golden State's offence struggled against the Sparks' pressure, committing 20 turnovers that Los Angeles converted into valuable transition opportunities. Julie Vanloo provided a spark off the bench with 14 points on 4-from-10 shooting from beyond the arc, but her six turnovers proved costly. Temi Fagbenle added 15 points and five rebounds in a solid effort for the Valkyries.

The shooting disparity told much of the story, with Los Angeles connecting on 46 percent of their field goal attempts (29-from-63) compared to Golden State's 36.5 percent (23-from-63). The Valkyries struggled particularly from three-point range, making just nine of their 35 attempts (25.7 percent), while the Sparks were more selective and efficient from deep (7-from-19, 36.8 percent).