Valkyries Drop to Third After Losing 91-89 in Phoenix Without Williams

Golden State out-scored Phoenix from the field by 15 and lost the free throw line by 17, dropping behind Las Vegas into third place. The trade deadline is Sunday, and Kelsey Plum looks likely to move.

The game turned at the free throw line

The Valkyries lost 91-89 to the Mercury on Wednesday night at the Mortgage Matchup Center, their second straight loss (AP, ESPN).

Golden State played without Gabby Williams, who was ruled out for "reconditioning" (listed as Not Injury Related), her first absence since July 10 (Athlon Sports). Williams started the All-Star Game on July 25 and scored 18 in 23 minutes, so the tag points to a conditioning issue coming out of the eight-day break rather than a new injury.

The box score tells a strange story. The Valkyries made more field goals (31 to 27) and more three-pointers (12 to 5) than Phoenix. They out-scored the Mercury from the field, 74 points to 59. But Phoenix went to the free throw line 43 times and made 32, while Golden State shot 19 and made 15. That 17-point gap at the line decided a two-point game.

Kahleah Copper scored 27 on 9-of-14 shooting to lead the Mercury, with Alyssa Thomas adding 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and DeWanna Bonner 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks (AP). Phoenix improved to 11-18 with its third straight win.

The decisive sequence: Copper was called for her sixth foul with 1:45 to play, the Mercury challenged, and the call was upheld. Nine seconds later Kayla Thornton hit a three to tie it at 82. Bonner answered with two free throws at 1:27 to take the lead for good, and Golden State never scored again.

Cecilia Zandalasini fouled out with 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting (3-of-6 from three) and three steals. Veronica Burton added 15 points and five assists in 34 minutes. Kaila Charles had 10 points and a season-high 10 rebounds, her second career double-double and first since 2021. Janelle Salaun scored 13 (2-of-5 from the field, 7-of-8 from the line), Laeticia Amihere had 12 in 13 minutes off the bench, and Tiffany Hayes added 11. Kaitlyn Chen scored 4 on 2-of-9 shooting with four assists in 12 minutes (Las Vegas Sun, ESPN box score).

Golden State committed 34 fouls to Phoenix's 23 and sent the Mercury to the line 24 more times than the Valkyries went themselves. The league's best defense, which allowed 76.4 points per game through the All-Star break, gave up 91.

Film room: the Copper clamp broke

The Valkyries had held Copper to 7-of-26 shooting (26.9 percent) across their two wins over Phoenix this season, 11 points in the May 10 opener and 9 on June 9. The league's top defense zeroed the Mercury's primary scorer and lived with Thomas running the offense.

That clamp broke on Wednesday. Without Williams, their best perimeter defender and a first-team All-Defense selection, the Valkyries could not contain Copper. She went 9-of-14 (64.3 percent) for 27 points, more than double her output in either of the first two meetings. Phoenix shot 49.1 percent from the field as a team, well above what the Valkyries had been allowing.

The defensive breakdown was compounded by the whistle. Golden State committed 34 fouls, and the Mercury went to the line 43 times. When the defense could not stay in front of Copper and Thomas without fouling, the game moved to the line, where Phoenix held a 32-15 advantage in made free throws.

Golden State dropped to third

The loss dropped the Valkyries to 19-9 (.679), a half-game behind Las Vegas (19-8, .704) and 3.5 games behind first-place Minnesota (23-6, .793) in the standings (ESPN). Golden State had been tied with the Aces at 19-8 before Wednesday. Las Vegas beat Portland 98-83 on July 28 behind A'ja Wilson's 28 points and 14 rebounds (AP) and did not play on July 29, so the Aces moved ahead while the Valkyries lost.

The standings could move again tonight. Minnesota plays at Toronto (5 p.m. PT, Prime Video / TSN), and Las Vegas hosts New York (7 p.m. PT, Prime Video). Connecticut visits Chicago (5 p.m. PT). If both the Lynx and Aces win, the Valkyries will be four games out of first and a full game behind second before they play again.

