Lynx Stay Unbeaten with Second-Half Surge Over Valkyries, 86–75
SAN FRANCISCO — The Minnesota Lynx remained perfect on the season with an 86–75 road win over the Golden State Valkyries in front of a sellout crowd of 18,064 at Chase Center on Sunday night. The loss drops the Valkyries to 2–4 on the season while Minnesota improves to 7–0. The game marked Golden State’s first-ever Commissioner’s Cup appearance
The Valkyries led 52–51 at the half after a strong second quarter that featured a 29-point burst and a career-high 14 points from second-year guard Kate Martin. But Minnesota responded by holding Golden State to just eight points in the third quarter, forcing an 0-for-9 showing from beyond the arc and taking control with a 15–1 run to open the fourth.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
- 1Q: Lynx 27, Valkyries 23
- 2Q: Valkyries 29, Lynx 24
- 3Q: Lynx 17, Valkyries 8
- 4Q: Lynx 18, Valkyries 15
- Final: Lynx 86, Valkyries 75
Star Performers
Napheesa Collier powered the Lynx with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, notching her 50th career double-double. She also moved into second on Minnesota’s all-time steals list with 285. Courtney Williams added 20 points and was key in setting the early tone, and added five rebounds and five assists.
Kayla McBride scored 16 points, surpassing WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes for 30th on the league’s all-time scoring list. Bridget Carleton (12 points) rounded out the Lynx’s double-digit scorers.
For Golden State, Veronica Burton scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds. Kate Martin scored 14, all in the first half, and Kayla Thornton contributed 11 points and six rebounds. Tiffany Hayes added nine points before leaving the game in the fourth quarter due to injury.
Second-Half Slump Dooms Golden State
Golden State’s offense went cold after halftime. The Valkyries shot just 3-for-15 from the field in the third quarter and were outscored 17–8. In the fourth, Minnesota opened with a 15–1 run and built its largest lead of the night at 22.
“So if the shot’s not falling, then you have to lock up defensively,” said head coach Natalie Nakase. “We struggled, unfortunately, in both of those spots… The first half was great. And then in the third, we just kind of got down on ourselves for missing shots.”
Despite the drought, Golden State tied a season high with 12 second-chance points and posted a season-best 21 fast-break points.
Crowd Impact & Player Reflections
It was another historic night for the Valkyries’ fanbase. With 18,064 in attendance, Golden State became the first WNBA franchise to top 18,000 fans in each of its first three home games.
“When you have a fan base that sticks through the highs and lows—it really does bring us energy,” said Martin.
“It’s a testament to the community here,” added Burton. “We feel them throughout the game. We rely on them.”
Injury Update
Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes sustained a nose injury and exited in the fourth quarter. The team confirmed she is undergoing further evaluation and did not return.
“She’s good, yeah,” said Naksae. “But we’re obviously going to evaluate….we just have to make sure she’s protected…health is first.”
What’s Next
Minnesota Lynx (7–0): The Lynx return home to host the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, June 3 at 7:00 p.m. CT at Target Center.
Golden State Valkyries (2–5): The Valkyries travel to face the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. PT on KPIX+, KMAX, and the Audacy App.
