Golden State 79, Connecticut 64
By the Numbers
- The win is Golden State’s seventh straight, extending the longest-ever winning streak in franchise history.
- Tonight’s victory against Connecticut marks Golden State's 40th win in franchise history. The Valkyries accomplished the feat in 68 games to become the fastest-ever expansion team to reach 40 victories.
- Veronica Burton led the Valkyries in scoring with 17 points, a team-high six assists, three rebounds, and two blocks.
- Janelle Salaün tied her career high with three steals, posting a team-high seven rebounds and finishing with 16 points.
- Kaila Charles added nine points, going 3-for-5 from the field, 1-for-1 from beyond the arc, 2-for-2 from the line, and grabbing five rebounds.
- Tiffany Hayes scored nine points and was a perfect 3-3 from the floor.
- Nadia Fingall recorded her first career WNBA three-pointer.
- Golden State held Connecticut to six points in the second quarter, marking the fewest points allowed in any quarter in Valkyries history. The Sun shot 20 percent (3-15) and 0-4 from three in the second, with the Valkyries forcing eight turnovers.
- The Valkyries tied a franchise record with 20 forced turnovers.
- Golden State held Sun guard Leila Lacan, who averaged 12.7 PPG going into tonight, to just six in tonight’s contest.
- The Valkyries have held their opponents to a combined 17-64 (26.6 percent) from beyond the arc the last three games.
Quotes
HEAD COACH NATALIE NAKASE:
ON THE DEPTH:
“We talk about next woman up, and so Kai [Kaila Charles] got the start. Next woman up mentality, just like last year, so it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She did an excellent job tonight, played heavy minutes, but Gabby [Williams] did a phenomenal job of being one of the loudest people on the bench. She wasn't out there physically, but she was constantly talking to her teammates, encouraging, and seeing what she saw, because that's what we need every game from Gabby, is to be our leader, and she did that.”
ON TONIGHT’S TAKEAWAYS:
“I liked our second quarter. I didn't think we came out with enough attention to detail in terms of the game plan…And then we kind of found our groove a little bit into the second quarter. So really good holding them to six because we were very connected. We were communicating. Now, we just have to find consistency in all four quarters, and for some reason our starts, the last two, weren’t our best. So we're definitely going to look back at the film and see where we can get better.”
ON THE SEVEN-GAME WIN STREAK:
“Four games in seven days, we won all four. That was our goal, and I understand it's not an easy goal, but I have to also get them to understand it's going to be hard, and it's going to be harder as we continue. …So that's what my thought is; hopefully I don't sound negative, but I also want to be honest with them, and I want them to stay humble through our wins, just because I know we can be better. So that's where my tone is coming from. It's tough love. They want to hear the truth. They told me they want to get better, and so that's just my mindset. I'm going to hold them accountable when I feel like they can do more.”
GOLDEN STATE FORWARD JANELLE SALAÜN AND GIARD VERONICA BURTON:
ON THE SECOND UNIT’S PERFORMANCE:
Burton: “It means a lot. To have the depth that we have, it's really difficult to play us because of that. We're able to continue to maintain energy and even get an energy boost. I think that while other teams get fatigued, we come in refreshed, and so it says a lot about the personnel. It says a lot. I mean, anyone on our team can start, honestly. So it also says a lot about the humility aspect and putting the egos to the side about that, and just finding a way to contribute. Whether you're coming off the bench, whether you're starting. It's a testament to us as a team”
ON TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SEVEN-GAME WIN STREAK:
Burton: “To be able to get a lot of those wins on the road says a lot about us. We talked about it, just taking care of our bodies, being pros, and finding ways to get wins, and I think we've done it in many different fashions. We've done it when we're shooting the ball really well. We've won games where we can't make a three, or where they take our threes away. I think the different amounts of people that have stepped up and scored and contributed, and just the different defenses that we've seen, and just finding different ways to win.”
ON PLAYING WITHOUT GABBY WILLIAMS:
Burton: “At the end of the day, Gabby's [Williams] still gonna contribute, and she still helped us. She was one of the loudest people throughout the entire game, and she's someone that I think both of us relied on throughout the game to give advice to or get input from. With that, we're the deepest team, so it's a next man up mentality…We find different ways to win, and we just rely on every single person on this team. Obviously, Gabby helps us in so many different ways. So of course we want her out there. With that, everyone can step up and contribute.”
Up Next: The Valkyries visit Indiana to take on the Fever this Wednesday, July 15, tipping off at 5:00 p.m. PT on USA, KPIX, KOVR, and the Audacy App.
