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San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries can afford to buy at the trade deadline, but it's complicated
Despite a 24-point loss in Las Vegas on Sunday, the Golden State Valkyries are still in the playoff hunt. They head into a pivotal week with home games against the Aces and Los Angeles, hanging on to one of the final postseason spots. Just over a week ago, that seemed precarious. They opened a five-game road trip with a 31-point blowout defeat at WNBA-worst Connecticut, and injuries to key players were stacking up ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. All-Star Kayla Thornton is out for the season, while Tiffany Hayes, Cecilia Zandalasini and Monique Billings are also sidelined without a clear timeline to return. The Valkyries could use more frontcourt depth and scoring punch. Golden State has the cap space to address its needs, but would that be the smartest option? The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement expires in October, and while talks have hit a few bumps, the cap is widely expected to rise. That, combined with two expansion teams (Toronto and Portland) entering the league next year, means nearly two-thirds of current players will be free agents this offseason. Because of all the uncertainty, teams generally haven't built toward the future this season. There have been two trades so far, with 8-21 Dallas sending forward NaLyssa Smith to Vegas to help its frontcourt and shipping bench wing DiJonai Carrington to title contender Minnesota. The Valkyries have all their draft picks for next season and beyond that they could use as trade bait. They also have the rights to 2025 first-round pick Juste Jocyte, a 19-year-old Lithuanian wing, plus forward Maria Conde, added in the expansion draft before she tore her Achilles overseas. Just Kate Martin and Carla Leite have contracts that extend beyond this season. If the Valkyries wanted to add someone, they could add a veteran for a late-round pick or a player with time left on her deal. Washington is reportedly shopping Aaliyah Edwards, who's stuck in a crowded frontcourt but still under contract for another year. Emily Engstler, a 25-year-old wing who shot 47.4% from 3-point range last season, could also fit the Valkyries' style. The Mystics have shown a willingness to deal, sending Brittney Sykes to Seattle on Tuesday. Acquiring Sky guard Ariel Atkins would cost Golden State, especially after Chicago gave up the No. 3 pick to get her, but she would change the Valkyries' offense. With the Sky out of contention, they could be open to flipping the 28-year-old, who averages 13.9 points per game, for a pick. A first-rounder would be a steep price for a potential 16-game rental. Dallas forward Myisha Hines-Allen would cost perhaps a second-round pick and would get significant minutes as a backup big. Phoenix might look to dump center Kalani Brown's contract to trade for a scorer, and the Valkyries would have the space and could end up with a pick to go along with a 6-foot-7 center. A first-round pick or promising young player could be too tempting to pass up, especially with multiple Valkyries veterans on expiring deals. Thornton, Hayes, Billings and Temi Fagbenle are unrestricted free agents this offseason. However, the veterans are all players who could have been dealt a while ago to teams in need. Clubs that feel they are just one player away from a real playoff push would likely look to Connecticut's Marina Mabrey or Washington's Edwards for more of a splash. If the Valkyries aren't offered a first-rounder for a veteran, moving on from them doesn't seem worth it. The Valkyries have used 14 different starting lineups and played 19 different players, both WNBA highs this season. With Billings, Hayes and Zandalasini returning at some point, Golden State may choose to ride it out, keep their picks, and push for a playoff spot without making a move. It might be the least exciting, but smartest, move. The Valkyries aren't thinking about lottery odds anymore, but throwing everything at a playoff run has its risks, too, in a league set to evolve soon. 'That's for the front office, but we're good,' head coach Natalie Nakase said Tuesday. 'We're getting healthy, so I think we're good.'
