Matthew Walter

Cecilia Zandalasini misses a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer and the Golden State Valkyries first ever season ends in the first round of the playoffs. A great game by the Valkyries but the experience of the Lynx shined in the fourth quarter.

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Golden State gets basket from Cecilia Zandalasini and Minnesota has a shot clock violation which gives the ball back to the Valkyries. They will have it in the frontcourt down 1 with four seconds left.

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The Valkyries have back to back possesions to retake the lead and are unable to score. The have scramble on the next defensive possesion and Courtney Williams hits a clutch mid-range jumper. Lynx lead 75-72 with 29.5 remaining. GS calls a TO to advance the ball.

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After the Lynx cut the lead to 3, five straight points from Golden State have extended their lead back to 8 and forced a Minnesota TO. The offense has struggled here in the 4th and GS will need their defense, which has been their strength, to close this one out.

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Here come the Lynx, a 9-0 run to start the fourth and they have cut the Golden State lead to five. Valkyries have not been happy with the calls to start the final quarter and Minnesota has finally started to look like themselves.

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After three, Golden State leads 63-49. Minnesota made a push but the Valkyries weathered the storm. Golden State's defense has been dictating for the majority of the game. They've held Minnestoa to 22% from downtown and 39% from the field.

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Bridget Carleton has gotten hot to start the third and helped Minnesota cut into this GS lead. She's hit three triples and the Valkyries lead is down to 10.

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The Valkyries announce a sellout for tonight's Game 2 at the SAP center, with 18,543 fans in attendance. That makes 23 straight home sellouts in their first season.

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28 points is Minnesota's lowest first-half total in any game in the last two years. #WNBA

At the half, Golden State leads Minnesota 41-28. Golden State continued it's great shooting from the first quarter into the second and defensively smothered Minnesota, holding them to nine second quarter points. Six Valkyries have 5 or more points.

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Five straight points from Golden State has given their largest lead of the series, 35-24 with 3:17 in the second and forced a Minnesota timeout. More great ball movement as the Valkyries have 11 assists on 13 made baskets.

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The first four minutes of the second quarter have been very defensive. The two teams have combined for eight points with offense being choppy for both squads. GS leads 30-24 with 5:41 remaining in the second.

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After one Golden State leads Minnesota 27-19. The Valkyries hits 5 threes in the 1Q and shot 67% from the floor. If you think your having deja vu, you are. This is very similair to the first quarter of game one. Now the question is can the Valkyries sustain.

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After Minnestoa started up 5-0, Golden State responded with 10 of the next 14 points to lead 10-9 early. The Valkyries have had some good ball movement so far.

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Temi Fagbenle has been ruled out of tonight's Game 2 with right night knee pain. She had been taken out of tonight's starting lineup.

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We may be at another venue but the SAP center is sure giving off the vibes of Ballhalla. Valkyries and Lynx tip at 7 with every fan receiving a purple shirt.

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Natalie Nakase, staff have driven Golden State Valkyries' success - The IX Basketball Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase believes her entire coaching staff has keyed the team's success in its inaugural season.

Natalie Nakase has been named the 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year. Nakase and her staff have taken the first year team to places no expansion franchise has been before. Check out my story on Nakase and her staffs impact on GS.

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Link: www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/golden-...

Tiffany Hayes has been ruled out again tomorrow for Game 2 against Minnesota.

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Where did the regular-season Golden State Valkyries go? - The IX Basketball The Golden State Valkyries have thrived as an underdog. However, the Lynx made them look like a shell of themselves on Sunday.

So what happened to the Valkyries, and how do they fix it in time for Game 2? Our @matthew-walter96.bsky.social digs into what we learned on Sunday #WNBA www.thenexthoops.com/features/whe...

How Veronica Burton's journey led her to this moment - The IX Basketball Even though Veronica Burton's journey has taken her around the world, every stop has led to her success with the Golden State Valkyries.

Veronica Burton has been named the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player. Burton set career highs across the board while being third in the W in assists. Check out my story from earlier this year on Burton’s journey to this moment.

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Link: www.thenexthoops.com/wnba/golden-...

The Valkyries first ever playoff game didn’t go as planned as they fall to Minnesota 101-72. After the 1st quarter, Golden State shot just 27% from the floor. The Valkyries got outscored 80-44 and turned the ball over 15 times over the final 3 quarters.

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Minnesota just did Minnesota things in the 3rd as they scored 32 points and now lead the Valkyries by 21. The Valkyries offense has struggled mightily since the first quarter, knocking down just two threes and eight total shoots over the 2nd and 3rd.

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The Valkyries offense went cold in the second quarter and Minnesota took advantage. The Lynx outscored GS 26-12 in the quarter to take a seven point lead into the half. Fagbenle leads the Valkyries with 12 points but McBride leads all scorers with 14.

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After putting up 28 points in the first quarter, Golden State has scored just 5 points so far in the second. Minnesota outscoring the Valkyries 15-5 in the second.

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Golden State leads Minnesota 28-21 after the first quarter. An excellent start from beyond the arc for the Valkyries helped propel the strong start. Already made 5 threes after making just three in the regular season finale against the Lynx.

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Tiffany Hayes remains out for the Valkyries for tomorrow afternoons Game 1 against Minnesota.

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Natalie Nakase has spent all season gushing about the work her coaching staff has put into the Valkyries. It’s all their hard work that has allowed Golden State to be the surprise team this WNBA season and made Nakase a front runner for COTY.

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How teamwork lifted the Golden State Valkyries to their first playoffs - The IX Basketball Despite all the troubles and the hardships, the Golden State Valkyries beat the odds and secured a playoff berth in their first year.

The Golden State Valkyries are the first WNBA expansion team to ever make the playoffs in its debut season.

@matthew-walter96.bsky.social describes what it took for the team to get there in its 2025 campaign.

www.thenexthoops.com/features/how...

Golden State hangs on for an 84-80 win to secure a playoff berth in their inaugural season. It wasn’t their prettiest win but the Valkyries gets it done late. GS wins as it’s done all season, by committee, with five in double figures.

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Paige Bueckers makes a mid-range jumper and Golden State makes one free throw to make it a four point game with 15 seconds left. Dallas calls a timeout and advances the ball.

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