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SAN JOSE — The Valkyries were right there.
After suffering a 29-point loss in Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round WNBA series, Golden State had the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on the ropes in Game 2.
The Valkyries held a double-digit lead going into the final 10 minutes before a charged-up crowd at SAP Center in San Jose.
But in the end, it just wasn’t meant to be for the expansion team.
Minnesota completed a furious fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Valkyries 75-74 and advance to the second round.
Cecilia Zandalasini’s fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to win the game and send the series back to Minnesota bounced off the rim.
Monique Billings came off the bench and scored 15 points to lead the Valkyries. Zandalasini and Janelle Salaün each had 14 points. Veronica Burton had 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
Starting center Temi Fágbénlé was a late scratch with right-knee pain.
Napheesa Collier had 24 points and seven rebounds to lead Minnesota. The Lynx will play the winner of the Phoenix Mercury-New York Liberty series.
“The first thing I said was ‘get your (expletive) heads up,’” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “I just told them how proud I was to have that place rocking tonight. To have that Ballhalla mentality, to be able to go toe and toe with the No. 1 team, I was so proud.”
Golden State was ahead for a majority of the game and led by 14 points going into the fourth quarter.
But like a movie on replay, the Lynx star power proved, once again, to be too much for the Valkyries.
The Lynx opened the final period with a quick 11-0 run that forced Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase to call a timeout three minutes into the period.
Golden State quickly responded with a shot clock-beating stepback jumper from Zandalasini and a transition 3 from Kaila Charles to rebuild the advantage to eight.
But it was all downhill from there.
Minnesota’s steady offensive attack flourished as it played through Collier. Forwards Bridget Carleton and Kayla McBride each scored timely buckets as the Valkyries defense couldn’t stop Minnesota’s paint penetration.
McBride gave the Lynx the lead with 2:48 left on a bank shot floater from the left slot. Later, point guard Courtney Williams hit a pull-up jumper that pushed their lead to three with under 30 seconds remaining.
After a Billings basket and a stop, the Valkyries got one last chance to win the game but Zandalasini’s shot fell just short.
Minnesota outscored the Valkyries 15-6 from that point to seal the win. Entering Wednesday’s game, the Lynx 0-76 when trailing by at least 14 points entering the 4th quarter since the four-quarter era began in 2006.
As they did in Game 1, the Valkyries got off to a hot start.
Golden State hit five of its first six 3-pointers to take an eight-point lead into the second quarter. Kate Martin came off the bench with just under a minute left and scored a cutting layup and a rainbow 3 from the corner to give the home team an immediate boost.
The Valkyries carried their momentum into the second quarter. Despite a slow start, they grew their lead to as big as 13 behind an inspired quarter from Billings.
The former UCLA standout scored four points and was instrumental in keeping Collier to just 10 first-half points.
Golden State hit 7-of-11 3-pointers in the first half. Every player who entered the game before halftime except for Carla Leite recorded a basket to help the Valkyries take a 41-28 lead at the midway point.
Minnesota cut the Valkyries’ lead to as little as eight in the third quarter, but Golden State kept its foot on the gas to maintain a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter.
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Originally Published: September 17, 2025 at 9:33 PM PDT
