Four-Game Win Streak Snapped in Bruising Loss to Dream, 79-63

SAN FRANCISCO — Coach Nakase emphasized that the team’s goal is to make the playoffs and this game offered a glimpse of what that could look like, facing one of the league’s top teams with the appropriate level of playoff intensity.

On Sunday evening in Ballhalla, the Golden State Valkyries saw their four-game winning streak halted in front of another sellout crowd at Chase Center, falling 79-63 to the Atlanta Dream.

The opening half was a grind for both teams. Neither squad scored from the field until nearly three minutes in, when Temi Fágbénlé finally broke the drought with a layup.

Atlanta started just 1-for-9 from the field and managed only 12 points in the opening quarter, nine of those off the bench. Golden State’s defense was active, forcing Allisha Gray into a scoreless half for the first time in more than two years. The Dream missed 15 of their 17 attempts from deep before the break.

One rare offensive highlight for the Valkyries came when Iliana Rupert sank a three-pointer to close the half, sending both teams into the break tied at 25. The 50 combined points marked the lowest-scoring first half of any WNBA game this season.

Out of the locker room, the Valkyries seemed ready to ride the energy of guard Veronica Burton, who scored or assisted on the team’s first 11 points of the third quarter. Burton relentlessly attacked the lane, hitting floaters, drawing fouls, and finishing a tough three-point play. Her determination had Golden State within striking distance midway through the period.

Unfortunately for the Valkyries, everything changed with 7:59 left in the third quarter.

Battling for a rebound against Brionna Jones, Rupert absorbed a blow to the face and left the court with a towel pressed to her head. She did not return, later being placed in the league’s concussion protocol. Suddenly with Rupert sidelined and Temi Fágbénlé limited by foul trouble, the Dream seized control in the paint and imposed their will over the undersized front court of Golden State.

Atlanta's Jones immediately capitalized and began to dominate the glass, grabbing four offensive rebounds on her way to 13 points and nine boards.

Rhyne Howard found her rhythm from the perimeter, drilling four 3-pointers and finishing with a team-high 14 points.

Gray, despite shooting just 3-for-13, got loose in the second half and tallied 13 points. Sparked by that inside-out attack, Atlanta closed the third quarter on a 13-3 run, turning what had been a one-possession game into an 11-point lead heading into the fourth.

The onslaught continued into the final frame, with Te-Hina Paopao contributing 10 points off the bench during a decisive 30-8 run that spanned the late third and early fourth quarters.

The Dream, who had looked stagnant and out of sync in the first half, suddenly punished the Valkyries at every turn, scoring 38 points in the paint and pulling away for a double-digit victory.

Still, Golden State had standouts. Burton led all scorers with 16 points while also posting five assists and going a flawless 7-for-7 from the free throw line, the 14th time this season she has been perfect at the stripe.

Cecilia Zandalasini added 11 points and four rebounds, also hitting all her free throws.

Fágbénlé contributed eight points in just 14 minutes.

Kate Martin and Laeticia Amihere provided sparks off the bench with seven apiece, Amihere also pulling down five rebounds.

Golden State, true to form, excelled at the line overall, hitting 14-of-16 attempts (87.5 percent), their third consecutive game at that mark or higher.

Afterward, head coach Natalie Nakase acknowledged that Rupert’s absence left the team shorthanded. “They turned it up a notch, and then if we're losing Illy (Iliana Rupert), and Temi's (Fágbénlé) in foul trouble. Now we’re a little bit undersized and so they were able to pick us apart a little bit,” she said. “But I love the fact that LA (Amihere) was fighting and that's all I could ask for, at the end of the day is a fight.”

Players echoed the difficulty of adjusting once Atlanta ramped up its physicality. “They are a very physical team. They played a very good game, put us in trouble,” Zandalasini said, adding that Golden State needs to diversify its offensive approach when opponents take away the three-point line.

Fágbénlé noted, “They were being really aggressive, and that was their game plan to score inside the paint. We just needed to make that adjustment, and we didn’t do it as well as we hoped we would.”

Despite the defeat, the Valkyries once again played in front of a raucous sellout crowd, their 16th straight, with 18,064 fans packing Chase Center.

The night also included a glimpse of the franchise’s future, as Justė Jocytė, the team’s first-ever draft pick, was introduced to the fans before tip-off. She struck the traditional ‘G-S-V’ drum before the game and then watched from a suite alongside injured Valkyries All-Star Kayla Thornton. While the team’s focus remains squarely on this season and their push to secure a playoff spot, Jocytė’s presence offered fans an exciting preview of what lies ahead.

While Atlanta claimed the season series 2-1, Sunday’s contest underscored both the progress Golden State has made in its inaugural season and the challenges of competing without key contributors.

The Valkyries, now 10-6 at home and seventh in the standings, have ten games remaining to fine-tune their rotation and strengthen their frontcourt depth. If they can channel the same fight that carried them to a four-game streak entering Sunday, they will remain a dangerous opponent as the playoff race intensifies.

UP NEXT

• Golden State hosts the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, August 19 at 7 p.m. PT on KPIX+, KMAX, 95.7 The Game, and the Audacy App.
• For tickets, news, and more team updates, visit valkyries.wnba.com.