The Golden State Valkyries have four regular season games remaining before the playoffs, with seeding still up for grabs. Head coach Natalie Nakase and four key players are returning from FIBA World Cup duty with Team USA, where they won gold over Team France, coached by Gabby Williams.
The Valkyries (29-11) clinched a playoff berth on Aug. 17 but are aiming to secure the second seed in their second season. Currently, they trail the Minnesota Lynx (31-9) by two games, though the Lynx hold the 3-1 tiebreaker. To claim the first seed, Golden State would need to sweep their remaining games while Minnesota loses three.
The Valkyries’ final four games are against the Portland Fire, Seattle Storm, and a second game against Portland, followed by a road game against the Los Angeles Sparks. These opponents have been eliminated from playoff contention and have a combined .325 winning percentage. Golden State is currently 7-0 against these teams.
The Minnesota Lynx will face the New York Liberty and Indiana Fever, both teams competing for playoff positioning, as well as the eliminated Connecticut Sun. While the Valkyries could prioritize health and rest leading into the playoffs, the team has not revealed its strategy.
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