SAN JOSE — The Valkyries’ season hangs within the stability.
Down 1-0 of their first-round sequence in opposition to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, Golden State faces a win-or-go-home Recreation 2 at SAP Heart on Wednesday.
The enlargement crew has misplaced every of its final 5 video games in opposition to the Lynx, and most lately suffered one in every of their worst losses of the season in Recreation 1 on Sunday in a 29-point defeat.
However whereas the Valkyries might be clear underdogs enjoying in an enviornment they haven’t referred to as residence, the gritty first-year crew is assured something can occur in entrance of their favorable crowd.
“It’s win or die time,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase mentioned after Tuesday’s apply. “We perceive that, however we’ve been approaching it each sport because the time we performed the L.A. Sparks (Aug. 9) and we made it a factor. To be able to make the playoffs, it’s a should win mentality.
“We don’t think of it potentially being our last, we just think it’s a must win. And then we got to do our job. Minnesota did their job at home and we got to take care of doing our job here at home. It’s a must win.”
Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier, proper, drives previous Golden State Valkyries middle Temi Fagbenle (14) through the first half of an WBA basketball sport Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photograph/Craig Lassig)
With the season on the road, the Valkyries might be enjoying in entrance of a offered out crowd on Wednesday evening. Golden State opted to remain in San Jose and held apply at SAP Heart on Tuesday.
Listed here are three keys for the Valkyries going into Recreation 2:
Stopping guard penetration
Whereas Napheesa Collier is the driving drive of Minnesota’s offense, it’s been the guard duo of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, often known as the viral steaming pair referred to as the StudBudz, which have given Golden State’s vaunted protection issues.
Williams, the regular flooring common, has a knack for locating a method to get into the paint to attain or dish to shooters. The veteran level guard is a risk to tug up from the 3-point line or within the mid-range as she has averaged 13.2 factors per sport on 40.3% capturing from the sector and 38.1% from the 3-point line.
Level guard Natisha Hiedeman has torched the Valkyries coming off the bench. The sixth lady of the 12 months candidate has scored 24, 21, and 18 factors within the final three video games in opposition to the Valkyries and has routinely been the spark plug for Minnesota in stopping the Golden State’s runs.
Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) reacts after making a 3 level shot in opposition to the Golden State Valkyries through the first half of an WBA basketball sport Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis. (AP Photograph/Craig Lassig)
On Sunday, Hiedeman posted the second-highest plus-minus score in Lynx postseason historical past with a +32.
“We really need to try to be more solid on defense, but as a unit,” Valkyries middle Iliana Rupert mentioned. “Be more aware when to shift and try to help more. Even if there’s a lot of rotations, at least not letting them get easy buckets. So we saw all of that on the video, and hopefully tomorrow will get even better.”
Make open seems to be
This one is straightforward. The Valkyries must hit extra photographs.
After a scorching begin through which they hit 9 of their first 18 photographs, and 5 of their first eight 3-pointers within the first quarter, the Valkyries completed the sport making simply 11 extra area objective makes an attempt.
Within the 5 video games the Valkyries performed in opposition to the Lynx this season, they shot simply 36% from the sector and 25.7 from past the arc.
A standard thread in every of the 5 losses has been Golden State’s incapacity to cease Minnesota when it will get on a roll. The Valkyries have saved the sport shut in spurts, however the Lynx have all the time been capable of ship a crushing run that places the sport out of attain,
“We have to respond better,” Valkyries capturing guard Kate Martin mentioned. “We have to know that basketball is about a game of runs, and they’re a really good team. So they’re gonna go on their runs. We’re gonna have to limit that as much as possible and make adjustments quicker.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: Cecilia Zandalasini #24 of the Golden State Valkyries shoots in opposition to Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx through the first quarter in sport one of many first spherical of the WNBA Playoffs at Goal Heart on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: Consumer expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or utilizing this {photograph}, Consumer is consenting to the phrases and situations of the Getty Pictures License Settlement. (Photograph by Matt Krohn/Getty Pictures)
An enormous issue going into Wednesday’s sport might be if the Valkyries might get constant scoring out of sharpshooting ahead Cecilia Zandalasini.
Zandalasini might be enjoying in her fourth sport since getting back from a calf damage that saved her sidelined for eight contests. She shot simply 3-of-10 from the sector and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line on Sunday.
Play off the momentum of the gang
Whereas the venue might be new, the Valkyries have constantly proven that they’re at their finest after they might feed off the house crowd’s vitality.
The Valkyries haven’t been anxious concerning the change in location as they’ve religion the house crowd will come by means of.
Golden State Valkyries followers watch the motion through the fourth quarter of their WBNA sport in opposition to the New York Liberty on the Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Space Information Group)
“Someone told me the arena is smaller than Chase Center, but I’m sure the fans are going to come through,” Valkyries rookie ahead Janelle Salaün mentioned. “I just know the fans are going to come through and it’s going to be amazing.”
The Valkyries are 14-8 at residence this season.
Notable
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase revealed that she was fined by the league after her feedback concerning Recreation 1’s officiating. The primary-year coach mentioned she didn’t understand how a lot the high quality was, however mentioned she stands by what she mentioned.
“I heard it’s a tax write off,” Nakase mentioned. “I moved on. We’ve already talked about the new game plan, offensively and defensively. That’s where I got to make sure my girls are at.”
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (35) reacts to a name throughout their sport in opposition to the New York Liberty within the third quarter on the Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