New York Post
27-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Sun vs. Valkyries prediction: WNBA picks, odds, best bets
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. Winning at sports betting often requires contrarian opinions and ugly picks. The Connecticut Sun fit that profile with a WNBA-worst 3-20 record. But a deeper dive shows a more attractive option than at first glance. Despite their grotesque record, they are a respectable 11-12 against the spread (ATS). Plus, sharpshooter and arguably best player Marina Mabrey just returned from injury in their previous game. Connecticut went just 1-8 in Mabrey's absence, so I expect stronger play moving forward. Plus, she came off the bench in Thursday's loss against the Sparks and shot poorly (2-for-12 from the field), but rust was expected. I anticipate a more conventional performance from the starting lineup. The Sun host the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday as 6.5-point home underdogs with a total of 156.5 points. Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey (3) warms up before the start of the game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Mohegan Sun Arena. David Butler II-Imagn Images The Valkyries are one of the league's best stories, as an expansion team already surpassing their win total and currently competing for a playoff spot. However, they just lost leading scorer Kayla Thornton for the season with a knee injury and though they won and covered their first game without her, I expect regression soon. Also, Golden State is an elite 14-9 ATS, but they are much better at home and as an underdog. The role of road favorite without their top player is a much different ask. Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps Finally, the Valkyries are coming off an emotional home comeback win on Friday while playing without Thornton for the first time. Now, this West Coast team plays early on Sunday just 36 hours later. I have a 57-47-1 ATS record in this Post sports section and my next play is the Sun +6.5 points against Golden State (-110, FanDuel Sportsbook). Why Trust New York Post Betting Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He's also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.
San Francisco Chronicle
22-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries fall to woeful Wings: ‘For the first time, I'm disappointed'
ARLINGTON, Texas — After winning three games in a row, vibes couldn't have been better for the Golden State Valkyries. But on Tuesday night in Texas, none of that mattered. The Valkyries were outhustled by the WNBA-worst Dallas Wings (2-11) and suffered an 80-71 loss at College Park Center as a result. Outrebounded 39-28, Golden State (5-6) finished with 15 fewer shots. Dallas entered Tuesday having lost seven in a row. Rookie Paige Bueckers scored 20 points in her first home game since suffering a concussion earlier in the season, but the Valkyries mostly struggled on the boards and gave up 20 second-chance points, the most they have surrendered all season. Before the game, head coach Natalie Nakase said she didn't believe in momentum carrying over from the three wins, but forward Kayla Thornton thought perhaps the team had bought in a little too much to the hype. 'There's no way teams should outrebound us,' Thornton said. 'That's the identity we bring. That's what we should be doing every night, to other teams. This is kind of a wake-up. ... I think we were kind of high, too high. Now we got to come back to Earth a little bit and just get back to work.' Golden State responded to a fourth-quarter collapse in Phoenix on June 5 with strong showings in wins over Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Seattle as different players stepped up. Against the Wings, the Valkyries seemed to have no answer for how aggressively Wings guards crashed the boards. And Golden State players rushed shots, ending possessions early. Wings 80, Valkyries 71 FG FT Reb GOLDEN STATE Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS Talbot 21:27 0-3 0-0 0-2 4 2 0 Thornton 35:28 5-11 5-6 0-5 0 3 17 Billings 34:18 7-13 2-6 1-7 0 1 18 Burton 27:01 1-8 1-2 0-3 5 5 4 Leite 27:22 2-6 4-4 0-2 4 4 8 Amihere 24:11 6-7 2-3 3-6 2 4 14 Hayes 22:24 3-10 2-2 1-2 1 0 10 Martin 7:44 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 Totals 200:00 24-59 16-23 5-27 17 19 71 Percentages: FG .407, FT .696. