Salaun scores 24 off bench as Valkyries beat Tempo

What happened: Golden State beat Toronto 96-79 on Sunday night at Chase Center, using a stronger second half and late defensive control to close out the Tempo. Yahoo Sports reported that Janelle Salaun came off the bench to score 24 points, making her the central production story in a game where the Valkyries needed a reset after two straight losses.

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The result snapped Golden State's two-game skid, which had followed a nine-game winning streak. That sequence matters because it frames the win as more than a routine home result. The Valkyries had already shown they could sustain a long run; this game answered whether the small slide was becoming a deeper correction. On the evidence supplied, they responded with both scoring depth and defensive pressure.

Why it matters: Bench scoring changes the shape of a matchup. Salaun's 24 points meant Golden State did not have to rely only on its starting group to separate from Toronto. Veronica Burton added 17 points and six assists, while Gabby Williams and Tiffany Hayes scored 15 points apiece. Four named contributors reaching that level of impact gave the Valkyries a broader scoring profile than a single-star recap.

Tournament impact: The most immediate consequence is momentum inside a back-to-back set. Yahoo noted this was the first of consecutive matchups between the teams at Chase Center. That makes the win especially useful for Golden State: it establishes the first tactical marker before the rematch and gives Toronto a concrete set of problems to solve quickly, particularly how to handle Salaun's bench production and Golden State's late defensive pressure.

What changed: The second half appears to be the pivot point. The source describes Golden State using a big second half and stingy defense down the stretch to hold off Toronto. The 17-point final margin suggests the Valkyries did more than survive late possessions; they turned the closing phase into separation. Without possession-by-possession detail, the safest read is that Golden State's defense became the stabilizer after the game still had competitive tension.

What to watch: The rematch will test whether this was a one-night adjustment or a repeatable matchup edge. Toronto's priority is obvious from the confirmed facts: reduce the damage from Golden State's bench, prevent Burton from pairing scoring with facilitation, and keep Williams and Hayes from adding efficient support. For the Valkyries, the cleanest follow-up is whether the defense that finished this game can travel straight into the next meeting without a drop.

Confidence: Confirmed by the source are the 96-79 Golden State win, Salaun's 24 points off the bench, Burton's 17 points and six assists, 15 points each from Williams and Hayes, the late defensive emphasis, the end of Golden State's two-game skid, the prior nine-game winning streak, and that this was the first of back-to-back Chase Center matchups. Follow-up would be needed for standings effects, shooting splits, lineup details, and full second-half scoring breakdown.