Valkyries outmatched, outmuscled in loss to Atlanta Dream

The Golden State Valkyries came out of Sunday night’s game against the Atlanta Dream battered, bruised and without a win. 

For four quarters, the Atlanta Dream outmuscled and outworked the Valkyries in what became a 79-63 loss for the expansion team. Golden State dropped to 18-16 with the defeat and had their four-game winning streak snapped. 

Atlanta scored 38 points in the paint and were out-rebounded 38-27.

“They beat us in all the hustle categories and that just can’t happen. We’re not going to win a game if we’re getting out hustled,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “We’re allowing 38 paint points. That’s just way too many in terms of how we defend and how we protect the paint. So I think we just have to be a little bit more connected.”

Veronica Burton led the Valkyries with 16 points and five assists. Cecilia Zandalasini added 11 points. 

All-Star Rhyne Howard led the Dream with 14 points. Fellow All-Star Allisha Gray and center Brionna Jones each had 13 points. 

Sharpshooting center Iliana Rupert left the game in the third quarter and did not return after suffering what looked like a face injury fighting for a rebound. Burton and shooting guard Tiffany Hayes also suffered injuries, but returned to action after getting treatment. 

The Dream used their size and physical style of play to their advantage in the third quarter. Jones and center Brittney Griner punished the smaller Valkyries in the paint. 

Jones’ dominance inside led to multiple open perimeter shots for the Dream as they outscored the Valkyries 28-17 in the quarter to take an 11-point lead going into the final 10 minutes. Golden State struggled to string together stops and scores, and Atlanta closed the quarter on a 10-2 run. 

The Valkyries suffered multiple injuries in the quarter, including Rupert, Burton and Hayes having to be tended to at different points. Fighting for a rebound with Jones, Rupert looked to have been hit with the ball and walked back to the locker room with a towel on her face. 

Burton (abdomen) and Hayes (face) were both down momentarily, but came back to play after getting treatment. 

The Dream built on their momentum from the third quarter and continued to pour it on, building their lead to as big as 22. With the game slipping away, the crowd at Chase Center headed for the exits with under two minutes left.

“I kept saying if we can punch one more time, I want to see what we were going to do,” Nakase said. “We tried to do a little bit more things schematically to try to create turnovers, to create extra possessions. I thought we tried and then sometimes it just slipped away, and then they got an offensive rebound. So it kind of crushes your soul a little bit when you try to be crafty and creative.”

Golden State struggled to find a consistent rhythm in the first half, despite having chances to grow its lead. The Valkyries went over five minutes without a basket in the second quarter until Iliana Rupert hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with seconds remaining in the half to tie the game at 25. 

After getting off to hot shooting starts over the last three games, the Valkyries shot just 31% in the first half against Atlanta. Despite the slow start, the Valkyries held the Dream to 11-of-34 shooting and forced five turnovers to keep the road team’s dynamic offense in check. 

The Valkyries will be back at home on Tuesday when they host Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury. Golden State has lost both matchups to the Mercury this season. 

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Valkyries have the toughest remaining schedule, per Elias Sports Bureau, with matchups against the Minnesota Lynx, Indiana Fever and New York Liberty coming up. 

Nakase finding different ways to develop

Earlier this week, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the NBA has become a “developmental league,” and that the lack of live practices has changed the way coaches have approached getting their players better. 

Dallas Wings general manager and former Los Angeles Sparks coach Curt Miller echoed Kerr’s sentiments and said it is also an adjustment in the WNBA. 

So far this season, the Valkyries have relied heavily on their young players to grow into their roles. Nakase said she’s been learning different ways to find time for practice and development throughout the season. 

“It’s just been about being creative about how you can teach players without getting on the court sometimes,” Nakase said. “It’s figuring out their learning styles and being creative from there. I like to quiz them a lot. I think that’s fun. But I think it all depends on the age of your group because sometimes as older groups, you want to rest them more. But it’s okay to practice too.

“It’s about being organized, it’s about being thoughtful, it’s about being prepared.” 

Billings update

Backup center Monique Billings has missed the last eight games with a left ankle sprain. 

The 6-foot-4 UCLA product is set to be reevaluated this Friday. Nakase said Billings is in good spirits during her rehab. 

“All I know is she’s doing really well in her workouts,” Nakase said. “She’s feeling better every single day and she has a good attitude. So we’re kind of still waiting, but she’s been in great spirits.”

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