Tag: Minnesota Lynx

Golden State Valkyrie podcast Michael Roberson: Gabby leads Valkyrie with 15 pts in 80-66 win over Minnesota

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Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, center front, controls the ball as Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton, center top, defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Golden State Valkyrie podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 What was the biggest reason the Valkyries were able to defeat the Lynx 80–66 and finally end their losing streak against Minnesota?

#2 How did Cecilia Zandalasini’s fourth-quarter scoring and Gabby Williams’ overall performance help Golden State pull away?

#3 What defensive strategies did the Valkyries use to limit Minnesota’s offense, particularly rookie Olivia Miles, who finished with just 8 points?

#4 How important were Minnesota’s 18 turnovers and Golden State’s ability to turn those mistakes into points in determining the outcome?

#5 What does this victory suggest about the Valkyries’ potential heading into the playoffs, especially after beating one of the WNBA’s top teams on the road?

#6 The Valkyrie now face the Connectcuit Sun who have been struggling losing seven of their last 12 games.

Michael Roberson is a WNBA reporter and podcasts the Golden State Valkyries each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Minnesota takes down Golden State, 77-66, snapping Valkyries 6-Game Winning Streak

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Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase argues with a referee in the second quarter of a WNBA game against the Minnesota Lynx at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Photo Credits to Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – The best of the best battled each other on Wednesday night. The Golden State Valkyries, second place in the WNBA, hosted the Minnesota Lynx, first place in the WNBA, at Chase Center. Both teams have already clinched their spots in the playoffs. The matchup determined who would ultimately hold the first-place seed, and it went to Minnesota after the Gophers defeated the Valkyries 77-66. Golden State is also now 0-9 against Minnesota all-time.

Minnesota came into Ballhalla hoping to get their 30th win of the season. The Lynx have gone 19-2 against Western Conference teams. In their last ten games, the Lynx have gone 9-1, and are 15-2 on the road this season. Minnesota is also on a four-game winning streak, and not looking to slow down. So the Lynx started with guards Olivia Miles, Courtney Williams, forwards Kayla McBride, Napheesa Collier, and center Natasha Howard.

After Monday’s win over the Dallas Wings, Golden State have secured and clinched a spot for the postseason. The Valkyries are 10-6 against Western teams in the season so far. In the last ten games, the Valkyries have gone 8-2, and are 15-4 at home. So Golden State would send out guards Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams, forwards Kayla Thornton, Cecilia Zandalasini, and center Kiah Stokes. The team is also riding a six-game winning streak and is hoping to make it seven wins.

Minnesota’s Courtney Williams would score the first bucket of the night off of a 11-foot running jump shot. After that, Minnesota would have most control of the game over Golden State. The Valkyries would have a rough shooting start, but this isn’t anything new to the Valkyries. In their last three home games, Golden State would find themselves trailing going into the second quarter, and the highest they scored in the first quarter out of the three games was just 20 points. At the end of the first quarter, the Valkyries found themselves down by eight to the Lynx, 21-13.

Going into the second quarter, the Valkyries’ shooting on the floor was a low 22%, going 4-for-18 shooting as a team. While the Lynx were shooting comfortably in Ballhalla at 60% from the floor, going 9-for-15 shooting as a team. Minnesota’s passing has been all over Golden State’s defense, and the Lynx keep finding their players in the paint. The Lynx have scored 18 points compared to Valkyrie’s four points in the paint.

At the end of the second quarter, Minnesota’s lead would extend to 15 points over Golden State, 41-26. The Valkyries’ shooting still hasn’t improved, but the Lynx defense has been stellar on their close-out shots and covering the floor when they’re back on defense. Golden State is now shooting at a 24%, going 9-for-37 on the floor as a team.

At the start of the third quarter, the Lynx shooting in the paint didn’t slow down as Olivia Miles made a 15-foot step-back jump shot to start the second half of the game. In fact, Minnesota would make Golden State take an early timeout with not even two minutes in the third quarter due to the Lynx making their first three shots of the quarter. After that, Minnesota would start to slow down on their shooting, and the Valkyries were able to see some openings and shots to fall down. In the final three minutes of the quarter, Golden State was down by 18 points, and once the quarter was over, the lead would drop to 13 points, 54-41.

In the final quarter of the game, Golden State was able to get some life into them, and a lot of that had to do with their guard Tiffany Hayes and Janelle Salaun. Salaun would go on an 8-0 scoring run by herself, and then Hayes, showing off her toughness, was able to find her way to get in the paint for the easy buckets. In the final three minutes of the game, Minnesota had the lead by 8 points, 69-61. The Valkyries haven’t led the game once, while the Lynx held the lead the whole game.

