The Golden State Valkyries fell short 82-77 to the New York Liberty Thursday night, but it wasn't for lack of trying. The newest team in the WNBA played a heated and thrilling game of basketball against defending champions, with both teams leading by no more than six points for most of the game, and the Valkyries edging out the Liberty several times all night. In just about every way, the Golden State Valkyries have defied expectations that many had for the expansion team.
Many have looked to 2008 — the year the Atlanta Dream joined the league — to get an idea about how the Valkyries will perform this season. If Golden State is proving anything, it's that looking to the past to understand this team's present is a mistake. The Dream ultimately suffered 17 straight losses — the longest losing streak at the beginning of a season in WNBA history — from the jump (they're even in the Guinness Book of World Records for "Worst start to a WNBA season, team").
What the Valkyries did well:
From the beginning of the game, it was clear Golden State was playing a very different game of basketball. The team wisely targeted Breanna Stewart for much of the night, which had a ripple effect of keeping the Liberty tightly locked down.
The Valkyries also showed a remarkable ability to take a brutal defeat and turn it into a spectacular game of basketball, even with the loss. As Monique Billings told reporters during the postgame press conference, Thursday night's game showed the Valkyries what their standard can be — and now they know the level they can perform at.
Billings also had words of praise for Janelle Salaun, who joined her while speaking to reporters. As Billing noted, being a rookie can be difficult, and Salaun, who joined the team toward the end of training camp, has already established herself as a crucial member of the squad. The Valkyries have built a robust, strong team culture that appears rooted in genuine friendship and respect, and that's something that is beginning to help the team gel on the court.
Where the Valkyries can still improve:
Golden State has to focus on lowering turnovers in the game. The team can't add to its size, so coming up with other ways to stop teams who have height on their side is absolutely imperative to their future success.
The Valkyries also have to maintain their cool throughout the game. They did a tremendous job of getting hot early and staying hot, but appeared to let their nerves get the best of them in the last minute or two of the fourth quarter, which allowed Natasha Cloud to get a 3 in while every Valkyrie on the floor was focused on Stewart — something that sealed the deal for the Liberty.
The Valkyries have a strong season ahead of them
If Golden State continues to play like they did Thursday night, the team is going to blow expectations for an expansion team out of the water. Once the team is hitting threes as much as they're making them, staying hot the entire four quarters, and locking in at crucial, tense moments, they're going to be a huge force in the league, and that's something worth paying attention to.