SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Valkyries secured a snug 74-57 win over the Connecticut Solar to advance to 16-15 on the season. After a subpar first half of 3-point taking pictures, the Valkyries nailed 10 threes within the second half to care for enterprise of their closing recreation earlier than one other brief street journey. Tiffany Hayes, Janelle Salaün, and Cecilia Zandalasini mixed for 50 of the Valkyries’ 74 factors.
However as seamless as Golden State’s victory over the Solar was, a number of questions linger because the group continues to remain forward within the race for the seventh and eighth seeds within the playoffs. Listed here are three lingering questions concerning the Valkyries’ future within the wake of an in any other case textbook win.
Is the free-flowing offense right here to remain?
The Valkyries have the best variance on the offensive facet of the ball within the WNBA due to their league-leading 30.2 three-point makes an attempt. It is an strategy Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries have preached all season, and in video games like these, you’ll be able to see the logic behind their playstyle. However on nights when the offense cannot string collectively buckets, it is normally as a result of the Valkyries cannot discover a rhythm past the arc.
It is truthful to say that the one fixed with Golden State’s 3-point taking pictures is the inconsistency, which begs the query: Can the Valkyries be this good from past the arc for the remainder of the season, or was the taking pictures only a symptom of enjoying the worst group within the league?
The reply in all probability lies someplace within the center. In her post-game press convention, Hayes talked concerning the changes the group made at halftime to get their offense on observe within the second half.
Requested Valkyries’ Tip Hayes concerning the halftime adjustment on offense that led to 9-three pointers within the 2nd half:
“Simply stepping into our move. We have been getting stops fairly nicely it was simply the ball was getting stagnant.” pic.twitter.com/DNtkBDBSuU
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) August 12, 2025
“Simply stepping into our move,” Hayes said. “We have been getting stops fairly nicely, it was simply that the ball was getting stagnant a bit bit. So we have been attempting to get again into our move a bit bit extra. We have been driving, and kicking, and hitting our photographs tonight. I believe that is what was working.”
The important thing to the Valkyries being extra in line with their taking pictures lies within the ball motion. That sounds easy, and is simpler mentioned than finished, however the power of the Valkyries’ greatest scorers depends on the group’s passing and playmaking to arrange good alternatives. Take Salaün and Zandalasini’s large nights. They primarily scored on catch-and-shoot alternatives.
If Golden State can proceed to play to their gamers’ strengths, the offense will observe.
Will Natalie Nakase shorten the rotation?
Nakase has described the final couple of matchups as “must-win video games,” because of the Valkyries’ place within the WNBA standings. Normally, when groups get into the a part of the season the place each recreation issues, their rotations shorten. Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbets has already shortened his rotation to eight gamers in preparation for the postseason.
Nevertheless, the Valkyries are a a lot completely different form of group when it comes to building. Whereas the Mercury has true stars to lean on and specialist gamers to plug and mess around them, Golden State may be very a lot a win-by-committee group. They gleefully lean in on the truth that all 12 gamers can see the ground relying on the matchup. However when each recreation issues, so does each minute, which makes the chance value of enjoying deep into the bench all of the extra greater.
In her post-game press convention, Nakase thought-about the opportunity of shortening the rotation.
“It is lots of variables,” Nakase mentioned. “I am simply actually attempting to grasp each minute, each second of relaxation. That is my means of the right way to consider [the rotation]. After which with sub-patterns, it is virtually the identical factor. I am actually doing it recreation by recreation. It is actually simply what it is referred to as for.”
Natalie Nakase on the opportunity of shortening the Valkyries rotation because the video games get increasingly vital:
“It’s lots of variables… I’m simply actually attempting to grasp each minute, each second of relaxation…”
She cited accidents, fatigue, and particular matchups as elements. pic.twitter.com/Thb1EEDLDa
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) August 12, 2025
She cited accidents, fatigue, and foul bother as ever-changing elements in her decision-making rotation-wise. She additionally said that the a number of arduous six-game stretches have been locations the place she’s experimented with the intricacies of the rotation.
“I do not simply have a look at it as, okay, we’ll play eight this recreation, or we’ll play 9. I bought to be prepared each minute of the sport, each timeout, to see what’s working and what’s not. Matchups too. So, it has been, for me, being a first-year coach, a fantastic problem for me.”
For now, the rotation looks like it’ll stay a game-to-game factor, however how that modifications as we get nearer to the postseason.
Is a .500 report sufficient to make the playoffs?
The Valkyries have been teetering simply above and slightly below .500 for many of this season, which stays spectacular for an enlargement group. That has them floating across the seventh and eighth seeds within the standings with little margin for error. However based mostly on the opposite groups round them, they may have extra wiggle room than you’d assume.
Let’s take inventory of the groups simply behind the Valkyries. The Seattle Storm have dropped to eighth because of a five-game shedding streak. Valkyries personal the head-to-head tiebreaker between the 2 of them. Additionally they have a 1.0 recreation lead on the Los Angeles Sparks, one other group they’ve a head-to-head tiebreaker over. And beneath them, the Washington Mystics appear to have positioned themselves for subsequent season after the Brittney Sykes and Aliyah Edwards trades.
There’s even an opportunity the groups above Golden State might fall within the coming video games. Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark simply resumed apply. They’re one other extraordinarily injury-riddled group. And whereas the Las Vegas Aces have discovered some momentum due to A’ja Wilson, they have been inconsistent all season lengthy.
All of this to say, if the Valkyries can keep close to .500, it isn’t inconceivable they stroll into the playoffs of their very first WNBA season. As vital as each recreation is, it isn’t a win each recreation or the season’s over situation. It is extra of like a do not lose three video games in a row, particularly to groups shut within the standings, situation.
Bonus! What’s up with Violet the Raven’s offense?
The Valkyries unveiled their much-anticipated mascot, Violet the Raven, at halftime. However whereas that Raven can dance, it would take a while for her to develop her offense. She missed her first 5 layup makes an attempt earlier than lastly hitting one on her sixth try. Nakase had some recommendation for Violet shifting ahead.
“Perhaps dunk it,” Nakase joked when informed Violet’s poor taking pictures numbers. “How ’bout that? Perhaps dunk it. Cannot she fly?”