Phoenix Mercury 35 - Golden State Valkyries 43: 6:55 Second
Digest more
The Liberty have have seen a 29% increase in average attendance from last season, a 32-win campaign that ended in the franchise's first-ever WNBA championship. While New York has dealt with injuries to former league MVPs, first center Jonquel Jones and now forward Breanna Stewart, they are still poised to return to the playoffs.
There's no denying the Golden State Valkyries fought hard in their 98-91 loss to the Phoenix Mercury. With only eight players available due to Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini's late injury scratches, the remaining Valkyries stepped up and tested the Mercury through the majority of the game.
When multiple players left for the EuroBasket tournament in June, Golden State stayed afloat. When injured All-Star Kayla Thornton was ruled out for the rest of the season last month, the Valkyries stepped up and won games without their unquestioned leader.
San Francisco Standard columnist Tim Kawakami went to Sunday’s Valkyries game and reported on the fan atmosphere at Chase Center, which he said was “thrumming” even in the team’s worst home loss of the season. But buried in his reporting were two paragraphs about a brewing scheduling conflict with the Laver Cup, an international tennis tournament:
Valkyries were dealt a big blow as Cecilia Zandalasini, Tiffany Hayes were scratched minutes before Tuesday’s game vs. Phoenix Mercury
In Year 1, Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries revealed how they built a successful WNBA expansion team from scratch.
Veronica Burton makes WNBA history, but her record-setting night isn’t enough as the Valkyries fall to the Mercury.
Rising through the ranks, Veronica Burton’s impact on the court is undeniable—her playmaking and defense are shaping her value in a league where every contract tells a story. Check all about her deal with the Golden State Valkyries.