The Golden State Valkyries have every excuse not to make the postseason. They’re in their first season in existence, built from an expansion draft with no big-name stars. They lost their best player, All-Star Kayla Thornton, to a knee injury at the end of July. But no one has told the Valkyries this, as they went 8-5 in August and currently sit in sixth place in the league. They haven’t yet clinched a playoff spot, but everything points to the team heading to the postseason.
So what’s fueled the Valkyries on this stretch?
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An experienced coach
While Natalie Nakase is in her first season as a head coach, she’s been coaching since 2008. Her journey brought her to Germany, Tokyo and the NBA, where she spent 10 years with the Los Angeles Clippers. She also spent three seasons with the Aces, helping them win titles in 2022 and 2023. At just 45 years old, Nakase has incredible experience to bring to her players, and has pushed the right buttons to make sure they peak at the right time.
Spreading the wealth
Even when Thornton was playing, the Valkyries showed they were different from other teams. Unlike some of the other top teams in the league, the Valkyries don’t have a superstar who will take over when the team is in trouble. Instead, they have several different players who could become dangerous on any given night. Four different players are averaging double digits in scoring: Veronica Burton (12.0), Tiffany Hayes (11.7), Cecilia Zandalasini (11.2) and Janelle Salaün (10.8). Assists and rebounds are evenly spread, as well, with 10 different players averaging 3-7 rebounds per game. This is a balanced team.
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Using the 3-pointer
Following in the footsteps of the NBA team they share a home with, the Golden State Valkyries are strong from behind the arc, particularly in the last month, when they made 11.2 3s per game, the best in the league. Burton leads the team with 60 3-pointers made this season, followed by Kate Martin (52) and Salaün (50). Iliana Rupert leads the team in 3-point percentage at 46%, with four other players at or above the 40% mark.
Making free throws and drawing fouls
In August, the Valkyries have excelled at getting to the free-throw line and making shots when they get there. They’ve drawn 17.2 fouls per game, second in the league, and have an 86.4% free-throw rate for the month, which puts them first in the league. In a tight playoff game, those points can be incredibly valuable.
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You won’t have to wait long to find out if September will be as kind to the Valkyries as August was — they face the Liberty at home on Tuesday night.
Game of the week:
Minnesota Lynx vs. Las Vegas Aces, Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime: The last time these two teams played, the Lynx embarrassed the Aces. Minnesota won 101-58, and at one point had a lead of 53 points. But since then, Las Vegas has not lost a game. They are on a 12-game winning streak and have moved into second place in the standings. Not only is this an intriguing matchup because of the revenge factor, but this could also be a Finals preview.
Performance of the week: Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks sit in ninth place in the league standings, just outside of the playoff picture. But they can hold onto hope thanks to an incredible game by Dearica Hamby on Sunday. Behind Hamby’s 27 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm, 91-85. This win was especially important as it means the Sparks hold the tiebreaker over Seattle for the playoffs, and Seattle currently sits in eighth place.
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