Then Minnesota’s Kayla McBride would make a big-time three-pointer to push the lead back 11 points, 72-61. McBride would have herself a night, as she would set a new franchise record with 106 made three-pointers and counting. Then, with a minute and a half left in the game, Valkyries Gabby Williams would make a 26-foot three-pointer to cut the lead back to ten points, and hopefully find a way to come back and get the win. Unfortunately, with 30 seconds left and the score now at 77-66, the game was pretty much set and done in Ballhalla.

As the game time clock expired, the Minnesota Lynx would come into Ballhalla and take the win from the Valkyries, snapping their six-game winning streak. After a big adjustment in the second half, Golden State’s efforts weren’t enough. However, this is not the end of these two teams meeting. In five days, the Golden State Valkyries and Minnesota Lynx will face off one more time in the season. Golden State was led by Janelle Salaun with her 15 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

The Golden State Valkyries will begin their five-game road trip starting on Friday, August 21st. The Valkyries will start in Chicago and take on the Sky, once again at 4:30 p.m. in Wintrust Arena. The game will be broadcast live on ION. This game will also be the final game that Golden State and Chicago will play against this season, with the winner taking the season series between them.

Minnesota Snaps Golden State’s 4-Game Winning Streak, defeating Valkyries, 81-75

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Minnesota Lynx guard #10 Courtney Williams driving it into the paint on Golden State Valkyrie guard #6 Kaila Charles on June 19th, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. (Photo Credits to Kelley L. Cox – Imagn Images)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN FRANCISCO – Happy Juneteenth from Ballhalla! on Friday, we celebrate resilience, freedom, and never giving up hope in uncertain times. The Golden State Valkyries had the honor of playing and hosting the Minnesota Lynx, who are currently in first place in the West.

The Valkyries have won their last four games in a row, three of them being at home, and are in third place in the West. So Golden State wanted their fifth straight Dub, but Minnesota had other plans coming to the Bay. As the Lynx would get the win, 81-75, snapping Golden State’s four game winning streak. Minnesota also holds an early 2-0 season series lead over Golden State.

Coming off their most recent win against Dallas on Wednesday, the Golden State Valkyries sent out the same starters as in their last game, with guards Veronica Burton and forwards Kayla Thornton, Gabby Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini, and center Kiah Stokes. Williams led the team in the win with her 25 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Minnesota’s first five in Ballhalla were guards Olivia Miles, Courtney Williams, forwards Kayla McBride, Nia Coffey, and center Natasha Howard. In the Lynx’s last game, they were on the road in Los Angeles, but still able to get the win, 99-83. Minnesota was led by Olivia Miles, 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Miles efforts and performance were able to give the Lynx a two game winning streak.

Golden State’s Cecilia Zandalasini got the game going with her 11-foot driving floating shot. Zandalasini would score the first 5-points for Valkyries as she would also make a 26-foot three-point step back jumpshot. She would finish the quarter with eight points alone by herself. With that, Golden State held an early six point lead over Minnesota, 22-16.

Heading into the 2nd quarter, the Lynx’s shooting and offense would improve. They would drop 25 points in the 2nd quarter, compared to their 16 points in the 1st quarter. However, halfway through the 2nd quarter, Golden State’s lead jumped to 9 points, 32-23. Then, right at a timeout, Lynx’s forward Nia Coffey would hit 3 three-pointers in a row to cut the lead to 3-points, 35-32.

In the last minute of the second quarter, Golden State had a 12-point lead over Minnesota, but the Valkyries would commit two shooting fouls on the Lynx, who were shooting three-pointers. So the Lynx would shoot six free throws in the span of five seconds. So at halftime, Golden State’s lead was now just five points over Minnesota, 46-41.

Coming back from halftime, Minnesota was feeling confident that it could pull a comeback in this game. Especially ending the first half with those six free throws, making five of them. So Lynx’s Kayla McBride would get the second half started with a 24-foot three-pointer.

However, Valkyrie Kayla Thornton would respond with a three-pointer of her own. Then the Lynx went on a 6-0 scoring run, and in that run would take the lead, 50-49, with seven minutes remaining in the third. The rest of the quarter, both teams would evenly exchange buckets, but it would be Minnesota holding on to a one point lead at the end of the third, 63-62.

Heading into the final quarter, the Valkyries’ offense would start to hurt them. Golden State dropped just 13 points in the fourth, while Minnesota would drop 18 points. In the final 20 seconds, the Valkyries were down just two points, thanks to Cecilia Zandalasini making a 24-foot three-pointer, 77-75. Although Minnesota would inbound the ball, leaving Golden State to foul immediately. The Valkyries would get one last chance, being down four points, 79-75.

Valkyries would give the ball to Cecilia Zandalasini to make another clutch shot, but Minnesota’s defense would come through on the road. Lynx’s Olivia Miles would block Zandalasini three point shot, and ultimately giving Minnesota their third straight win, with their last two games being on the road. Although the Valkyries fell in this matchup, they were led by Cecilia Zandalasini’s 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists.

