After Friday’s spectacular 82-73 highway win over the Los Angeles Sparks, the Golden State Valkyries have now received consecutive video games for the primary time in franchise historical past.
Behind regular scoring from French rookies Janelle Salaün and Carla Leite, the Valkyries constructed a lead as huge as 20 factors within the second half. Regardless of L.A. making a comeback within the fourth quarter, the Valkyries hit sufficient free throws down the stretch to ice the win.
“We had a 20-point lead, but of course they were going to come back,” Salaün mentioned. “I think we were expecting them to have a run … But we stayed composed and showed we can close out games.”
The Valkyries misplaced to the Sparks of their season opener only a week in the past in a sport by which L.A. star Kelsey Plum dropped 37 factors in San Francisco. On Friday, Golden State held Plum to only 16 factors on 6-of-18 capturing.
The Valkyries pulled off the win shorthanded with beginning guard Tiffany Hayes out with a nostril harm and Monique Billings unavailable with a proper ankle harm.
In contrast to their first two video games of the season, the Valkyries (2-1) discovered a rhythm early within the sport, highlighted by their 18-0 begin to the second quarter.
Leite led the Valkyries with 19 factors on 7-of-10 capturing. Salaün had 18 factors – 13 of which got here within the first half – to go together with seven rebounds.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Friday’s win:
Leite discovering her groove
Leite has regarded extra snug in head coach Natalie Nakase’s offense with every sport she performs.
Coming off the bench, she hunted her shot early and infrequently. Leite scored all of her 19 factors within the first three quarters, together with 9 within the third quarter alone. She had a plus-minus score of +17 in 23 minutes of play.
Friday’s sport was a stark distinction to when the Valkyries performed the Sparks every week in the past, when Leite had two factors and three turnovers.
“I think my first game, I was very nervous, you know, so now I’m more comfortable,” Leite mentioned. “So I think for that, I’m better.”
Is Salaün Golden State’s go-to scorer?
With Hayes out of the lineup, the Valkyries have been in determined want of a participant who may put stress on the rim.
Salaün stepped into that position completely on Friday.
Salaün was aggressive from tip-off, capturing an array of 3-pointers and mid-range pictures whereas additionally getting within the paint for layups. The 23-year-old ahead performs a lot bigger than her 6-foot-2 body and confirmed she generally is a matchup nightmare on the wing or as a guard.
“You can just see she’s meant for this moment,” Nakase mentioned. “In a time when we need a bucket, we’re pretty confident with the ball in her hands. She wants that responsibility.”
Even when Hayes returns from harm, Salaün may step in because the Valkyries’ main scorer for the foreseeable future.
The place does Kate Martin match?
Kate Martin has struggled with the Valkyries to date.
After beginning in final week’s season opener, Martin hasn’t logged greater than 10 minutes since. She scored two factors in that sport and didn’t register any in Golden State’s win over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday.
Martin was higher in opposition to the Sparks on Friday, scoring six factors on two made 3s. However she was on the ground for a complete of 10 minutes, the least of any participant who checked in.
With accidents to Billings and Hayes, Martin may have an opportunity to indicate she generally is a common piece to this rotation. However with Leite, Veronica Burton and veteran guard Julie Vanloo all displaying that they match the offense, it will likely be an uphill battle for Martin to get constant taking part in time.
Nakase, nonetheless, is assured that Martin, whom she coached as an assistant in Las Vegas final yr, will present enchancment because the season goes on.
“I am very familiar with Kate, so it’s not about acclimating. I just want her to be herself,” Nakase mentioned. “I told her today, I gave her a big hug when we were in the warm-up lines and I said, ‘I’m your biggest fan, and I’ve always been your No. 1 fan,’ because I know the type of player that she is because of all the hard work that Kate puts in. … we’re just trying to fit in with Kate, to be honest.”
Veterans made huge performs down the stretch
Whereas Leite and Salaün did the majority of Golden State’s scoring, veterans Burton and Kayla Thornton did all of the little issues to make sure the Valkyries left Los Angeles with a win.
Thornton didn’t have the most effective capturing night time, however she totaled 14 factors and 10 rebounds – her sixth profession double-double. When the Sparks introduced the lead down to only 5 late within the fourth quarter, Thornton obtained fouled behind the 3-point line and knocked down all three free throws to push the lead again to eight.
Burton scored 12 factors and had a career-high 5 steals. She drew the defensive project of guarding Plum early and held the three-time All-Star to an inefficient scoring night time.
Nakase cherishes return to SoCal
Friday’s sport was a homecoming for Nakase, who went to highschool at Marina Excessive in Huntington Seashore.
Nakase, who spent 10 years working for the Los Angeles Clippers and is a UCLA alum, mentioned she had over 60 individuals come to observe her coach again in her hometown.
“When we were just flying over the city, I was like, ‘Oh, there’s where I used to live,’ and just everything comes back,” Nakase mentioned. “I mean, obviously, my dad, just a lot of memories of my dad here, and with the Clippers and everything. It kind of gives me goosebumps.”
