Golden State Valkyries vs Indiana Fever: Injury Report, Starting 5, Prediction and More on Tonight’s WNBA Preview

The WNBA is riding its biggest wave yet, and at the crest are the Golden State Valkyries. Just in their debut year, they’ve turned Chase Center into “Ballhalla.” They are selling out every home game and smashing milestones (first team ever to hit 10,000 season tickets), and first expansion franchise to pack the house from day one.

The league-wide attendance has soared past 2.5 million, with Indiana and Caitlin Clark still driving record road crowds. But tonight in the home stands, it’s Golden State’s turn to flex against Indy. With 307,000 fans already through the gates (more than Indiana’s 301,000), the Bay is proof that expansion fever might just burn hotter than Clark’s.

One thing’s certain: Chase Center will be bursting at the seams tonight. But will the home team call for the loudest cheers, or will the resilient Fever, on a 2-game win streak, silence 18,000 of them? Here’s what the odds look like.

Where to Watch the Golden State Valkyries vs Indiana Fever?

• Date: Sunday, 31st August 2025
• Time: 8:30 PM Eastern Time (ET)
• Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
• Streaming services: WNBA League Pass, FUBO
• Cable services: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports Network – North

Injury Report

Golden State Valkyries

Indiana Fever

Predicted Starting Lineup

Golden State Valkyries

• Janelle Salaun: MIN 26.1, PTS 10.6, REB 4.8, AST 1.2, STL 0.7, BLK 0.1
• Temi Fagbenle: MIN 23.0, PTS 7.2, REB 5.1, AST 1.7, STL 0.9, BLK 0.6
• Iliana Rupert: MIN 21.2, PTS 9.0, REB 3.6, AST 1.4, STL 0.4, BLK 0.4
• Kaila Charles: MIN 15.0, PTS 5.7, REB 3.1, AST 0.6, STL 0.8, BLK 0.1
• Veronica Burton: MIN 29.2, PTS 12.0, REB 4.2, AST 5.6, STL 1.1, BLK 0.6

Indiana Fever

• Natasha Howard: MIN 24.4, PTS 11.2, REB 6.7, AST 1.5, STL 1.2, BLK 0.6
• Aliyah Boston: MIN 30.3, PTS 15.6, REB 8.3, AST 3.6, STL 0.9, BLK 1.0
• Odyssey Sims: MIN 26.4, PTS 11.4, REB 2.3, AST 4.0, STL 0.6, BLK 0.0
• Kelsey Mitchell: MIN 31.6, PTS 20.5, REB 1.8, AST 3.4, STL 0.8, BLK 0.2
• Lexie Hull: MIN 26.8, PTS 6.9, REB 4.4, AST 1.8, STL 1.2, BLK 0.2

How the Golden State Valkyries vs Indiana Fever Go Down…

The Fever and Valkyries are two teams circling the same playoff orbit, but their paths couldn’t feel more different. Indiana sits at 21-19, clinging to the sixth spot, while Golden State lurks just below Seattle in the eighth seed. Given Skylar Diggins & Co secured a win against Chicago simultaneously, the Valkyries victory over the Washington, did not distrub the positions. But tonight’s clash with Indiana carries weight beyond the standings…

The regular season series already leans Golden State’s way. An 88-77 win in June and an 80-61 rout in July showcased their ability to expose Indiana’s inconsistencies. Veronica Burton has been the engine, leading her side with 12 points per game while playing the role of floor general. The Valkyries aren’t a high-octane scoring machine, but when their starters (Burton, Salaun, Fagbenle, Rupert, and Charles) find balance, they surely can grind down even superior offenses.

Indiana, however, has the league’s most dangerous scorer in Kelsey Mitchell. Her 20.5 points per game stand atop the matchup. To add to that, she’s flanked by Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard, two bigs who can tilt any rebounding battle. The Fever have stumbled in moments, but they have also shown they can finish tight games, as their +2.7 point differential suggests.

ESPN’s predictor tilts the edge toward Indiana at 58.8%, a reflection of both Mitchell’s firepower and the Fever’s slightly steadier form. Golden State has already proven it can beat this team, but Indiana’s urgency (and history’s pull) make the Fever the safer bet tonight.