The Golden State Valkyries delivered another defensive statement against the New York Liberty on Thursday night, winning 79-60 at Barclays Center and completing a clean sweep of the regular-season series.

Cecilia Zandalasini led all scorers with 20 points, including 14 in the first half, while Gabby Williams added 16 points as Golden State once again found a way to completely disrupt New York’s offense.

The victory improved the Valkyries to 28-11 and marked their third win in three meetings with the Liberty this season. More impressively, Golden State has now held New York to 70, 67 and 60 points in those three games — the three lowest-scoring performances of the Liberty’s season.

Zandalasini catches fire from three-point range

Zandalasini set the tone early.

The Italian forward knocked down four three-pointers in the first half, helping Golden State build a 42-30 advantage by halftime.

Her 20-point performance also included a career-high eight made field goals, according to the Valkyries.

The Liberty simply struggled to find answers. Golden State’s defense repeatedly forced difficult possessions, preventing New York from establishing the offensive rhythm that had carried the team through much of the season.

Liberty’s historic scoring streak comes to an end

New York entered the matchup having scored at least 80 points in 16 consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history.

That streak ended emphatically.

The Liberty managed only 60 points, their lowest total of the season. They shot just 30.2% from the field and struggled to generate consistent offense throughout the night.

Jonquel Jones led New York with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Breanna Stewart finished with 16 points.

But outside of those two stars, New York received very little scoring production.

Valkyries pull away after halftime

Golden State’s advantage became even more comfortable after the break.

The Valkyries opened the third quarter with an 11-6 run, stretching their lead to 17 points.

They then delivered another damaging burst at the start of the fourth, scoring the first six points of the period to move ahead 65-47.

From that point, New York had no meaningful comeback.

Golden State ultimately finished with a 19-point victory while completing its second win in as many nights after beating the Connecticut Sun 89-64 on Wednesday.

Veronica Burton quietly delivers a huge performance

While Zandalasini supplied the scoring punch, Veronica Burton controlled the game as a playmaker.

Burton recorded 13 assists, her season high, without committing a turnover. She also scored eight points and finished with a plus-17 rating.

That combination of efficient playmaking and defensive pressure helped Golden State maintain control against a Liberty team that had been one of the league’s most dangerous offensive units.

The Valkyries also received 12 points from Tiffany Hayes off the bench.

Golden State owns the matchup

Thursday’s result was significant because it confirmed a pattern rather than creating a one-off surprise.

The Valkyries have beaten the Liberty three times this season, making New York the only team Golden State has swept in the regular season.

Each meeting has followed a similar theme: Golden State’s defense prevents New York from reaching its usual scoring level.

That could become particularly important if the teams cross paths again during the postseason.

A warning sign for New York before the playoffs

For the Liberty, the defeat comes at an awkward time.

The team had won six straight at home before Thursday’s loss, but Golden State exposed problems that New York will need to address before the playoffs.

The Liberty’s inability to consistently create quality scoring opportunities was particularly noticeable against the Valkyries’ physical defense.

For Golden State, however, the victory adds another layer of confidence. The team has now beaten New York three times, including twice on the road, while also winning both games of its back-to-back road set this week.

With the playoffs approaching, the message from Golden State is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: if the Liberty want to go deep in the postseason, they may first have to solve the Valkyries.

The Cleveland Browns may have wanted clarity from their preseason finale, but Dillon Gabriel’s outstanding performance has only made their quarterback situation more intriguing.

Gabriel threw three first-half touchdowns as the Browns cruised past the New England Patriots 37-13 on Thursday night. The performance came at a crucial moment, with Cleveland approaching the NFL’s roster deadline and still carrying four quarterbacks.

While Gabriel made a strong case for himself, head coach Todd Monken remained tight-lipped about whether the Browns will keep all four quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster.

Dillon Gabriel makes his opportunity count

With expected starter Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders rested for the finale, Gabriel was handed the starting job.

The 2025 third-round pick responded with arguably his strongest preseason performance.

Gabriel completed 12 of 15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns, putting Cleveland in control before halftime.

His accuracy and command of the offense stood out even though he had received limited practice opportunities behind Watson and Sanders throughout training camp.

Monken praised Gabriel’s preparation and confidence, describing him as someone who consistently approaches his work like a professional.

The coach’s comments underline why Gabriel remains firmly in the conversation despite entering the season behind Watson and Sanders on the depth chart.

The Browns still have four quarterbacks

The biggest question now is whether Cleveland will carry four quarterbacks into the regular season.

Alongside Gabriel, the Browns have Watson, Sanders and rookie Taylen Green.

When asked directly whether Gabriel and Green would both make the final 53-man roster, Monken declined to provide an answer.

The decision ultimately involves more than one impressive preseason performance. Cleveland must balance quarterback depth against roster space at other positions, making the final cuts especially significant.

The NFL roster cut-down deadline is set for 6 p.m. Sunday, meaning the Browns do not have much time left to make the call.

Gabriel’s journey makes his performance even more interesting

Gabriel started six games as a rookie before suffering a concussion in Week 11. His injury opened the door for Sanders, who started Cleveland’s final seven games.

