It was only a matter of time before the Golden State Valkyries would return to their identity.
All season long, the Valkyries have been defined by their defence. Stopping the ball and dictating the pace are vital when facing a quick, feisty Dream team and Golden State remembered that on Saturday afternoon.
“We took a breath, we locked into the details,” head coach Natalie Nakase told reporters after the game. “Credit just to the players for recognizing ‘how can we be better’ in a loud area. I think they were right on, they were very connected tonight.”
The Valkyries grabbed hold of the game in the first half and withstood strong third and fourth quarters from the Dream on their way to a 67-62 win in Game 4.
Angel Reese had less of an impact as the Valkyries finally executed a team-based defensive counterattack that limited the star player’s production. At every opportunity, the Valkyries showed extra effort. From going after balls that threatened to roll out of bounds, to multiple players hunting down the Dream when they took off for a fast break, the Valkyries were willing to make the smaller gritty plays that add up.
Here are the takeaways from a pivotal Game 4 that has tied the series.
Valkyries' defence
In the first quarter, Gabby Williams poked a Rhyne Howard pass and tore down the court after the loose ball to recover it milliseconds before it would roll out of bounds. Later that same trip, Veronica Burton would fight for a loose ball and Kaila Charles would pursue a rebound that was headed out of bounds to keep the ball in play. These three tough bids in quick succession during the first quarter were the first sign that Golden State had returned to its identity.
This sequence exemplified the grit the Valkyries show when they are playing at their best. Dedication from Golden State on every play and fight for each loose ball held the Dream to 26 points in the first half for their lowest-scoring first half of the year.
The Valkyries were calm but connected on defence. They moved as one as they made use of a zone-like defence while still issuing player-to-player coverage against the likes of Howard and Reese as needed. Collectively, they had 16 points off of 17 Dream turnovers and looked to Cecilia Zandalasini and Williams for big stops. Each finished with three steals.
Kiah Stokes the flame
Kiah Stokes brought the heat as she led the Valkyries on defence. She locked down Reese to halt Dream momentum, and in doing so, freed up her teammates to play more committed defence against their marks as well.
Stokes held Reese to just eight points, four of which came from the foul line. Reese took 12 shots but only shot 16.7 per cent from the field. It was the first time all series she didn’t finish with a double-double.
“(Reese) has been the head of their snake all series, so for me it was just trying to make every look she had at the basket more difficult. It’s a tough job,” Stokes told reporters after the game. “I got to own up to that challenge.”
Stokes sealed off Reese on both sides of the floor. Reese only had nine rebounds, none of which came on the offensive end until the fourth quarter, while the 33-year-old led her team with 16.
Though Stokes was occupied with Reese, she didn’t let that assignment get in the way of adding to the team’s defence. Golden State depends on functioning as a unit while protecting its net, and Stokes still found a way to contribute help defence down low. She finished with three blocks and made history for the most blocks recorded by a single player in a Finals series.
Finding their shot
The Valkyries have struggled with shooting all series. This team lacks a go-to best option and prefers most of their scoring by committee. Their top points getter, Williams, fell off after Game 1, and by the way her three-point attempts bobbled out at the beginning of the game, it looked like Game 4 would follow suit.
However, after four threes missed in short order, the veteran didn’t stop her shot, she just adjusted her range. Williams helped the Valkyries take the lead with her mid-range jump shots combined with strong takes to the net. She finished with a team-leading 17 points despite going 0-for-6 from three.
Across the whole team, three-pointers were an issue. The Valkyries went 4-for-25 from distance, but a large volume of shots paired with strong defensive tactics meant those shortfalls didn’t matter. Four Valkyries players finished with points in the double digits and their new starters – Tiffany Hayes and Charles – combined for 18 points.
Atlanta at the line
Controlling fouls has been an issue for the Valkyries throughout the series and Saturday was no different as Golden State committed more fouls (25) than it has since its games against the Dream began.
As a result, Atlanta shot 31 free throws, yet it was unable to use these easy shots to its advantage. The Dream shot just 71.0 per cent from the foul line, which is surprisingly low considering they have averaged 85.7 per cent throughout the postseason.
