Up Seven With 3:32 Left, the Valkyries Lost the Streak and the Tie for First

Washington closed on a 17-2 run to snap Golden State's franchise-record nine-game streak, 90-82. Minnesota won in Seattle, Las Vegas won in Toronto, and instead of tied for first at the break, the Valkyries sit two games back and dropped to third in the West.

The collapse

The Valkyries led 80-73 with 3:32 to play Monday night at Chase Center. They lost 90-82, outscored 17-2 the rest of the way, and the nine-game winning streak, the longest in franchise history, was over.

Kiki Iriafen put Washington ahead for good with a short jumper at 1:41 to make it 82-80, then Shakira Austin's hook shot stretched it. Golden State scored two points in the final 3:32. Iriafen finished with 23 and 12, Austin with 15 and 15, and Sonia Citron added 15 and six assists for a Mystics team that lost 74-69 on Saturday and flew across the country to split the set.

It was a strange night to lose one. Kaitlyn Chen set a career high with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go with six assists, and she was the only Golden State rotation player to finish with a positive plus-minus. Kayla Thornton scored 15 on 4-of-7 from deep, Veronica Burton had 12 and seven assists. But Gabby Williams, honored before tipoff with a tribute video and a framed All-Star jersey, went 4-of-12 from the floor and 0-of-4 from three, finishing at minus-19. The Valkyries lost for just the third time in their last 16.

The crowd was the story before the story. Thousands lined up starting four and a half hours before tipoff for the Hello Kitty plush giveaway to the first 10,000 fans, and Hello Kitty keychains sold out in the team stores. Then the home team gave it away at the end.

Film room: the size bill came due

All streak, Golden State won games it had no business winning on the glass because the late threes fell. Saturday it was four threes in the final 5:55, 12 of 15 closing-run points from deep, a 15-4 finish to survive Washington's 40-16 paint edge.

Monday the formula inverted. The Valkyries went cold from deep when it mattered, Williams 0-of-4 and the team without a three in the final 3:32, and the size deficit they had been outrunning for nine games became the game. Austin and Iriafen grabbed 27 rebounds between them, four more than Golden State's entire roster (23). The league-best defense that had held opponents to 69.3 a night across the eight wins before Monday, and six in a single quarter against Connecticut, surrendered 36 in the fourth quarter alone. When the threes stopped falling, the thing Natalie Nakase keeps saying, that her team will not grow a few inches before the rematch, became the whole game.

The standings damage

Yesterday's stakes were clean: win and get a Minnesota loss, finish the first half tied for first. Both games went the other way.

Minnesota won 105-102 in Seattle, Kayla McBride scoring 33 with six threes and Olivia Miles adding 32, eight rebounds and eight assists, the Lynx's sixth straight. Las Vegas won 109-83 at Toronto, A'ja Wilson going 11-of-14 for 26 and Jackie Young 24 with 12 assists.

So the Valkyries enter the All-Star break at 19-8, two games behind Minnesota (21-6) and now behind Las Vegas too. The Aces are 18-7, .720 to Golden State's .704, with two games in hand. The Valkyries dropped from second to third in the Western Conference on the last night of the first half. Dallas is 17-9 after losing 99-98 in overtime to New York with Paige Bueckers ruled out.

The break lasts eight days. Golden State does not play again until July 29 at Phoenix.

All-Star week, and the one door still open

Gabby Williams is the only Valkyrie on an All-Star roster, a Team Coop starter drafted by Cynthia Cooper, and Monday's pregame ceremony made it official with a framed jersey and a tribute video from her loved ones. The All-Star Game is Saturday at the United Center in Chicago on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET, with the 3-Point Contest and Shooting Stars on Friday at Wintrust Arena on ESPN.

Veronica Burton's path to Chicago is still open but narrowing. The replacement door is Kelsey Plum, the Sparks guard drafted to Team Coop who has missed six straight with a lower-leg injury and is not due to be reevaluated until late this month. NBC Sports lists Burton among the top replacement candidates. Olivia Miles, who had opened a second door with her ankle sprain, is back playing. No replacement has been named.

Tracking

New York 99, Dallas 98 (OT): Breanna Stewart had 33, 13 and eight, Sabrina Ionescu 12 of her 21 in overtime, and the Liberty snapped a four-game skid. Bueckers sat with soreness from Sunday's collision, is not in concussion protocol, and is still expected to play Saturday.
Minnesota's Napheesa Collier remains out the whole season after offseason ankle surgery, with no return date. The Lynx are 21-6 without her.
Next up for Golden State: July 29 at Phoenix (9-18), the first of two months that decide whether this break is a reset or the start of a slide. Then home for Toronto August 3.