(Photo credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images)

The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx look to move one step closer to returning to the WNBA Finals with the Game 2 playoff matchup against the host Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night in San Francisco.

Minnesota (1-0) dominated Game 1 of the best-of-three series with a 101-72 rout on Sunday in Minneapolis. It was the Lynx's second win over the No. 8 seed Valkyries in as many games and third in their last four games overall. Minnesota won Thursday's regular-season finale, 72-53, and claimed a 78-72 win in San Francisco on Sept. 6.

The Lynx are 5-0 against Golden State in the franchise's debut season. With her 20 points in Game 1, Most Valuable Player candidate Napheesa Collier heads into Wednesday's potential close-out contest having notched at least 19 points in all five meetings against the Valkyries.

Game 1 also continued a torrid run of late for Minnesota reserve Natisha Hiedeman. She scored 18 points on Sunday, which gave her 63 combined points in the Lynx's three recent matchups with Golden State.

Hiedeman was 6-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc in her season-high 24-point performance on Sept. 6.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said via the Minnesota Star-Tribune that Hiedeman 'is playing at a different level.'

'She is just playing her best basketball of the season. She's confident,' said Reeve, whose squad fell to the New York Liberty in five games in the 2024 finals.

As the series shifts to the Bay Area, Golden State will try to stay alive in part with a more spirited defensive effort. The 101 points allowed on Sunday were tied for the second-most the Valkyries allowed in a season when they led the WNBA in scoring defense at 76.3 points per game.

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase lamented her team's foul trouble in Game 1. The Valkyries were whistled for 22 team fouls and had three players with at least four personal fouls: Temi Fagbenle, Kaila Charles and 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton.

'It takes our aggression away and that's when I'm not OK with it,' Nakase said of the officiating. 'I want to fight fair. I really do. But I love the fact both teams are playing with their all.'

Despite her foul trouble, Burton finished with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds on Sunday. Burton averaged 11.9 points, six assists and 4.4 rebounds while playing in all 44 regular-season games. She led the team in points, assists, steals (1.1) and blocks (0.6) in picking up the slack for Golden State after the midseason loss of Kayla Thornton to a knee injury.

--Field Level Media