Golden State Valkyries completed a swift turnaround against the Minnesota Lynx, winning 80-66 in the Women's NBA on Tuesday. The visitors had lost the same fixture just five days earlier, but this time they found a different rhythm. The result puts them level on games played at the top of the standings, though Minnesota retain first place on a better win ratio.
The opening period saw the hosts camp in the final third, building an eight-point cushion before the Valkyries could respond. But by then the visitors had found their answer — a collective shift that moved the ball with more purpose. They are a doubt when they allow that kind of space, and here they paid the price.
Golden State's advantage grew to 19 points before the final quarter, and Minnesota never really threatened to close it. The Lynx worked a short corner here and there, but the ball movement from the visitors was different. Thirteen assists in the third quarter alone showed where the game had gone.
The numbers tell their own story. The Valkyries recorded 23 assists to Minnesota's 18, and turned the ball over just nine times compared to eighteen. They also won the battle at the free-throw line, converting six of eight attempts while the hosts managed fourteen of eighteen. Points off turnovers came in at 21 for Golden State against just three for the home side.
Minnesota's recent form has been strong — four wins in their last five games — but this one felt like a different kind of defeat. They are a team that can raise the tempo when they need to, yet tonight they found no answer to the visitors' control. The Lynx remain top of the table with 31 wins from 40 games, but the gap behind is closing.
Golden State move to within one victory of their nearest rival, sitting second with 29 wins. That second-place spot matters more than the position itself — every game now is a chance to overtake. The Valkyries have shown they can respond when the pressure is on, and this result suggests they believe it themselves.
