Golden State Valkyries Women beat Dallas Wings 78-70 in the Women's NBA on Tuesday evening. The result extended Valkyries' unbeaten run to eight games and kept them second in the standings, while the Wings dropped to fourth place. By then the Valkyries had already built a cushion they would not relinquish.
And here's the thing about this game — it was decided from the outside. Valkyries hit 12 of their 36 three-point attempts, compared to just 5 out of 22 for Dallas. That shooting disparity accounted for most of the eight-point margin. The Valkyries also led by 20 at their peak, while Dallas never mounted a bigger run than 7 points.
To be fair, Dallas controlled the glass with 33 rebounds to 30, but they could not convert that advantage. They committed 18 turnovers and turned them into only 13 points off mistakes, whereas Valkyries scored 20 points from their 11 turnovers. The wings also managed just 2 second-chance points from 4 offensive rebounds, while Golden State grabbed 7 from their 10. There is unrest in the dressing room when you cannot finish what you start.
The Valkyries have won five straight, including a 94-76 victory over the same opponents just ten days ago on 8 August. Dallas have lost four of their last five, with defeats to Indiana, Minnesota, and Valkyries among them. They did not travel to make up the numbers — they have been vulnerable on the road.
With 40 games played, Valkyries sit on 29 wins and 11 losses, while the Wings are at 24 wins and 16 defeats. The gap between them is now five games, and Dallas have to find a way to close it. The season is not over, but the pattern is becoming clear.