After being at home for their last three games, the Golden State Valkyries will take a quick road trip to Las Vegas. The Valkyries will face off against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, June 21st, in the Michelob ULTRA Arena. The game will be broadcast live on CBS at 1:00 p.m. In the Aces’ most recent game, they got the win against the Phoenix Mercury. The Aces were led by A’ja Wilson’s 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Aces Pull Out All the Stops Beating Lynx 100-97

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Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson (22) is fired up after making a play against the Minnesota Lynx in the second half at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Jun 13, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

This was not a game for the weak of heart. The fourth quarter was about as intense as it could have gotten with the lead bouncing back and forth as the seconds ticked away. This game was not decided until the clock displayed 3.5 seconds.

The Las Vegas Aces (10-3) came away with a 100-97 win against the Minnesota Lynx (10-3) at Michelob ULTRA Arena and it was appropriately Chelsea Gray who closed out the game with a couple of free throws for the win. She finished the game the way she has started it.

This highly anticipated matchup should prove to be a real battle as this game got underway. When the dust had settled on the first ten minutes of play the Aces had a 32-21 lead.

This was exactly the start that Las Vegas wanted to see and the task now remained; could they keep the pressure on the Lynx for the three remaining quarters. Chelsea Gray had picked up right where she had left off in their last game hitting four three’s.

Gray was the perfect opening act and there was not doubt that she would be covered like a blanket in the second quarter. Everything was clicking offensively going forward in this game.

The Lynx were able to outscore the Aces in the second quarter 30-25. At the half the Aces continued to lead 57-51 but their lead had been trimmed significantly. Minnesota put the wraps on Gray in the quarter as expected.

She had scored 12 points in the opening quarter and only 4 in the second. Having the hot hand in any game draws a lot of defensive attention and she was getting plenty. With the likes of A’ja Wilson, Nalyssa Smith, Jackie Young and Chennedy Carter plus trying to put the stops on Gray the Lynx did a great job winning the quarter.

The Aces had hit seven three’s in the first half. With less scoring from Gray, Wilson picked up the slack keeping that lead going into the half. The Lynx’s Natasha Howard had a great first half but on the downside she already had three personal fouls as did rookie Olivia Miles who had also been scoring a lot of points.

None of the Aces were in foul trouble in the first half. The largest lead in the game was a 15 point Ace advantage. The second half was gearing up to be a real battle.

The Aces outscored Minnesota in the third quarter by a single point 21-20 and going into the final quarter Las Vegas had a 78-71 lead. The Lynx had turned this game around and had Las Vegas fighting to keep the lead. Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard were a huge part of this turnaround.

Going into the fourth quarter Young had really begun to heat up which made things so much tougher on Minnesota. With under three minutes left on the clock it was a 2 point game 89-87 in favor of Las Vegas.

This game was going down to the wire and the Aces needed stops and buckets. This was anyone’s game and Minnesota had some crazy momentum going. It would be a wild finish as the Lynx continued to trail the Aces by a basket 91-89.

With 48 seconds left in the game the Lynx had taken their first lead 94-93 since the first quarter. Las Vegas took a brief lead when Jewell Lloyd hit three free throws. The lead bounced back and forth and with 20.5 seconds left on the clock the Aces had a 98-97 lead.

This game would come to an end pretty much the way it had started: with Gray hitting a couple of free throws and the Ace’s had won the game 100-97. Gray and her teammates had pulled out an amazing win.

This was just another wild nail-biter we have seen this season from the Aces. Their tenacity and discipline along with their skill has served them well. Wilson finished the game with a double double, 24 points and ten rebounds.

Gray was amazing hitting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. She finished with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Young had 16 points and 10 assists. Smith had 15 points and 6 rebounds, Las Vegas had 11 three’s in this game.

The Lynx put up quite a fight in this game and very nearly beat the Ace’s. Losing this game had to have been a terrible disappointment considering the three incredible quarters they played. They completely turned the game after the first quarter and had a very real shot at winning this game. Olivia Miles the Minnesota phenom had the high for the game with 29 points.

Game notes: The Aces right now are tied for first place and have been playing some outstanding basketball. With the win over the Lynx on Saturday the moved into a head to head tie as both team have identical records after the Aces won on Saturday night.

It is still early in the season but the standings are tight with five teams fighting to climb into the top spot that the Aces and Lynx occupy at the moment. Saturday night the Aces moved into the first spot sharing it with Minnesota.

Las Vegas has been steadily improving as we have finished over a quarter of the season. The incomparable A’Ja Wilson reached another milestone nearly a week ago in their game with the Seattle Storm becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 points doing it in 278 games.

She led her team last Thursday with 32 points in their win over the Portland Fire. Chelsea Gray had 29 points in that game and along with Jackie Young these three ladies are tearing up the court. Nalyssa Smith has also been terrific gobbling up rebounds and scoring double digits.

