The Minnesota Lynx had a golden chance to lock down the WNBA’s No. 1 playoff seed Monday night, but the Golden State Valkyries stomped all over those plans, snagging an 80-66 win in Minnesota. This wasn’t just any win, either. This was the Valkyries’ first-ever victory over the Lynx, full stop. Before this game, Golden State was a miserable 0-9 against Minnesota, including a brutal 0-2 sweep in last season’s playoffs. Talk about finally getting over the hump!
Olivia Miles Got Shut Down, and the Lynx Had No Answers
You wanna know how the Valkyries pulled off this upset? They absolutely clamped down on Lynx sensation Olivia Miles. This rookie is on track for first-team All-WNBA honors, but Monday night? She looked nothing like it. Miles posted just 8 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds on a rough 3-of-12 from the floor, including a measly 1-of-5 from deep. To make matters worse, she coughed up a game-high four turnovers. The entire Valkyries team had only six! This was easily one of Miles’s worst outings all season. Golden State’s zone defense was a nightmare for Minnesota, disrupting passing lanes and turning Lynx mistakes into 21 easy points off turnovers. The Lynx shot a dismal 36% from the field, which tells you everything about how suffocating that defense was. Natasha Howard (13 points) and Kayla McBride (12 points on 2-of-11 shooting) were the only Lynx players to hit double figures, with perennial All-WNBA selection Napheesa Collier struggling with 9 points in her 11th game back from ankle injuries. They also played without All-Star guard Courtney Williams, who’s day-to-day with a foot injury.
Golden State’s Balanced Attack Changes Everything
On the other side, the Valkyries played a balanced game, with five players hitting double figures. Cecilia Zandalasini led the charge with 18 points, but Veronica Burton was the real stat-sheet stuffer. She dropped 14 points, dished out 9 assists, grabbed 4 rebounds, and swiped an incredible 5 steals. Burton consistently beat Miles off the dribble in one-on-one matchups. The Valkyries, now in their second season, have beaten every other team in the WNBA. This win drops the Lynx to 31-8 and pushes the Valkyries to 26-11, making them just three games back in the race for the WNBA’s best record with seven games left on their schedule. Minnesota has five games left on theirs. Both teams have already clinched a playoff berth, and honestly, if they keep this up, we could be looking at a WNBA Finals preview. The Lynx won their three prior matchups this season, but this one changes the vibe completely.
Minnesota’s next game is huge. Can they rebound and try to clinch that top spot again, or will Golden State’s big win throw them off their game for the rest of the regular season? We are watching the top of the league battle it out, and it’s getting good.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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