The Golden State Valkyries made history Thursday night by clinching a playoff berth in their 84-80 win over the Dallas Wings. Golden State became the first team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in its inaugural season.

Golden State is 23-18 after beating the Wings with three games remaining in their regular season, two of which are against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. And they’ve done most of it without All-Star forward Kayla Thornton, who went down with a season-ending knee injury in late July. Even so, the Valkyries managed to go 8-5 in the month of August, strengthening their playoff push.

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This Valkyries team was built through an expansion draft late last year, and doesn’t boast big-name stars. But they’re considered one of the more balanced teams in the league, led by first-time head coach Natalie Nakase, who won two WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces as an assistant in 2022 and 2023.

Currently sitting in sixth place in the standings, the Valkyries would be the road team in their first postseason series, though they would get one home game in the first round’s 1-1-1 format. That game would fall on either Sept. 16 or 17, but they may not be able to play at their home arena, Chase Center.

Later that week, Chase Center is hosting the Laver Cup, an international tennis tournament, which could force the Valkyries to find a temporary home for their playoff game. If needed, other nearby options include Oracle Arena in Oakland, where the NBA’s Golden State Warriors once played. The SAP Center in San Jose, home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, is another option.

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Home-court advantage has been a strength of the Valkyries this season, as they are now 14-7 at home following Thursday night’s victory. While a game at another arena in the area would still be classified as a home game, the Valkyries have had Chase Center rocking this season, especially when it comes to attendance.

Golden State leads the league with an average fan attendance of 18,064 and has recorded sellouts for each home game.