This preseason, Gabriel was largely used in the fourth quarter during Cleveland’s first two games before being given the starting assignment in the finale.

That limited exposure made Thursday night’s performance particularly valuable.

Gabriel acknowledged that the first two preseason games had been frustrating from his perspective, but he viewed the finale as an opportunity to show what he could do when given meaningful playing time.

And he certainly took advantage of it.

Taylen Green adds another layer to the competition

Gabriel was not the only young quarterback to make an impression.

Taylen Green, a sixth-round selection, entered after halftime and completed five of seven passes for 27 yards. His biggest impact came on the ground, where he rushed for 66 yards on eight carries.

Monken praised Green’s athletic ability and intelligence but also suggested that the rookie still has plenty to refine.

That creates another interesting roster dilemma for Cleveland. Green may be a developmental project, but his athletic upside could make him difficult to move away from.

Will Cleveland really keep four quarterbacks?

The Browns have experience carrying four quarterbacks, although their approach has changed from year to year.

In 2024, Cleveland initially kept four quarterbacks — Watson, Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Tyler Huntley — before releasing Huntley shortly after the roster deadline.

Last season, the Browns also entered training camp with four healthy quarterbacks, including Sanders, Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Pickett was eventually traded to the Las Vegas Raiders before final cuts.

That history suggests Cleveland is comfortable carrying extra quarterback depth temporarily, but it does not guarantee that Gabriel and Green will both survive the final roster decisions.

Gabriel may have made the decision harder

The Browns entered the preseason with a quarterback hierarchy that appeared to revolve around Watson and Sanders.

Gabriel’s performance against New England has not necessarily changed that order, as Monken indicated, but it has made the roster decision considerably more interesting.

For Gabriel, the timing could hardly have been better.

He did not need a perfect preseason. He needed an opportunity to remind the coaching staff why Cleveland invested a third-round pick in him.

Against the Patriots, he did exactly that.

Now comes the difficult part for the Browns: deciding whether one spectacular night is enough to earn Gabriel a place on the final roster — and whether there is room for four quarterbacks in Cleveland.

The answer should arrive by Sunday.

Barcelona marked their return to the Camp Nou with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez finding the net to keep the Catalan side perfect after two league matches.

The result gives Barcelona six points from their opening two games and keeps them alongside Real Madrid, Real Betis and Sevilla at the top of the early LaLiga standings.

Raphinha Continues His Bright Start

Barcelona’s attacking threat once again came through Raphinha, who has quickly made his presence felt in a central role.

The Brazilian opened the scoring in the 37th minute after Pedri produced a perfectly timed through ball to split the Athletic defence.

Raphinha raced through, rounded goalkeeper Unai Simón and calmly finished into an empty net.

It was his third goal in Barcelona’s first two league games, an impressive return considering the club are still looking for a specialist striker before the transfer window closes.

Raphinha’s continued use as a centre-forward has therefore become one of the early talking points of Barcelona’s season.

Athletic Threaten, But Barcelona Stay in Control

Athletic Bilbao had opportunities to make the game uncomfortable for their hosts.

Before the interval, Simón produced an excellent close-range save to deny Lamine Yamal.

There was also controversy surrounding a challenge by Lamine on Aymeric Laporte. Athletic players appealed for a red card, but the referee and VAR decided against further action.

Barcelona continued to control much of the second half.

In the 53rd minute, Lamine came close again when his powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area crashed against the crossbar.

Athletic eventually created one of their best chances in the 75th minute, when Oihan Sancet struck the post from outside the box.

That miss proved costly.

Fermin Lopez Puts the Result Beyond Doubt

Barcelona finally added the second goal eight minutes later.

A low cross from Karim Adeyemi caused confusion inside the Athletic penalty area. Laporte failed to properly clear the ball, allowing Fermin Lopez to pounce on the loose possession.

Fermin controlled the ball inside the box before firing past Simón in the 82nd minute.

The goal effectively ended Athletic’s hopes of producing a late comeback and gave Barcelona a deserved two-goal cushion.

Rodri Makes His Barcelona Debut

The night also featured a significant debut.

Rodri, who joined Barcelona after his spell with Manchester City, entered the match in the 62nd minute.

The midfielder arrived in Catalonia with an impressive résumé that includes a World Cup triumph with Spain and major domestic and European success during his Manchester City career.

His introduction adds another major option to Barcelona’s midfield as the season develops.

Barcelona Start Strong at Home

The victory gives Barcelona six points from two matches, keeping them firmly among the early leaders of LaLiga.

For Athletic Bilbao, however, the beginning has been far less encouraging. They remain without a point, as does Real Sociedad.

Barcelona will take plenty of confidence from the performance. Raphinha is already finding the net regularly, Fermin provided an important late contribution and the team managed to protect its advantage despite Athletic creating moments of danger.

Most importantly, the return to the Camp Nou ended with exactly the kind of result Barcelona’s supporters wanted.

Two games, two wins — and Raphinha’s form suggests Barcelona may have discovered another attacking option while they continue their search for a traditional No. 9.