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Billings 2-3, Hayes 2-4, Thornton 2-6, Burton 1-4, Leite 0-1, Talbot 0-2). Team Rebounds: 12. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 6 (Billings 2, Amihere, Burton, Leite, Thornton). Turnovers: 15 (Thornton 4, Leite 3, Amihere 2, Burton 2, Martin 2, Hayes, Talbot). Steals: 5 (Billings, Burton, Leite, Talbot, Thornton). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .392, FT .789. 3-Point Goals: 7-27, .259 (Ogunbowale 3-8, Quinerly 1-1, Charles 1-2, James 1-4, Carrington 1-5, Hines-Allen 0-1, Yueru 0-1, Bueckers 0-5). Team Rebounds: 12. Team Turnovers: 3. Blocked Shots: 6 (Bueckers 2, Hines-Allen 2, Charles, Ogunbowale). Turnovers: 11 (Bueckers 3, Carrington 3, Hines-Allen 2, Ogunbowale, Quinerly, Smith). Steals: 11 (Bueckers 4, Charles 3, Ogunbowale 3, Carrington). Technical Fouls: None. Golden State 16 20 21 14 — 71 Dallas 23 16 19 22 — 80 A_6,061 (7,000). T_2:05. 'I told them for the first time, I'm disappointed in just how we fought,' Nakase said. 'We're a team that stays connected, and we fight, and I thought we didn't do well in both categories. But the bright side is, we know how to fix it and how to fix it quickly. Effort is the epitome of who we are. We are a defensive-minded team that loves to be physical, disrupt, pressure and take away the top scorers. That's kind of our identity. But if you don't have any effort, then that kind of becomes irrelevant.' Forward Monique Billings was in the starting lineup for the first time, becoming the 11th starter for Golden State in 11 games. Without starting center Temi Fagbenle, who joined the United Kingdom national team at EuroBasket after Saturday's game, Billings was Golden State's main post and finished with 18 points. Also without EuroBasket participants Julie Vanloo (Belgium), Cecilia Zandalasini (Italy) and Janelle Salaün (France), the Valkyries used an eight-player rotation even as point guard Veronica Burton got into foul trouble. Point guard Carla Leite (5-foot-9) blocked a layup by 6-4 NaLyssa Smith in the second quarter, while in-season signing Laeticia Amihere scored a career-high 14 points. Still vastly outsized by the Wings, Golden State didn't have enough to stop extended Dallas possessions. The Wings earned three offensive rebounds in the final 1:30. Billings didn't want to use the absences as an excuse. 'They outworked us,' Billings said. 'They outhustled us. They wanted it more. I don't think we brought our best game, our consistent game that we have been playing, and that's something that will tighten up.' Dallas went on a 15-5 run in the second quarter, but the Valkyries erased a 10-point deficit as Thornton and Billings combined for five consecutive makes, one after the Leite block and assist. They still trailed 39-36 at the half. With 3:37 left in the third frame, Leite forced a jump ball with 6-7 Li Yueru and recovered the possession, leading to two Tiffany Hayes free throws and a 54-51 lead. Billings tied the game at 70 with her second 3-pointer of the night — the first time in her career she has made two in a game — with 4:56 to play. But Dallas used a Bueckers floater and Arike Ogunbowale 3-pointer to get its first five-point lead of the fourth quarter. Golden State got no closer. Hayes scored 10 points in her first game back from a nose injury, but starting forward Steph Talbot was shut out and Burton finished with more fouls (five) than points (four). Amihere shot 6-of-7 from the field, but her teammates combined to shoot 34.6%. 'I'm trying to figure out with this group, I talked about just being super vulnerable, to be honest with me, what can I do better?' Nakase said. 'And they just said, we got to just do a better job fighting. So they took ownership.' The Valkyries return to Chase Center on Thursday night to face Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever to begin a five-game homestand. Without a third of their roster, the Valkyries have some winnable games upcoming against teams at the bottom of the standings like Connecticut and Chicago. But Dallas should have been one of those winnable games, too. 'These are things that we can control,' Thornton said. 'Our effort has to be there offensively to go in and get those boards. We just got to go back and look at it and bounce back.'
