REEL Productions network

By Kris Chaney REEL Media Entertainment September 17, 2025 11:45PM PST

San Jose — The Golden State Valkyries saw their inaugural WNBA season come to a heartbreaking close Wednesday night in Game 2 of the first-round playoffs, falling 75-74 to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx and being eliminated. Yet despite the gut-wrenching finish, the players, the staff, and the fans emerge with their heads held high, their pride intact, and hope vibrating through a season full of firsts. The Valkyries fans of Ballhalla remained in the arena after the game, gave a standing ovation, and chanted, “GSV,” until the team waved and walked off the court.

Game Summary

Golden State played with poise, energy, and belief for most of this one. They jumped out fast, using aggressive defense and sharp three-point shooting to build significant leads in the second and third quarters—at one point up by 17.

Veronica Burton, consistently strong throughout the season and already named 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player, showed up once again. She had 13 points, six rebounds, nine assists, was instrumental in stretching the floor, and got a number of teammates involved in Golden State’s hot shooting from deep. Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini chipped in, each with 14 points, and Monique Billings added 15 off the bench.

But the Lynx, veterans with depth and experience, flipped the switch in the fourth quarter. Minnesota outscored Golden State 26-11 in that final frame. Key baskets from Napheesa Collier (24 total points) and Kayla McBride helped erase the Valkyries’ lead. A go-ahead jumper by Collier with under two minutes to play tipped the balance, followed by a critical Courtney Williams bucket in the closing seconds.

In the end, Golden State got one last possession with just a few seconds remaining. Cecilia Zandalasini launched a mid-range shot that could’ve won it, but it missed. The Lynx held on. Final score: Minnesota Lynx 75, Golden State Valkyries 74.

Despite the Loss, a Season of Breakthroughs

For a first year team, the Valkyries’ season wasn’t supposed to look this good. But from the first tip, Golden State defied expectations.

• They finished the regular season with a 23-21 record, good enough to make the Playoffs in their very first year.
• Coach Natalie Nakase was voted 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year, in recognition of guiding this young, new team to exceed nearly every preseason projection.
• Players like Veronica Burton didn’t just improve—they leapt. Burton’s stat line and impact earned her 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player honors.
• Through injuries, through skepticism, through being underdogs every night, the Valkyries gave their fans plenty of reasons to believe—and the fans showed up. The crowd at SAP Center roared, they believed, they stayed until the final buzzer. Another record-breaking, sold-out attendance record of 18,543 showed up in San Jose, SAP Center tonight.
• Rookies like Janelle Salaun, became starters in the midst of unfortunate season-ending injuries and developed into clutch players.

What the Future Holds

While tonight’s outcome stings, the foundation is set for something special. A core of rising players, a coach who has earned respect league-wide, and a fan base that proved its loyalty. These are not the usual trappings of an expansion franchise; they are the signposts of a franchise that’s going to be around for the long haul.

Golden State looks ahead already. Fix some of the small cracks — closing out games, guarding leads, managing late-game execution — and this team could be a force next year. And if the finish was cruel, the journey has been inspiring.

Closing Thought

I was eight when my Dad took me to my first WNBA game ever — with our Bay Area team, the San Jose Lasers. Through the years we lost the Lasers and the Sacramento Monarchs. So when the Valkyries were formed, I was ready but also nervous to get my hopes up they would remain. I had no idea who Coach Natalie Nakase was aside from being “Becky’s assistant.” And I was wonderfully surprised by the gritty team she built — the leadership she showed, the way her players responded and listened, and especially the trust and confidence she has in each player and in her coaching staff. The 2025 Coach of the Year always credits her staff for their brilliance and their development of the players — they are:

• Kasib Powell (formerly Player Development Coach for the Miami Heat)
• Ta’Shauna “Sugar” Rodgers (most recently an assistant coach at William & Mary)
• Landon Tatum (coming from the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League)

More than just a season, this was a statement. The Golden State Valkyries may not have the W tonight, but they have something deeper: belief. They have shown that even when the odds are stacked, when the margin is thin, that heart and togetherness can carry you farther than expected. And to the fans who stayed loud, who believed every bounce could string together the next, their faith wasn’t misplaced—it was earned.