In Saturday night’s game but there is no doubt they had the fire power and defensive excellence to take care of business. Gray finished with 23 points, Young had 16 points and Smith finished with 15 points.

After this thriller, the Aces will have a day off to catch their breath before heading to Dallas for a matchup with the fifth place Wings Mon Jun 15th. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00PM PDT.

Aces Head Into WNBA Finals With Hard Fought Win Over Fever In Overtime 107-98

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Las Vegas Aces center A’Ja Wilson (22) drives on Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) in game 5 of the WNBA semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Sep 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

By RIch Perez

LAS VEGAS–The Las Vegas Aces (3-2) beat the Indiana Fever (2-3) in overtime 107-98 Tuesday night to punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals which will begin on Friday October 3rd. The Aces will be looking for their third title in four years.

Both teams fought tooth and nail in this gritty game by both teams. This had to be one of the toughest games Las Vegas has played all season and they won it together. The best news of all, the Aces will have home court advantage with the number one seeded Lynx losing their series.

Game recap: At the end of the first quarter this game was tied at 23. There were six ties in the opening quarter as this game see-sawed back and forth with the two teams trading leads.

The second quarter was also remarkable with more of the same, a hotly contested game. The Aces won the second quarter by the slimmest of points 24-22 taking a 47-45 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Aces were protecting the ball well with only five turnovers in the first half while the Fever was struggling with ten. Both A’Ja Wilson and Jackie Young were having outstanding games. The Aces biggest lead of the game in the first half was 5 points.

They would start the third quarter on a bit of a sour note however when Chelsea Gray suffered an injury that sent her off to the locker room for evaluation and treatment. It appeared that she had injured her foot and the team was waiting for more word.

As the third quarter wore on the Aces had taken their largest lead of the game 59-52 with 6:20 left on the clock. With just under six minutes left in the quarter Wilson and Young had each scored 18 points. Chelsea Gray had made her way back out to the bench and checked back into the game in obvious pain but determined to get back out on the floor.

With five minutes left in the third quarter the Fever suffered more woes. Aliyah Boston committed her fifth foul and Kelsey Mitchell went down with what seemed to be cramps. Mitchell’s knee had appeared to be giving her trouble in the later minutes of the quarter.

A gurney was actually rolled out on the court. Mitchell was finally able to get to her feet after what seemed like an eternity. She needed a lot of help getting back to the locker room and it was just another horrible blow for the Fever who had fought injury all season long.

She was unable to put weight on her left quad but was also having pain in her right knee, possible cramping. Despite the setbacks the Fever fought back pulling to within four points with a minute left in the quarter. After three quarters, the Aces had a 71-63 lead. It would all come down to the fourth quarter.

The Fever pulled to within five points of Las Vegas in the fourth quarter 73-68 but the Aces pushed their lead back out to 77-68 with 7:00 left in the game. With three minutes left in the game the Fever had fought to within two points 82-80.

When it looked like the Aces had this game in hand, the Fever came roaring back. With 52 seconds left in the game this matchup was tied at 84 and the Aces season was on the line. Both teams fought to the bitter end of regulation and with the score tied at 86 this game went into overtime.

Fever head coach Stephanie White got her team going right after the Mitchell injury. During a time-out she inspired her players to play for each other, and they sure answered the call. They played incredible final minutes of the fourth quarter and they were outstanding not only offensively but defensively.

The Aces scored the first points of the overtime taking a 92-89 lead. With under two minutes left in the game Las Vegas had a 97-93 lead. The Aces continued to push the lead taking a 99-93 lead with 1:09 left on the clock.

The Fever had refused to back off but they were running out of time; the Aces clearly showing their playoff experience and with the lead they could taste the win. Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd had scored the first 13 points in overtime.

With 22.6 left in the game, it was a one possession game with the Aces leading 101-98. This was still anyone’s game. The Aces put the finishing touches on this game taking a 105-98 lead with 12 seconds left on the clock.

A lot of credit goes to both of these teams putting on an electric show that went right down to the wire. Wilson finished with 35 points followed by Young who shot for 32. Despite her injury Gray had 17 points and the bench had a combined 18 points. It was an absolute team effort.

The Fever had six players in double digits. The high for Indiana was Odyssey Sims who finished with 27 points. Boston had a double double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Indiana fought hard from start to finish coming up nine points short.

Game notes: It all came down to the winner who goes to the WNBA final and the loser goes home and the Aces will be making that trip to the WNBA Finals with their win over the Phoenix Mercury.

Tuesday night the second-seeded Aces defeated the Fever and will make the trip to the WNBA finals. Wilson had an amazing game in their loss in game four finishing with 31 points and nine rebounds.

She got even more in game five leading with 35 points and the entire team really stepped up against a determined, skilled Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.