Hindustan Times
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Dream face struggling Sky in Atlanta, seek sixth straight home win
Chicago knows first-hand how tough it's been to beat the Atlanta Dream on their home floor this season. HT Image Aiming for a sixth straight home victory, the surging Dream look to take down the Sky for the second time in a little more than a week on Sunday. Atlanta has the league's fourth-best record while ranking third in scoring , making 132 3-pointers and holding opponents to 77.6 points per contest. On Friday, the Dream continued their home success by holding off Washington for a 92-91 victory. "To finish these games, we're going to have to be good at both ends for the entire game," said Dream coach Karl Smesko, whose squad is 5-1 at home. Atlanta managed to get the job done Friday while using another packed house to its advantage. "It's hard playing here," Atlanta forward Nia Coffey said. " will hear . We feel the energy." The Sky experienced that during an 88-70 loss at Atlanta on June 13. The Dream held a 50-31 scoring advantage in the second half. Rhyne Howard set a franchise record for one game with nine 3-pointers made and finished with 36 points. Though Allisha Gray averages a team-leading 20.2 points, Howard entered play Saturday leading the WNBA with 39 made threes. Chicago center Kamilla Cardoso scored 15 with nine rebounds at Atlanta last week, and has averaged 15.0 points in the last four games. She scored a team-high 17 during Saturday's 107-86 home loss to Phoenix Chicago's fourth defeat of at least 20 points in 2025. The Sky shot 52.6 percent from the field, but allowed the Mercury to make a franchise-record 17 3s, and committed 21 turnovers that resulted in 29 points for the visitors. Chicago star Angel Reese, who entered Saturday averaging a league-leading 11.7 rebounds, managed just two and took one shot from the field while scoring nine points. A loser in five of the last six, Chicago averages a WNBA-worst 18.9 turnovers per game. "The mentality has to be to be better the next day; to learn from the losses and grow," Sky forward Elizabeth Williams said. Field Level Media This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Mercury put win streak up against turnover-prone Sky
A visit from the defensively stout Phoenix Mercury does not bode well for the Chicago Sky, who have struggled to take care of the basketball. HT Image Looking to rebound from another disheartening defeat Saturday, the Sky now face the Mercury, who are on a four-game winning streak. Chicago led by 16 in the first half Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, but that cushion evaporated while committing 25 turnovers that led to 40 Washington points. The Sky's 79-72 home setback was their fourth loss in five games. Chicago is committing a WNBA-worst 18.7 turnovers per game. "It feels like it's been redundant," Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said on the top of turnovers. "We talk about it pretty much every game, of how important it is to take care and value the basketball." Chicago star Angel Reese collected 17 points and 10 rebounds but committed seven turnovers. She has averaged 11.0 points and 11.7 rebounds with a team-high 3.9 turnovers. The Sky also squandered a 16-point lead in the third quarter during a 94-89 loss at Phoenix on May 27. Chicago shot 46.5 percent, but turned the ball over 19 times against the Mercury, who force 17.9 turnovers and record nearly nine steals per game. Phoenix forced 20 New York turnovers and outrebounded the host Liberty 42-32 during Thursday's impressive 89-81 victory over the defending champions. Mercury rookie Monique Akoa Makani had 21 points, while Alyssa Thomas added 18 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Sami Whitcomb made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points as the Mercury have won their last three games, all on the road. "We're going to continue to get better," Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. "The thing that I am most proud of is that we compete on every possession, defensively." Phoenix's Satou Sabally scored 20 points while Thomas dished out 15 assists versus Chicago in May. Makani made three of the Mercury's 16 3-pointers in that matchup. Sabally is scoring 19.5 points with 8.5 rebounds. Chicago's Ariel Atkins scored 21 at Phoenix last month and has averaged 12.6 on the season. The Sky's Kamilla Cardoso, who has averaged 14.3 points in the last three games and 8.8 rebounds in the last four, had 16 points with nine rebounds in the previous meeting with the Mercury. Phoenix star and former Sky standout Kahleah Copper could be set to return Saturday. She sat out Thursday after making her season debut Sunday following a left knee injury and playing in consecutive games. Field Level Media This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
