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Amid a four-game losing streak and all the Natalie Nakase and Becky Hammon reunion storylines, the Golden State Valkyries came away with a stunning 95-68 blowout win over the Las Vegas Aces on primetime television.
The unexpected upset was a brilliant all-around team-wide effort. And thanks to Kayla Thornton, Veronica Burton, and Monique Billings, the Valkyries became the first team this season to have three players collect a double-double in the same game.
Everyone on Golden State played well, but the Valkyries' three-headed double-double hydra in particular put on a clinic at Chase Center. Thornton led the way with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals. Burton collected 14 points, a career-high 12 assists, and a staggering +40 plus/minus. And off the bench, Billings gave the Valkyries 14 points and 11 rebounds, providing Nakase a spark plug option with the second unit.
After the game, Thornton talked about approaching this Aces game with energy and intensity.
“I think we were just hungry. I'm not used to losing coming from where I came from,” Thornton said, citing the prior 4-game skid and her championship run with the New York Liberty.
“It was just another opportunity to get to play the game of basketball. We kind of changed through things that we hadn't been doing in the last game. This [win] is a testament to sticking together and going through the growing pains. We've got to take this momentum and keep going with it.”
In the same press conference, Burton echoed Thornton's emphasis on playing with better energy compared to their previous losses.
“It just comes down to our energy level, our effort level. When we set the tone defensively, it's a game changer for us,” Burton stated. I give a lot of credit to KT because I think her steadiness throughout the course of the game, just kept us calm. And when she's calm and when she's focused, we follow her lead.”
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Swarming defensively and connectivity on both ends.
Nakase and Burton emphasized after the Phoenix Mercury loss that the Valkyries' energy and aggressiveness on defense weren't to their standard. But it was clear immediately from the tip-off that the team took their subpar performance to heart. The Valkyries forced the Aces into 10 first-half turnovers. That defense carried over into the second half as they went on a 34-10 run to build a 29-point lead.
Golden State played exactly to the style Nakase's been preaching since day 1. Against Las Vegas, they played fast and aggressively, connecting both ends of the court. After the game, Nakase talked about maintaining that connectivity on offense and defense moving forward.
“Our goal was 80 [quality] possessions, which is four quarters or a full game. It does build our confidence,” Nakase said in regards to playing connected the entire game.
“But at the end of the day, we know when we play possessions and we're locked in and we're connected, both offensively and defensively. This is what we're capable of. We've talked about how we can control our own destiny.
Now, after this game, it does give a lot more confidence, but now they own who they are and what they're capable of.”
This win versus the Aces showcased what the Valkyries' identity can be at its peak. When Golden State is playing its best, it is because the defense is flying around and creating transition opportunities.
And when the fastbreak gets going, that's when the threes start to fall. That's been the Valkyries' winning formula in their three wins. This upset versus the Aces may be a turning point for Nakase's squad moving forward.