Game four was a close contest throughout the game with the Aces coming out on top 90-83 to tie up the series 2-2 last Sunday in Indianapolis.

The Las Vegas bench featuring Jewell Lloyd and Dana Evans contributed big with Lloyd scoring eight points and Evans with five. Everything was on the line Tuesday night and the Aces pulled it off and advance now to the WNBA Finals..

Friday night Oct 3 the WNBA finals will get underway with the Las Vegas Aces taking on the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury had won their semi-final series beating the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx last Sunday 3-1.

With the Lynx losing the series, the second-seeded Aces will start this series in game 1 at their home court Michelob ULTRA Arena. Tipoff for this game is scheduled at 5:00 PM.

Golden State Valkyries game wrap: Purple Reign Near Miss For Valkyries 78-72 in loss to mighty Minnesota

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Golden State Valkyries Temi Fagbenie (14) sinking the layup against the Minnesota Lynx at Chase Center in San Francisco in WNBA action Sat Sep 6, 2025 (photo by Mauricio Segura Golden Bay Times)

Purple Reign Near Miss For Valkyries

By Mauricio Segura

SAN FRANCISCO–The Golden State Valkyries’ fans were riding high, basking in yet another sellout crowd and record-smashing attendance at Chase Center, only to watch their team fall just short in a heated, back and forth battle that ended with a 78-72 loss to the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.

Even though the Valkyries entered the final minutes within striking distance, it was the scrappy and relentless Lynx, fueled by a season-high 24 points from Natisha Hiedeman off the bench, that delivered the killer blow. Hiedeman rose when it counted most, scoring nine of her 24 in the decisive third quarter and matching Golden State shot for shot whenever the momentum seemed to tip.

Golden State did not go quietly. Four Valkyries scored in double figures, with Janelle Salaün, Iliana Rupert, and Kaila Charles each finishing with 15 points to share team-high honors. Salaün and Charles also battled on the boards, each pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.

Rupert’s shooting touch mattered, knocking down three from beyond the arc and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Veronica Burton joined them in double figures with 14 points on an efficient 5-for-10 from the field, adding a team-best six assists and one three-pointer that gave her 99 for her career. It was a night that highlighted the balance of the starting unit, which scored 65 of Golden State’s 72 points.

The third quarter proved fatal. Despite Golden State outscoring Minnesota in three of the four quarters, the Lynx dropped a blistering 30-16 edge in the third, shooting 64.7 percent in that frame alone. Hiedeman led the charge with nine points in the period, while Napheesa Collier chipped in a critical 20 points overall.

Jessica Shepard ran the offense beautifully, recording a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists, carving up Golden State’s defense with her vision and passing. The surge turned a halftime Valkyries lead into a deficit they could never fully erase.

For Golden State, there were bright spots. Charles tied her career high with seven made field goals, continuing to thrive by attacking the rim and finishing through contact. Salaün showed her range with three triples, shooting 37.5 percent from deep, while Rupert stretched the floor as well with her own long-range accuracy. Kate Martin gave important minutes off the bench, adding six rebounds that helped keep Minnesota from running away on the glass.

The broader storylines off the court carried equal weight. With 18,064 fans packing the house once again, Golden State closed its inaugural home slate with 22 consecutive sellouts, shattering league records for both average attendance at 18,064 and total fans at 397,408. No WNBA expansion team has ever seized the spotlight this quickly, and the Valkyries have done it with style, energy, and a brand that clearly resonates in the Bay Area.

The Valkyries now sit at 23-19, locked into the sixth seed in the playoff bracket with two games remaining. While the fifth seed is out of reach, the team has already made history by becoming the first expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in its debut season.

The only wrinkle is logistical: Chase Center will be unavailable due to the Laver Cup tennis tournament, forcing Golden State to stage its first-round home games at San Jose’s SAP Center, with Oakland Arena also was floated as a backup option.

So yes, the Valkyries lost this one, undone by a single quarter of hot shooting from the Lynx. But the big picture remains unchanged. They are rewriting WNBA history, proving they belong among the league’s elite, and building momentum that will carry into the postseason. Two more games to sharpen the edges, then a playoff run that will mark the next chapter in an already unforgettable first year.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Playoffs? The Valkyries Say Yes With A Fifth Straight Win, 84-80 Over The Wings

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Golden State Valkyrie center Kaitlyn Chen ( (with the ball) looking for some daylight as Chen is surrounded by Dallas Wings players at Chase Center on Thu Sep 4, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Coach Natalie Nakase said year one of the WNBA Valkyries would be about the process over wins and losses.

But the process kicked in, and the wins soon came more frequently than the losses. And Nakase’s team accomplished this despite the frequent personnel changes and a couple of disheartening, fourth quarter collapses.

