The Golden State Valkyries locked in a postseason berth on Tuesday, moving into second place in the WNBA with just ten games remaining. The win keeps the team three games behind the league‑leading Minnesota Lynx, a matchup set for Wednesday night at the Chase Center.
Playoff positioning and home‑court implications
Finishing second in the standings would give the Valkyries a favorable first‑round opponent and the chance to host the seventh‑seed Washington Mystics at home. If the playoffs began today, the Valkyries would open the series at the Chase Center and retain home‑court advantage in a potential second round. Last season the team played only one home playoff game because a scheduling conflict forced the venue to shift to San Jose.
Recent performance and league standing
After a back‑and‑forth battle with the Las Vegas Aces for the No. 2 spot before the All‑Star break, the Valkyries have surged, winning 15 of their last 17 contests. That run created a two‑and‑a‑half‑game lead over the Aces and a two‑game cushion ahead of the Indiana Fever. The team remains winless against the Lynx this season, but two more meetings remain, offering a chance to finally break a 0‑6 franchise record against Minnesota.
Defensive identity fuels success
In a league where scoring averages are climbing, the Valkyries have distinguished themselves by limiting opponents to just 76.9 points per game—the lowest total in the WNBA. They are the only team to keep foes under the 80‑point threshold and force an average of 13.7 turnovers per contest, making them a difficult opponent to score against.
Depth and bench production
Coach Nakase has emphasized a “next‑man‑up” mentality, a philosophy that proved vital when starter center Kiah Stokes sat out with a concussion and top bench scorer Janelle Salaun missed time with a sore knee. Rookie Laeticia Amihere earned her first start, while developmental player Ashten Prechtel logged 18 minutes. The bench responded with a season‑high 49 points against Chicago, led by Tiffany Hayes’ 22‑point outburst and Kaila Charles’ 15 points.
Even without Salaun, who leads the league with 13.1 bench points per game, the Valkyries improved their bench scoring average to 36.1 points per game, edging close to the single‑season record set by the 2020 Las Vegas Aces (35.0) and the all‑time full‑season mark of 33.9 by the 2008 Minnesota Lynx.
Star players manage minutes for the stretch run
Veteran guard Gabby Williams, the team’s top scorer, has been careful with her workload. After averaging 31.6 minutes per game last season, she has logged just over 30 minutes in six games this year, and the recent win over Dallas marked her first appearance of more than 23 minutes since the All‑Star break. Williams said, “I came here to win. I’ve said that since day one. We take it game by game, and we have to beat Minnesota Wednesday.”
Hayes also saw a minutes restriction, a decision made by Coach Nakase to prioritize recovery for both Hayes and Williams as the playoffs approach.
Looking ahead
The Valkyries tip off at 7 p.m. on Aug. 20 against the Minnesota Lynx. A victory could tighten the race for the No. 2 seed, improve home‑court positioning, and give the franchise its first win over Minnesota in its history.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
