On a Monday night in Minneapolis, the Golden State Valkyries did something their young franchise had never managed: they beat the Minnesota Lynx, a team that had won nine of its last ten and entered as the league's top side. They did it by making a defense that had been slipping hold together for four quarters, turning a 34-32 halftime edge into an 80-66 finish. It is the kind of night a team remembers long after the standings have moved on, a reminder that even a long rivalry of losses can break open when someone finally refuses to bend. With the league soon pausing for the World Cup, Golden
Valkyries Make Statement With Defensive Win Over Lynx, First Ever Against Minnesota
No dip tonight. We kept punching.
Mark
Nine losses to Minnesota, then a win. Why does this one carry weight?
Mimi
Because of the history. Golden State was 0-9 against the Lynx, including last year's playoff sweep. And it came right after two straight losses, one of them to Minnesota itself.
Mark
What actually changed in the game?
Mimi
Defense. Eleven first-half turnovers forced, and Minnesota shot 21-of-59. Nakase stressed there was no dip across four quarters.
Luke
I'd add a caution. Courtney Williams was out, and she hadn't missed a game with Minnesota before. We can't say how much of this was the Valkyries and how much was her absence.
Mimi
Fair. The reporting doesn't separate those. Burton's five steals and the 66-point season low for Minnesota are facts, though.
Mark
Nakase wouldn't call it their best defensive game of the year.
Luke
Right, and that's worth noting. It's her hedge, not a confirmed ranking. She said easily among the best.
Mark
What's ahead?
Mimi
Three more road games, at Connecticut, New York and Portland, then the World Cup break.
Luke
And seeding is still open. Hosting playoff games is the aim, not something secured yet.
Le Pouls
- Golden State had dropped back-to-back games and was trying to avoid a third straight loss before the road trip continued.
- The Valkyries forced 11 first-half turnovers, rattling a Minnesota offense that was missing starting guard Courtney Williams.
- The Lynx were held to 21-of-59 shooting and a season-low 66 points, their six-game winning streak snapped.
- Golden State pressed on through the second half, keeping its defensive intensity high on a five-game road trip.
- The win nudges the Valkyries closer to hosting playoff games, with Sunday's trip-ending game at Portland still ahead before the World Cup pause.
On a Monday night in Minneapolis, the Golden State Valkyries did something their young franchise had never managed: they beat the Minnesota Lynx, a team that had won nine of its last ten and entered as the league's top side. They did it by making a defense that had been slipping hold together for four quarters, turning a 34-32 halftime edge into an 80-66 finish. It is the kind of night a team remembers long after the standings have moved on, a reminder that even a long rivalry of losses can break open when someone finally refuses to bend. With the league soon pausing for the World Cup, Golden State carries that proof onto the road with its season still very much in motion.
On Monday night in Minneapolis, the Golden State Valkyries held the league's best team to 66 points and won 80-66. It was their first victory over the Minnesota Lynx in franchise history, after going 0-9 against them since joining the league.
The win came at a needed moment. Golden State had lost to Minnesota and then to Chicago, and had dropped two straight games for the fourth time this season. Minnesota was without Courtney Williams, and the Valkyries pounced, forcing 11 first-half turnovers and leading 34-32 at the break.
Coach Natalie Nakase praised the stretch of the game rather than any one play. She said her team kept punching and did not dip, something she has seen too often this year. Veronica Burton tied a career high with five steals and added 14 points and nine assists.
The Lynx, who had won six straight, saw their run end. Golden State, now 26-11, still has road games at Connecticut, New York, and Portland before the league pauses for the World Cup, and the win brings them closer to home playoff games.
On Monday night in Minneapolis, the Golden State Valkyries held the league's best team to 66 points and walked off with an 80-66 win, the first time in franchise history they have beaten the Minnesota Lynx. Before this game, the Valkyries were 0-9 against Minnesota since joining the league last season, a record that included a first-round playoff sweep.
Coach Natalie Nakase would not say outright that it was her team's best defensive game of the year, but she allowed that it was easily among the best. It came at a useful moment. Golden State had lost 77-66 to the Lynx in San Francisco last Wednesday and then 73-70 at Chicago on Friday. That was the fourth time this season the Valkyries have dropped two in a row, though they have not yet lost three straight.
Minnesota was missing starting guard Courtney Williams, out with a foot injury. It was the first game she had missed since arriving in Minnesota in 2024, and the Valkyries used the opening. They forced 11 first-half turnovers and led 34-32 at halftime. They did not let up after the break. The Lynx finished 21-of-59 from the field (36%) and 10-of-30 from three-point range (33%), and their 66 points were a season low. The previous low was the 77 they scored against Golden State last week.
Guard Veronica Burton tied a career high with five steals and added 14 points and nine assists. Forward Cecilia Zandalasini led the scoring with 18, tied for her second-highest total this season. Nakase pointed to the stretch of the game rather than any single play. She said the Lynx are No. 1 for a reason, and that what she liked was the absence of a dip. Her team, she said, has often dipped, but this time it kept punching and stayed committed to emptying the tank.
The result ended Minnesota's six-game winning streak. The Lynx, now 31-8, could have clinched the league's best record and the No. 1 seed with a win. Williams had not missed a game since the 2022 season, when she played for Connecticut, which underlines how much she matters to them.
Golden State is 26-11 and sits third in ESPN's WNBA Power Rankings this week, down one spot from second. It had won six straight before the two losses. The team's offense is modest, ranking 14th of 15 teams at 82.5 points per game, but its league-best defense has kept it near the top of the standings. Consistency and defense will both be needed on the rest of a five-game road trip: at Connecticut on Aug. 26, at New York on Aug. 27, and at Portland on Aug. 30.
The Portland game is the last day of WNBA action before the schedule pauses for the FIBA Women's World Cup, held Sept. 4-13 in Germany. The regular season resumes Sept. 17-24. Seven of the eight playoff berths are already claimed, and seeding may not be settled until the final day of the regular season. For the Valkyries, the Minnesota win moves them closer to hosting playoff games, with the road trip still to be played.
Citations marquantes
What I liked is there was no dip tonight. We kept punching, and we stayed with the mentality of emptying the tank.— Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries coach
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