A lot of other things were in play as well. The coaching staff developed a reputation for preparedness and getting their team to buy in. Veronica Burton became a star with versatility and availability for every game. The home crowd filled the Chase Center with noise and enthusiasm every game.

And Nakase was resolute that her team constructed with veterans as opposed to more recognizable college players could and would win now, not a year or two down the road.

“I told the girls, we intentionally picked you guys for this reason: to do things for the first (time),” Nakase said.

The result? The Valkyries became the first expansion team to qualify for the WNBA playoffs with an 84-80, comeback win over the Dallas Wings on Thursday night.

Janelle Salaun led a group of five players scoring in double figures with 19 points and the Valkyries overcame a 13-point, third quarter deficit to win their fifth straight game, and eliminate the Sparks from playoff contention.

The Wings lost for the ninth consecutive game but gave their best effort in weeks by starting fast offensively and limiting mistakes. But the Valkyries stuck to the now familiar process of winning down the stretch with defense and making big shots.

“We were mostly locked in on the defensive end but the Valkyries hit some tough shots and made some plays down the stretch but we felt like we were in the game the entire time,” said Paige Bueckers, who led all scorers with 27 points.

Wings coach Chris Koclanes had obviously seen the Valkyries’ too many times on tape and three, previous meetings, and explained how things got away from his team in the fourth quarter.

“That’s their identity. Right?” Koclanes said. “They’re going to guard and they’re going to get up a ton of threes. So I know they only shoot 40 percent (overall) but they shoot so many threes so effectively when they have good nights it’s a little bit higher than that. But they’re gritty and they’re tough, they’re never out of the game. They just have that fight and when you have this fan base behind you, you get that extra energy.”

Burton came up with the critical basket with 22 seconds remaining on a drive that drew a foul and increased the Valkyries’ two-point lead to 79-74. Five free throws followed with only one miss and the celebration began… briefly.

“I really don’t allow them to celebrate,” Nakase said. “They can enjoy this, but I also keep them humble. I’m a party pooper. Yes, I am.”

PLAYOFFS IN SAN JOSE: The Valkyries announced that their September 17th playoff home game will be played at the SAP Center in San Jose. The team has a scheduling conflict at the Chase Center on that date necessitating the change.

Ties and Lead Changes In First Quarter Result In Long Overdue Win by Aces over Lynx 97-87

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Las Vegas Aces A’Ja Wilson (22) drives on the Minnesota Lynx Napheesa Collier (24) first quarter at the T Mobile Center in Las Vegas Thu Sep 4, 2025 (Getty photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–The opening quarter in this game was a mix of ties and lead changes but the Las Vegas Aces (26-14) really turned it on in the second quarter and never looked back in the second half of play winning the game 97-87 beating the Minnesota Lynx (32-8). This was their 13th straight win over the number one team in the WNBA. A’Ja Wilson had the team high finishing with 31 points.

It was crazy opening quarter of basketball with the lead rotating back and forth in a wildly competitive game. With under a minute left in the first quarter the game was tied at 24. As the quarter came to an end Las Vegas had taken a 26-24 lead.

The Aces were shooting at a 63% clip and the Lynx at almost 59%. The turnovers were kept at a minimum by both teams. Wilson already was shooting in double digit with ten points. This game could not have been closer. Both Wilson and Jackie Young had great starts with Young hitting her first three shots taken which included a couple of shots from the line. After the first ten minutes of play Las Vegas had a slim 26-24 lead.

The Aces came into this game ready and focused as evidenced in the first quarter. Mid-way through the second quarter Las Vegas had a 37-33 lead. The Aces needed more from not only their starters but also from their bench.

Both teams had their foot firmly on the pedal in this hotly contested game. So far Wilson and Young had carried the load for the Aces. After two quarters the Las Vegas Aces had a 47-44 lead. Wilson finished the first half with 17 points and Young with 12 points.

The only Lynx player with double digits was Courtney Williams with 10 points. Both teams had played a pretty clean game with only 6 turnovers for the Aces and 5 from Minnesota. Las Vegas had more bench points, more rebounds as well as more points from the line.

The Aces knew they had to show up for this game and that is exactly what they did. After the horrendous loss back in early August Wilson had said “that will NEVER happen again.” She held true to her word in the first half. The Aces had a nice opening quarter but really picked it up in the second quarter in this action-packed thriller.

The Aces had really put the stops on Napheesa Collier who is the WNBA’s leading scorer who only had seven points in the first half. Las Vegas took a 63-55 lead mid-way through the third quarter as they continued to fight hard.

After taking a pretty nice lead, the Lynx went on a bit of a run cutting the Aces lead to 63-62. The Las Vegas defense faltered in the closing minutes of the quarter leaving the basket unguarded resulting in six points.

