"Once Lynx guard Courtney Williams rose through the electrified playoff air at SAP Center late in the fourth quarter, nothing the Valkyries did mattered in the WNBA playoff game. Natalie Nakase's tactical brilliance? Negated. The delirious crowd who had migrated 47 miles from San Francisco to San Jose? Helplessly watching. The league-leading Golden State defense who had held teams to a WNBA-low 76.3 points per game? Unable to do a darn thing against the best team in the league in a 75-74 season-ending victory."
"Because that is what stars do. They make plays out of nothing, win games with individual brilliance, deliver in key moments against good teams. And that is something the Valkyries just did not have in the playoffs, in either their 101-72 blowout in Minnesota, or the heartbreaker in the South Bay Golden State had a joyous and wildly successful first season, one that exceeded even the loftiest of expectations."
Courtney Williams' late fourth-quarter play propelled Minnesota to a 75-74 season-ending victory over Golden State. Golden State's top-ranked defense could not stop Minnesota's stars in decisive moments. Napheesa Collier scored 24 points with efficient second-half shooting, Kayla McBride hit crucial floaters, and Williams supplied the midrange dagger. The expansion Valkyries finished a surprising 23-21 regular season after low expectations but lost two playoff games, including a 101-72 defeat in Minnesota. Veronica Burton emerged as Most Improved Player and floor general, while Cecilia Zandalasini showed promising shotmaking ability.
Read at The Mercury News
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]