Subscribe
Follow Us
The Golden State Valkyries have caught the eyes of the WNBA this season for their ability to shut down the league's brightest stars. Whether it's been slowing down Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Nneka Ogwumike, or Sabrina Ionescu, the Valkyries' defensive identity has been the key to their unexpected success. But in Las Vegas, A'ja Wilson demonstrated why even the best game plans aren't foolproof.
In Golden State's wild 104-102 loss to the Aces, the three-time MVP finished with a 34-point, 16-rebound, double-double masterclass. Wilson's efficient 12-for-16 shooting and 9-of-12 performance from the free-throw line dismantled coach Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries' usually very effective defensive game planning.
After the game, Nakase cited the biggest reason why Golden State couldn't stop her former player, aside from the fact that she is, put simply, A'ja Wilson.
“We didn't touch her,” Nakase said. “That was one thing that wasn't part of the game plan.
The lack of physicality on Wilson from the Valkyries was something Nakase was very passionate about at halftime when she spoke to CBS sideline reporter Tiffany Blackmon. However, Nakase also cited the adjustments the Aces and Becky Hammon made based on the two teams' previous matchup.
“A lot of it too, was [the Aces] pushed the ball in transition, so it's a bit of a different way that she's catching [the ball] rather than her sets where we kind of knew where she's going to catch it,” Nakase explained. “So again, great adjustment by the aces for pushing [the ball] and now she's playing a little bit more in space. But it was just the alertness we did not have. We weren't alert in transition. We didn't communicate. Fatigue was a factor, but as we say, no excuses.”
A'ja Wilson's unparalleled offensive versatility
As Nakase described, in the first meeting where the Valkyries won handily 95-68 and held Wilson to an inefficient 17 points, the Aces tried to set up her offense by playing her in the post. But by relying on their playmakers to get the ball to Wilson, it allowed the Valkyries to rotate a second player on the catch and mix up the MVP's rhythm.
In this game, the Aces had Wilson facilitate along the perimeter, relying on her abilities as an on-ball creator to pick apart the Valkyries' defense. Part of it was, as Nakase stated, having her push the ball off of rebounds in transition and run the fastbreak. But the other aspect of the Aces' strategy was getting Wilson the ball between the top of the key and the nail.
By setting her up in the center of the floor, with shooters in the corners, the Valkyries' off-ball defenders couldn't so easily help off as if she were in the post. And if you get Wilson enough 1-on-1 opportunities, she's going to dismantle any defender with her extremely rare dribbling skills and footwork as a big.
“We just didn't do the little things, to be honest,” Nakase said after the game. “Like I said, she was getting her shots in different ways that we didn't prepare for, so we just have to kind of be a bit more mindful, catch it earlier. She's the MVP of the league for a reason. But again, we did too much individual defense and not enough team defense.”
The Valkyries dropped their third game of the four-game road trip, falling to an even 10-10 on the season. They'll return home briefly on Monday for a matchup with the Mercury before heading back out on the road.
