A wildly successful first regular season concluded with a Valkyries loss in Minneapolis on Thursday night.
The host Lynx, who did not rest their starters despite having locked up the No. 1 seed, suffocated the Valkyries 72-53 loss in the season finale at Target Center.
For the second time in a week, the expansion team was stymied by top-seeded Minnesota in what ended up being a preview of Golden State’s first-round playoff series.
“A lot of stuff we could fix is in our control,” Valkyries forward Kaila Charles said. “If we get the extra stops, if we get the rebounds, if we just hit a few more shots, it could definitely be a different game.”
The Valkyries, which would have secured the No. 6 seed with a victory, shot a ghastly 28.8% from the field, committed 21 turnovers and started 0 of 17 from 3-point distance as it slid into the No. 8 slot.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the league for a reason,” Golden State’s Veronica Burton said. “They’re incredibly connected, and you can see they’re experience there.”
Even if the visitors had been able to manufacture easier baskets, they still would have had no answer for arguably the game’s best player.
Napheesa Collier entered the game averaging 23.0 points per game, and she poured in 19 points using a variety of smooth jumpers. She joined Elena Delle Donne as the only players in league history to have a 50-40-90 shooting splits in a season.
Veronica Burton, Kaila Charles and Iliana Rupert each scored eight points for the Valkyries.
After trailing 34-22 at halftime, the Valkyries were able to cut the deficit to 45-41 by the end of the third quarter after Rupert hit back-to-back triples to snap Golden State’s wretched start from long range. However, the reigning championship runner up showed why they’re title favorites by starting the fourth on a 12-0 run to retake control.
Rupert appeared to injure herself on a fall during a fight for a rebound early in the fourth quarter with what coach Natalie Nakase called an ankle injury.
Midway through the fourth quarter and trailing by nearly 20, Nakase waved the white flag, and emptied the Valkyries bench.
The Valkyries will remain in the Midwest for the next few days as they prepare to play the Lynx in a first round showdown, with Game 1 tipping off on Sunday.
A few hours before tipoff, Golden State Natalie Nakase downplayed the importance of the regular season finale. Afterward, she emphasized the positives of playing against Minnesota in the postseason.
“It’s not like we have to completely change a ton of things and completely embrace and learn about a new team,” Nakase said. “So I’m taking this as a positive, and we get to stay here, we don’t have to travel.”
As it was in Chase Center on Sept. 6 when they lost 78-72, the Valkyries struggled to find gaps in the Minnesota defense.
Golden State scored just eight points in the first quarter and just 22 in the half.
Courtney Williams, Collier and Kayla McBride keyed the effort for Minnesota, shrinking the floor with aggressive on-ball pressure.
The Valkyries had no answers for Collier either, who made her first two 3-pointers on pick-and-pop plays, and was an efficient 5 of 6 in the first half.
With the loss, the Valkyries concluded the regular season on a three-game losing streak. The expansion franchise had clinched its postseason berth with an 84-80 victory over Dallas, but failed to move up in the standings.
Now, Golden State (23-21) will shift its focus to the playoffs. The Valkyries will hope that veteran guard Tiffany Hayes is able to return from a knee injury that has sidelined her since Aug. 22, and that Rupert is not hobbled against an elite team.
“We know what we’re about to face,” Nakase said.
