SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — Tiffany Hayes and Gabby Williams powered a balanced Golden State attack, and the Valkyries opened their WNBA playoff series with a 104-80 victory over the Dallas Wings on Sunday at Chase Center. The win gave Golden State a 1-0 lead in the series. The Valkyries improved to 32-12, while Dallas dropped to 25-18. Attendance was 18,064.

Golden State controlled the game after a competitive opening period. Dallas held a narrow 20-19 lead late in the first quarter before Hayes made a driving layup to put the Valkyries ahead 21-20 after one. The Valkyries then broke the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Dallas 37-11 over the period to build a 58-31 halftime advantage. Dallas never recovered from that surge, and Golden State maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way.

The first quarter featured several lead changes and ties. Zandalasini opened the scoring with a 14-foot jumper, and Bueckers answered with a 24-foot 3-pointer. Ogunbowale made two free throws, Williams drove for a layup, and Siegrist converted a three-point play to give Dallas an 8-4 edge. Williams hit a 23-foot 3-pointer, Bueckers made a pullup jumper, and Zandalasini tied the game at 10 with a 23-foot 3-pointer. The teams traded baskets before Dallas took a 20-19 lead on Bueckers’ three-point play. Hayes then drove for a layup to give Golden State a 21-20 lead after one.

Hayes led Golden State with 21 points, four assists and one rebound in 19 minutes. She made shots at the rim and from beyond the arc, hitting a 24-foot 3-pointer early in the second quarter and a 26-foot 3-pointer later in the period. Her free throws and driving layups helped the Valkyries maintain their momentum. Hayes has been a steady scorer for Golden State, and her performance Sunday set the tone for the home side.

Williams added 20 points, three rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes. She scored on driving layups, turnaround jumpers and a 23-foot 3-pointer in the first quarter, then added another 3-pointer in the fourth. Cecilia Zandalasini needed only 16 minutes to score 22 points, providing a major spark off the bench. She made a 14-foot jumper early, a 23-foot 3-pointer in the first quarter, and several more 3-pointers in the second and third quarters. Veronica Burton finished with 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and one block in 23 minutes. Kayla Thornton also scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Kiah Stokes contributed two points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block.

Dallas was led by Paige Bueckers, who had 21 points, six rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes. Bueckers made three 3-pointers and several pull-up jumpers, but the Wings could not keep pace after the first quarter. Kitija Laksa scored 11 points in 15 minutes, including three straight 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Odyssey Sims added seven points, three rebounds and seven assists. Li Yueru had seven points, three rebounds and one block. Maddy Siegrist and Arike Ogunbowale also contributed key baskets and free throws, but Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense.

Golden State’s decisive run came in the second quarter. Hayes hit two 3-pointers, Thornton made a running jumper and a layup, and Williams scored on a driving layup and an 11-foot turnaround. Zandalasini added a driving layup and free throw, then made two 3-pointers. Burton closed the half with a 25-foot step-back 3-pointer with 17.9 seconds remaining, sending the Valkyries into the break with a 58-31 lead. The sequence turned a one-point game into a rout.

Dallas showed some life in the third quarter. Bueckers opened the scoring with a 20-foot jumper, and Maddy Siegrist hit a 24-foot 3-pointer. Arike Ogunbowale made free throws, and Aziaha James added free throws and a driving layup. But Golden State answered each time. Zandalasini made a 24-foot step-back 3-pointer, Williams converted a three-point play, and Thornton made a 3-pointer and a driving layup. The Valkyries carried an 85-56 lead into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, Laksa made three 3-pointers in a little more than a minute to cut into the Dallas deficit. Li Yueru added a layup and free throw, and Sims scored on a running layup. But Golden State responded with 3-pointers from Kaila Charles and Juste Jocyte, then Kaitlyn Chen hit a 25-foot 3-pointer in the closing seconds to cap the scoring. Dallas never seriously threatened after halftime.

Golden State finished the game shooting 36 of 74 from the floor, 18 of 36 from three-point range and 14 of 16 from the free throw line. Dallas shot 28 of 60 from the floor, 6 of 20 from three-point range and 18 of 20 from the free throw line. The Valkyries had six offensive rebounds to Dallas’s five, and each team blocked two shots. Golden State committed four turnovers and 19 fouls, while Dallas committed 10 turnovers and 15 fouls. The Valkyries also held a 5-3 advantage in assists. Golden State won all three regular-season meetings between the teams, including two at home.

Dallas stayed within striking distance early because of its free throw shooting, but the Wings managed only three assists and could not match Golden State’s perimeter efficiency. The Valkyries’ 18 made 3-pointers and 14 made free throws helped offset a low assist total. Golden State’s defense limited Dallas to 28 made field goals and forced 10 turnovers.

The series continues with Game 2 in Dallas. Golden State will look to take a 2-0 lead, while Dallas will try to even the series on its home floor.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Golden State 92, Dallas 85. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Golden State with a 77.7 percent probability to win. Golden State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -7.5. The total score of 184 went under the over/under line of 155.5.