This was a break-down they could not afford. The pick and roll was a key play for the Lynx down the stretch. Too many missed shots were really hurting the Aces. Las Vegas did get it rolling as the quarter came to an end taking a 70-66 lead.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Aces needed to pay attention to detail and put a stop to defensive lapses. Two minutes into the quarter Las Vegas had taken a ten-point lead 76-66. The Lynx came roaring back cutting the Vegas lead in half 76-71.

Five minutes into the quarter, the Aces had pushed their lead back out to ten leading 81-71. A time-out was called by the Lynx at 4:42 when the Aces took their largest lead of the game 85-72. Las Vegas hung onto the lead winning the game 97-87 for their 13th win in a row. What an incredible stretch for the Aces.

The Aces Wilson finished with the team high of 31 points. Young had 20 points and Chelsea Gray finished with 13 points. The Aces had to fight in this game defensively and stumbled here and there but did a pretty good job when push came to shove.

This team is headed for a great finish on the season; they are on a high and they want to continue this run next Sunday at home. There were no mental breakdowns in this game as Las Vegas hung onto the lead for most of the game.

Game notes: It’s no secret that the Aces are on an amazing roll right now. They have now won 13 games in a row beating some of the best teams in the WNBA. They for sure have a huge bullseye on their back. There is one team, however, that has made life pretty miserable for the Aces this season and that is the first place Minnesota Lynx (32-8)

They have met three times this season losing every game. Back in mid-June they lost 76-52, a 14-point loss and it just got more lop-sided with every ensuing game. In late July they lost to Minnesota 109-78, a 31 point loss and then a total disaster in early August a blow-out 111-58 giving up a WNBA record losing by 53 points.

It was Minnesota’s biggest road win in history. Thursday night they got a breakthrough with a win over the Lynx. They are playing some of their best basketball of the season but in this game they brought their A-game with little to no room for error. This was the last meeting in the regular season before going into the post-season where the Lynx are highly favored to walk away with the championship.

They have a solid starting roster and shoot equally well in the paint and from beyond the arc. They are a threat from anywhere on the court and the Aces need to get a quick start in this game. They will have their fan base behind them playing at T-Mobile Arena.

The Las Vegas Aces will remain at home taking on the Chicago Sky this Sunday at T-Mobile Arena. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Kayla McBride and the Lynx Wallop Las Vegas 111-58

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Las Vegas Aces center Aj’a Wilson (22) dives against the Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) during the first half at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sat Aug 2, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Rich Perez

LAS VEGAS–This game was lopsided from start to finish as the Las Vegas Aces (14-14) lost to the number one team in the WNBA the Minnesota Lynx (24-5) 111-58 on Saturday afternoon. Las Vegas fell behind in the opening quarter 35-17 and it only snowballed from there.

Minnesota’s Kayla McBride got the game going in the first half going eight of eight from beyond the arc. It went from bad to worse from there. This was Minnesota’s third win of the season over Las Vegas and the all -time differential in WNBA history winning by 63 points.

No one saw this one coming with A’Ja Wilson only scoring ten points. This is a game the Aces need to put in the rear view going forward if they want to be playoff bound. Going forward, it is all about winning as many games as possible with the season winding down.

Game recap: The Lynx came out on fire leading after the first ten minutes of play 35-17. Minnesota had shot for 74% in the first quarter.

The Aces seemed to have come out with little intensity missing far too many shot and the Lynx were killing them from outside. The Minnesota defense kept the Aces off balance not allowing them to get set for many shots.

Things went from bad to worse as the Lynx continued their assault leading with under three minutes left in the second quarter 54-29. Kayla McBride already had 15 points and Minnesota had gotten 18 points off their bench.

They also had 11 shots from beyond the arc only missing one three in the half and the Lynx’s McBride finished the half going 8 for 8 from beyond the arc for 24 points. At the half Minnesota lead 67-33. Las Vegas had a mountain to climb going into the second half.

The Lynx shot for 92.9% from outside in the first half the Aces were 50%. Inside the Lynx shot for 76.5% while the Aces were shooting at 40.6%. The Aces were not able to take the three away from Minnesota and Las Vegas had really struggled defensively.

Their transition defense was MIA and they had missed so many attempted shots. The Lynx had more than twice as many rebounds most of them defensive. Fast break points were really lopsided, the Lynx with 21, the Aces only two.

The largest lead for Minnesota in the first half was 37 points. The Aces would have to shake off their lackadaisical first half going into the second half. They needed to somehow disrupt the offensive rhythm that the Lynx had established in the opening half. Las Vegas had also missed far too many shots in the first half due to the solid defense that Minnesota brought to this game..

The Lynx continued to control the pace of the game as well as hitting those three’s and hanging onto their thirty point lead throughout the third quarter. As the third quarter came to an end, the Lynx had continued their total domination. It would be a long fourth quarter of basketball for the Aces. They lost the third quarter. 25-16 and trailed 92-49 going into the final quarter.

Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon was seen in the fourth quarter having a group chat on the sidelines with starters AJa Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. With just over five minutes left in the game and Las Vegas trailing 98-54, the writing was already set in stone on the wall.

Game notes; Saturday afternoon, the Aces took on the Lynx at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Aces have fought their way back over .500 after struggling off and on all season. Last Tuesday the Aces handled the Los Angeles Sparks 89-74 and took on the top three-shooting team in the league the Lynx.

The challenge against the Lynx was containing them on the inside and the outside. Minnesota is number in the standings for not only their offense but also their defense. The Aces lost to the Lynx in their last matchup getting thumped pretty good 109-78.

Jewell Loyd had an awful game going 0-10 and will not start in the game. The Lynx out-rebounded them, and outshot them from inside and out in that contest. Las Vegas had their work cut out for them. They are clinging onto eighth spot in the standings right now. Minnesota got their third straight win against Las Vegas this season.

There will be no rest for the Aces taking the court Sunday against the Golden State Valkyries at Michelob ULTRA. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 3:00 PM. The Aces will need to put this game in their rear view going forward. With the season almost three quarters over the Aces need to tack on some wins to solidify a place in the playoffs.

Aces Get Outplayed by Minnesota Lynx In Second Half Losing 87-74

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Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark (7) looks to pass the ball against the Minnesota Lynx at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Fri Aug 23, 2024 (Las Vegas Aces.com photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Las Vegas Aces (17-11) were tied with the Minnesota Lynx (21-8) after the first quarter and trailed by a single point at the half 40-39 but were outplayed by Minnesota in the second half. They got within four points in the fourth quarter but the Lynx refused to back down continuing to hit shots from downtown. It was raining three’s for the Lynx and Nephessa Collier set a career high 18 rebounds. They proved to hot to handle for the Aces as the Lynx went on to win the game 87-74.

Game recap: After the first ten minutes of play this game was tied at 18 apiece. The Lynx rallied in the second quarter taking a 31-24 lead on the strength of their shooting ability from downtown.

They really have a talent for spreading the floor forcing the Aces to leave opponents open to shoot those long balls that are so successful for Minnesota. As the second quarter began to wind down, the Aces had taken a 35-31 lead.

Minnesota took back the lead and at the half the score was 40-39; and Nephessa Collier had her 14th double double with ten rebounds and 15 points. She was the only player from either team in double digits.

The Aces were still waiting on Jackie Young to get going after a huge game last Wednesday night in which she scored 26 points. Las Vegas would need a huge game from all of their starters if they hoped to pull this game out.

Minnesota wasted no time in the third quarter pulling a 46-41 lead early and they did not stop there. They were completely dominating the quarter taking a 62-45 lead with two minutes left in the third. Minnesota’s Nephessa Collier continued to dominate going 9 of 11 from the floor and the Aces could not stop her.

Collier already had 16 rebounds while the Aces only had 13 collectively. Las Vegas was losing on both ends of the ball. As the third quarter came to an end, the Aces were trailing by eleven points 65-54, after having trailed by as much as 17 points.

Las Vegas had a huge mountain to climb going into the fourth quarter. They have already fallen into 5th place in the league standings and they don’t want to lose more ground with a loss Friday night.

Minnesota had outscored the Aces in the third quarter 25-15. Las Vegas was making some uncharacteristic mistakes born of the frustration that they were all feeling. The Aces continued to fight playing some very physical and aggressive basketball only trailing by five points 67-62 with a lot of time still left on the clock.

With over six minutes left in the game a door had opened for Las Vegas. The Aces continued to leave wide open shots from downtown for the Lynx and watched their four point deficit grow.

Mid-way through the final quarter Minnesota had hit eight shots from downtown and the Lynx had pushed back their lead to nine points 76-67 after Las Vegas had pulled to within four points. With 3:45 left in the game, the Aces were running out of time. The Aces could not handle the offensive onslaught of the Lynx as they continued to dominate losing to Minnesota 87-74.

A’Ja Wilson was the high for the Aces with 24 points but she could not will her team to a win. Jackie Young did have double digits with 12 points but her team needed a whole lot more. Kelsey Plum had 11 but again it was just not enough. Right now it really looks like Minnesota is the team to beat this season.

Game notes: Wednesday night the Las Vegas Aces (17-11) lost to the Minnesota Lynx (21-8) in game one of their back to back games. Friday night, the Aces were looking for a little payback again taking on Minnesota. The only problem is that Las Vegas lost at home and tonight they were playing in Minnesota. It was very tough play calling as the Lynx and their fans base at Target Center were quite vocal.

The Aces will play another road game on Sunday taking on the Chicago Sky. The Sky come into this game after a tough two point loss to the Connecticut Sun 82-80 Friday night. Las Vegas will be looking to get back on the winning track after dropping their last two games.