A wildly profitable first common season concluded with a Valkyries loss in Minneapolis on Thursday night time.
The Lynx, who didn’t relaxation their starters regardless of already securing the No. 1 seed, handed the Valkyries a 72-53 loss within the season finale at Goal Heart.
For the second time in per week, the Valkyries have been stymied by top-seeded Minnesota in what finally grew to become a preview of their best-of-three first-round playoff collection, with the Lynx internet hosting Recreation 1 on Sunday.
“A lot of stuff we could fix is in our control,” Valkyries ahead Kaila Charles mentioned. “If we get the extra stops, if we get the rebounds, if we just hit a few more shots, it could definitely be a different game.”
The Valkyries, which might have secured the No. 6 seed with a victory, shot a dismal 28.8% from the sphere, dedicated 21 turnovers, and began 0 of 17 from 3-point vary as they slid into the No. 8 slot.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the league for a reason,” Golden State’s Veronica Burton mentioned. “They’re incredibly connected, and you can see their experience there.”
Even when the guests had been capable of manufacture simpler baskets, they nonetheless would have had no reply for arguably the sport’s finest participant.
Napheesa Collier entered Thursday averaging 23.0 factors per sport, and he or she poured in 19 factors utilizing quite a lot of easy jumpers. She joined Elena Delle Donne as the one participant in league historical past to have 50-40-90 capturing splits in a season.
Burton, Charles, and Iliana Rupert every scored eight factors for the Valkyries.
After trailing 34-22 at halftime, the Valkyries have been capable of lower the deficit to 45-41 by the tip of the third quarter after Rupert hit back-to-back triples to snap Golden State’s wretched begin from lengthy vary.
Nonetheless, the Lynx, who superior to the WNBA Finals final yr, confirmed why they’re title favorites this season by beginning the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run.
Rupert appeared to injure herself on a fall throughout a struggle for a rebound early within the fourth quarter, sustaining what coach Natalie Nakase known as an ankle damage.
Halfway by the fourth quarter and trailing by almost 20, Nakase waved the white flag and emptied the Valkyries’ bench.
The Valkyries will stay in Minnesota for the following few days as they put together to play of their first playoff collection. Nakase emphasised the positives of enjoying towards Minnesota once more within the postseason.
“It’s not like we have to completely change a ton of things and completely embrace and learn about a new team,” Nakase mentioned. “So I’m taking this as a positive, and we get to stay here; we don’t have to travel.”
Because it was in Chase Heart on Sept. 6 once they misplaced 78-72, the Valkyries struggled to seek out gaps within the Minnesota protection.
Golden State scored simply eight factors within the first quarter and simply 22 within the first half.
Courtney Williams, Collier, and Kayla McBride keyed the trouble for Minnesota, shrinking the ground with aggressive on-ball stress.
The Valkyries had no solutions for Collier both, who made her first two 3-pointers on pick-and-pop performs and was an environment friendly 5 of 6 within the first half.
With the loss, the Valkyries concluded the common season on a three-game shedding streak. The growth franchise had clinched its postseason berth with an 84-80 victory over Dallas, however failed to maneuver up within the standings.
Now, Golden State (23-21) will shift its focus to the playoffs. The Valkyries will hope that veteran guard Tiffany Hayes is ready to return from a knee damage that has sidelined her since Aug. 22, and that Rupert is just not hobbled towards an elite group.
“We know what we’re about to face,” Nakase mentioned.
Initially Printed: September 11, 2025 at 6:50 PM PDT
