Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase and four players who went to Germany with Team USA are still working their way back to Oakland after Sunday’s FIBA World Cup final. That means practice on Monday at the Sephora Performance Center was light — the sounds of bouncing basketballs and chatter were subdued, and the head coach and key players Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaün, Cecilia Zandalasini and Miela Sowah were absent.
Team USA won the final in Berlin, with Nakase serving as an assistant coach. Williams played for Team France in that final. The Valkyries will resume play on Friday, when they tip off against the Portland Fire in the first of their four remaining regular-season games before the playoffs begin.
The Four Games Left
The Valkyries play Portland on Friday, host Seattle on Saturday in a back-to-back, then hit the road for their final two games against Portland again and the Los Angeles Sparks. Those three opponents have all been eliminated from playoff contention and hold a combined .325 winning percentage.
The Valkyries have won all seven meetings between them so far this season, so sweeping the stretch is within reach.
The Top Seed Race
The Valkyries (29-11) are two games behind the Minnesota Lynx (31-9) for the top seed. Minnesota owns the tiebreaker at 3-1, and the Lynx would need to stumble badly for Golden State to pass them.
Minnesota would have to lose three of its remaining games, and Golden State would need to win all four of its games for the swap to happen. That math is possible but demanding.
The Aces Threat
Behind the Lynx, the third-seeded Las Vegas Aces (26-14) are chasing the second seed. The Valkyries lead them by two games, but Vegas owns the tiebreaker at 3-0.
Lose two of the last four games, and the Aces could technically catch Golden State for the second seed if they sweep their final four games against the Seattle Storm, Sparks and Phoenix Mercury — all eliminated teams with losing records.
“We just take it one game at a time.”
That is how assistant coach Sugar Rodgers put it when asked about the seeding implications. The Valkyries have not announced a strategy yet, but sitting some players through one end of the back-to-back this weekend would not surprise anyone.
Williams has been the engine of the Valkyries’ success and defensive dominance. Salaün and Zandalasini provide plenty of their scoring.
What Losing All Four Means
If the Valkyries lose all four games and the Atlanta Dream win all four, Golden State could drop to the No. 4 seed — the lowest they can fall. But even at No. 4, they own home-court advantage in the first round.
The first-round format is a three-game series with a 1-1-1 structure. Golden State would play Game 1 and a potential Game 3 at home, with Game 2 on the road. Their likely first-round opponent is the New York Liberty, Washington Mystics or Dallas Wings.
The Back-End Seeding
New York, Washington and Dallas enter the home stretch tied at 24-16. The Indiana Fever sit in the fifth seed at 24-14 and could move around depending on how the final week plays out.
The Players Coming Home
The non-FIBA group has been practicing in Oakland during the tournament, staying fresh. The full team is still waiting to get everyone back together.
Rodgers, a former WNBA player who won a championship her rookie season with the Lynx in 2013, is sharing her experience with the team before the playoffs begin.
“I always say, ‘Enjoy every moment,'” Rodgers said. “Be where your feet are. Sometimes you are looking for those things, but just let them come… Everybody wants their first game, that’s what we’re working on.”
The Final Four Fixtures
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Friday | Portland Fire |
| Saturday | Seattle Storm |
| Next week | Portland again |
| Last game | Los Angeles Sparks |
The Valkyries are in the playoffs, not many days from a chance to win the franchise’s first playoff game. The question is whether they push for the top seed or play it safe with rest.
The Aces are the wild card. Golden State can control its own fate by winning all four games, but the Aces have the tiebreaker edge and their own strong schedule.
The Valkyries have a real path to the top seed, but only if they find the right balance between rest and ambition.
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