Valkyries vs Mercury Live Stream, Odds & Expert Picks for Tonight’s Must-Watch WNBA Showdown (July 29, 2026)

The Phoenix Mercury edged the Golden State Valkyries 91-89 in a nail-biter Wednesday night at Footprint Center, handing the Bay Area expansion club its second straight loss and tightening the Western Conference playoff race. Phoenix rode a 27-point explosion from All-Star guard Kahleah Copper, who slashed to the rim at will and hit a clutch triple with 2:04 left to give the Mercury the lead for good. Veteran forward DeWanna Bonner added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while point-forward Alyssa Thomas flirted with a triple-double (16 pts, 8 ast, 10 reb), controlling tempo in crunch time. Golden State, just two games behind Las Vegas for the No. 2 seed, got 16 points apiece from Italian sharpshooter Cecilia Zandalasini and rookie floor general Veronica Burton. The Valkyries drilled 12 threes but managed only 41 percent overall shooting, a cold spell that proved costly after surrendering a 13-point first-quarter cushion. Key stats • Free throws: Phoenix 32-43 vs. Golden State 15-19 • Rebounds: Mercury 34-33, fueled by Bonner’s late-game box-outs • Turnovers: Both teams under 10, but Copper’s strip-and-score with 38 seconds left preserved the margin Season series and standings The Mercury avoided a sweep and now trail Portland by just half a game for the sixth and final playoff berth, improving to 11-18. Golden State slips to 19-10 but still holds third in the West thanks to its 2-1 series edge over Phoenix. Why it matters for search • “Valkyries vs Mercury highlights” – fans are hunting for Copper’s dagger three and Zandalasini’s late corner bomb; official video drops overnight. • “How to watch Valkyries next game” – Golden State returns home Friday to face Seattle on League Pass, a must-stream for Bay Area supporters. • “Mercury playoff odds” – the win bumps Phoenix’s postseason chances from 18 % to 28 %, per league analytics. What’s next Phoenix continues its home stand Saturday against league-leading Minnesota, while Golden State aims to stop its skid versus the Storm. With only 12 games left, every possession—and every search click—looms large in the 2026 WNBA playoff picture.