The deadline is Sunday, and Plum looks likely to move

The WNBA trade deadline falls at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 2, three days from now (WNBA), and the biggest name on the board is one the Valkyries have been linked to for weeks.

The Athletic reported on July 28 that Kelsey Plum, who signed a one-year, $999,999 deal with the Sparks, does not intend to re-sign with Los Angeles (The Athletic via Yahoo Sports). Days later, LA Times reporter Marisa Ingemi wrote that the Sparks are "most likely" to trade Plum before Sunday's deadline and have received "multiple calls" from interested teams (Sporting News, ClutchPoints).

The Golden State fit is obvious and has been stated plainly by multiple outlets. Plum is second in the league in scoring at 23.9 points per game, and the Valkyries' offense ranks 12th at 82.1 points. She has a close relationship with head coach Natalie Nakase from their time together on the Aces staff. ESPN listed Plum as the top player to watch at the deadline and wrote that she "could help the Golden State Valkyries, who have the WNBA's best defense but could use a little more offensive firepower" (ESPN).

The SF Standard laid out the dilemma in detail on July 29: the Valkyries would likely have to offload multiple players to stay under the hard cap, and a deal of that magnitude would threaten the depth and continuity that built the 19-8 start. Kaitlyn Chen, on an inexpensive contract and emerging as one of the league's best backup point guards, would be an attractive asset to other teams but is considered close to untouchable for Golden State. Rookie Juste Jocytė, a top-five draft pick, has not cracked the rotation and could interest a rebuilding team (SF Standard).

ClutchPoints reported on July 30 that the Valkyries have roughly $128,000 in cap space, meaning any trade would have to come close to matching salaries. The most viable package would pair an expiring contract (Kayla Thornton at $750,000, Tiffany Hayes or Zandalasini at $600,000) with a young asset like Jocytė and future draft picks. The risk is real: Plum is on an expiring deal, so the Valkyries would need assurance she will re-sign, and trading for her runs counter to the connectivity, depth and unselfishness the organization has made its identity (ClutchPoints). The decision lands Sunday.

Next: Sunday at home, on deadline day

The Valkyries' next game is Sunday, August 2 against the Toronto Tempo at Chase Center, 5:30 p.m. PT on KPIX+ (Bay Area) and KMAX (Sacramento), with radio on 95.7 The Game, ESPN 1320 and the Audacy app (Valkyries broadcast schedule, Chase Center). The trade deadline passes at noon PT, five and a half hours before tipoff, so the roster the Valkyries take the floor with could look different from the one that lost in Phoenix.

Toronto is 10-17 and has lost three straight, including a 100-93 loss at Minnesota on July 28. The Valkyries beat the Tempo 83-75 in their first-ever meeting on July 8 in Toronto, when Salaun scored a career-high 26 on 5-of-6 three-point shooting.

A two-game set follows: the Tempo visit Chase Center again on Tuesday, August 4 at 7 p.m. PT on KPIX and KOVR.

Tracking

Atlanta 82, Dallas 81 (July 29): Allisha Gray hit a game-winning jumper as the Dream closed on a 15-5 run to stun the Wings in Arlington. Angel Reese scored 22 and Gray 25 for Atlanta (17-10, four straight wins). Dallas (18-10) has now lost to the Dream three times this season. Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 24 and Azzi Fudd added 20 (FOX Sports, Dallas Morning News).

Minnesota at Toronto, tonight (5 p.m. PT): The Lynx (23-6, eight straight wins) visit the Tempo (10-17) at Scotiabank Arena on Prime Video and TSN. Napheesa Collier made her home debut Tuesday with 15 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes after scoring 24 and 10 in her season debut at Seattle on July 22.

New York at Las Vegas, tonight (7 p.m. PT): The Aces (19-8) host the Liberty (16-12) on Prime Video. A Las Vegas win would push the gap between the Aces and the third-place Valkyries to a full game.

Williams watch: Ruled out Wednesday for reconditioning, her first absence since July 10. Her status for Sunday's game against Toronto is not yet known. The Valkyries' offense scored 89 without her, close to their season average of 82.1, but the defense that had been the league's best gave up 91.