SAN FRANCISCO — Veronica Burton checked out with 7:29 left in the third quarter, huffing for air a bit and visibly miffed following a rough sequence. The Golden State point guard — who missed a wide-open layup and chased it with a 27-foot stepback 3 that landed short — headed through the tunnel and out of sight.
Anyone who knows Burton could imagine her internal chastisement. But the leader of these Valkyries, also predictably, returned to the bench, put on her jacket and locked in on the action from her seat. For the rest of the game. Kaitlyn Chen took the reins for the final 17:29.
Burton wasn't hurt. Her status hasn't been diminished. Coach Natalie Nakase was just flexing.
"Oh, she's amazing," Nakase said after the game when asked how Burton was doing. "Kaitlyn was fresh. We went with Kaitlyn."
The ever-reliable Burton finished with 4 points on six shots and had more turnovers (two) than assists (one) for just the second time in 48 games this season, the last time back on May 13. And Nakase didn't reveal an ounce of concern. She didn't even appear to try a fiery speech to get her point guard back on track. Instead, Nakase gave Burton the remainder of the afternoon off. An atypical luxury in the postseason.
It illustrated how Golden State can beat the defending champions. Golden State's strategy in the series is the same one it rode to the No. 2 seed and through the first round for the first time in franchise history. The Valkyries will keep their energy constant by tapping into their depth. They will diversify their attack on both ends by using their whole collection of skills.
It even played out on the coaching staff. Nakase, who collapsed in Game 3 of the first round, said she leaned on assistant coaches Kasib Powell and Landon Tatum in the huddle. Nakase was evaluated by doctors after Friday's Game 3 win over the Dallas Wings and focused on staying hydrated Sunday. But she needed the depth of her staff.
"Oh, yeah, I was all right," Nakase said. "That wasn't my best, but luckily I have amazing staff. I don't know if you guys noticed, but Kasib and Landon were rotating with me, (because) I just couldn't vocalize what I (needed)."
The plan felt incredibly viable after it produced a 71-60 win in Game 1 of these WNBA semifinals against the vaunted Las Vegas Aces. Nakase rested her starting point guard — in many ways the heart of these Valkyries, whose energy and sheer will have been their octane — for nearly an entire half. And still won.
The Aces' considerable top-end talent, led by arguably the best to ever do it in A'ja Wilson, will have to contend with the waves of Valkyries. Golden State's plan is to wear down the Aces, already thinned out by injuries. The gap in aggression showed up in rebounds. The Valkyries bullied Las Vegas on the boards, 52-25, both the most rebounds in Valkyries' history and the largest rebound deficit in Aces' history.
"Strength in numbers for us," Nakase said, parroting an ideology all too familiar at Chase Center. "Utilizing as many people tonight as we could … so we have fresh legs. We come out there and, you know, defensively we're looking to box first, hit first. And then offensively looking to crash. It's just our advantage when we continue to have multiple people come off the bench with that type of energy."
The absence of a proven superstar has been a knock on Golden State, a reason to not believe in the toddler-aged franchise. But Game 1 of this best-of-five series embodied the Valkyries' consistent rebuttal.
Counterpoint No. 1: Gabby Williams is a superstar. Their superstar.
She doesn't have the accolades of the W's bigger names. But they'll put her productivity and impact — and clutchness — up against anybody.
Sunday, Wilson started the game with her midrange jumper clicking. It looked to be a long night, as if the Valkyries were a cute story destined to be vanquished by a legend. But Williams matched her bucket for bucket, moment for moment. Golden State's star was the best player on the court. Her line — 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, 11 rebounds, five assists — looked like one of Wilson's stat lines. But the Vegas star needed 21 shots to get 24 points and had four rebounds with no assists.
Counterpoint No. 2: Their second unit is better.
In perhaps a greater flex of their depth, Chen wasn't even the most impactful reserve. Rookie big Aminata Gueye earned that honor.
Endeavoring to find pockets of rest for Kiah Stokes, who will have to play more minutes to match up with Wilson, Nakase turned to Gueye, the 6-foot-4 center from France who the Valkyries signed to a rest-of-season contract two weeks ago.
"She's fearless," said Williams, who knows Gueye from France's women's national team. "Obviously, I've known her for a while now. Coach Nat was asking me about her and I was like, 'Throw her in. That girl is ready.' … Ami, she just knows how to hoop. She's physical, she works really, really hard, and that's exactly what our identity is, so I think that's why she fits in so well."
Some of the usual stars off the bench had off nights for Golden State. Janelle Salaün missed her only two shots in seven minutes of action. Tiffany Hayes, one of the heroes from the Game 3 win over Dallas on Friday, managed just three points in 11 minutes. Kaila Charles missed four of her five attempts and managed just two points and two rebounds in her 18 minutes.
And it didn't matter. Because Valkyries basketball is a true democracy. They've all had to sit and watch while Nakase rode a hot teammate. Even Williams and Burton. It's a part of their culture for players to be ready for a random night where their minutes double. Part of Golden State's affinity for this roster, and why it has been so reticent to alter it, is its personality. The Valkyries have players who can handle the ebb and flow of rotations and rhythm without being bothered enough to become a distraction.
"We knew we all had to bring it today," Chen said. "Because it wasn't going to be a one-person thing. We've relied on Gabby and V so much in these playoffs. They've f—— worked their a–es off. … So it's about staying ready and being prepared. Everyone on this team is always ready. That's the beauty of our team. If someone has an off night, you can put someone else in."
Counterpoint No. 3: Ballhalla is a weapon.
With the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx eliminated, the Valkyries have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. It's an advantage they can't afford to surrender. It's the comfort zone that activates their depth, because role players play better at home. And it runs on energy.
Sometimes, the players get it from the atmosphere. Sometimes, their energy fuels the frenzy. For a team powered by its defense, the fervor of the atmosphere matters. It sounds cliché, the thing every team says. But for the Valkyries, it's an asset in their repertoire, even if it's just psychological.
They're relying on players who, for the most part, won't make All-Star teams. Some who may not be as valuable in another setting. So the trick becomes maximizing those players. The team not stacked with superstars boasts several players who excel in their roles.
In Game 1, it was Gueye. She blocked a Jackie Young layup, stole a Chelsea Gray pass and contested Wilson well. With 2:21 remaining in the third quarter, she caught a pass from Williams in the lane — after dropping a couple earlier in the game — and converted the layup with the foul.
Ballhalla went crazy.
"That's just been our philosophy all season," Stokes said. "Our bench has been great all year. So when we get to the playoffs, we're not really changing too much because we have so much confidence in them."
Game 2 could produce another Hayes outburst. Game 3 might be the night for Salaün or Charles. And at some point, history shows, Burton will find her groove again.
These are the defending champions Golden State is facing. The likes of Wilson and Young will play better. They have to, because the Valkyries' depth requires it.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA
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