Valkyries aim to keep win streak going against Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

The Golden State Valkyries are the WNBA’s hottest team, having won a franchise-record seven consecutive games to soar to near the top of the league’s standings.

They have done it behind elite defense, quality from the starting five and significant contributions from the deepest bench in the WNBA.

“To have the depth that we have, it’s really difficult to play us because of that,” point guard Veronica Burton said. “We’re able to continue to maintain energy and even get an energy boost.”

Tonight, in the final stop of a five-city trip, the Valkyries will likely have to tap into that energy and then some as they face maybe their biggest challenge of the win streak: Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

Indiana (14-9) doesn’t have a win streak to match Golden State’s, but it is coming off one of the most impressive victories of the season, by anyone.

Sunday in Las Vegas, against the defending champion Aces, Indiana dominated in mind-blowing fashion. The Fever won 109-75 as Kelsey Mitchell had 27 points and Sophie Cunningham came off the bench to score 20 on 7-of-9 shooting, including 6 of 7 from behind the 3-point arc.

Indiana also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Aliyah Boston and 12 points and seven rebounds from Clark.

The Valkyries (17-7) might need everyone to keep their win streak going, but will everyone be available?

Golden State’s All-Star forward Gabby Williams suffered a back injury in the second half of the team’s win at Toronto last Wednesday and did not play in a 79-64 victory over the league’s worst team, the Connecticut Sun, on Friday after being ruled out shortly before tip-off.

Instead of contributing on the court, as she has done so many times in her first season with the Valkyries, Williams provided energy from the bench.

“Yeah, she wasn’t out there physically, but she was constantly talking to her teammates,” coach Natalie Nakase said.

Will that be enough tonight if she can’t play? The team has listed her as questionable.

When the Valkyries edged Indiana 90-88 at Chase Center on May 28, Williams had 19 points, six assists, six rebounds and three steals. Just as important, she helped defend Clark, who finished with 16 points on 3-of-12 shooting. Burton led the Valkyries with 25 points while also contributing to the defense on Clark.

Six days before that game, Indiana won on its home court over Golden State, 90-82, as Clark led the Fever with 22 points and nine assists.

Without Williams on Friday in Connecticut, the Valkyries’ bench provided 42 points – seven more than its league-leading average entering the game – and Golden State’s defense had another superb showing, matching a franchise high with 20 forced turnovers.

During the Valkyries’ win streak, opponents are averaging 68.4 points per game, about eight fewer than the team’s league-best average.

After the win over Connecticut, Nakase said four road games in seven games had tired her team and she welcomed a break in the schedule.

“This travel is no joke when you’re flying,” Nakase said. “For us, even for myself, I get dehydrated very quickly. It’s us trying to figure out solutions with the flight and then we had an hour bus travel to Connecticut. We don’t take these things lightly.”

Tonight, given that Golden State hasn’t played since Friday, fatigue shouldn’t be a factor.