After riding high, back-to-back Aces beatdowns snapped the Valkyries to attention. Natalie Nakase blasted their target record on the screen, turning playoff dreams into a visual manifesto.“We continued to do both, one percent better, at the same time, making the playoffs was our goal.” She said. And a couple of weeks later, Nakase and Co. made history as the first expansion team to qualify for the playoffs. Many think the first round against the Minnesota Lynx is the end of the road for the newcomers, but Cheryl Reeve has sent a clarification otherwise. 

The Valkyries never had the load of expectations, and the Lynx were the complete opposite. Cheryl Reeve and Co. reached the WNBA Finals last season, but that ended with an overtime loss in the decisive Game 5 in New York, which was marred by issues with the referees. “This s*** was stolen from us.” The Lynx are on their way to a revenge title, but without taking the No.8 seed Valkyries lightly. 

Cheryl Reeve said via Terry Horstman, “I don’t think there’s any titles that would be fair to put on Golden State. You know they’re one game away from finishing 6th and so make no mistake about it. We don’t. We don’t see them as an underdog. We see them as a team that can literally be any team in this league in a series, and any thoughts different than that would be inappropriate.”

Valkyries did not get here by their surprise element alone. The Natalie Nakase-coached side has been a wall, forming an identity of their own with their third-best defense in the league. The Valkyries gave their No.6 seed away themselves, as they finished with 3 losses on the trot. In those 3 games, one was against the Seattle Storm, giving them the tiebreaker. Ironically, Lynx defeated Valkyries twice to put them in that No.8 seed. So while Valkyries are formidable, they have yet to figure out how to beat the marching Lynx as their 4-game series ended 0-4, with three being double-digit losses for the Valkyries. 

However, Nakase and Co. are vowing to change that. After their playoff qualification, the celebrations were curtailed by Natalie Nakase. The reason?“We’re not done yet,” Nakase said. An ambitious Valkyries side that has nothing to lose is dangerous, as they have already gone beyond what anyone expected of them. Even Nakase admitted to having “a chip on the shoulder to prove people wrong,” as most see Minnesota sweeping the series. Reeve is correct to be cautious of this team, but make no mistake, Valkyries are underdogs. 

Even With Caveats, Minnesota Lynx Poised for a Sweep

The Lynx swept the four-game season series by an average of 11.8 points. They have more postseason experience in addition to their motivation for a title. Golden State shocked the league in Year 1, with Natalie Nakase a frontrunner for Coach of the Year, but “Ballhalla” is getting bounced from Chase Center for Game 2 by the Laver Cup, sending the Valkyries to San Jose’s SAP Center instead.

Their 18000+ crowd has been one of the main reasons for the qualification, with a 14-7 record at home. That fortress will not be compromised that much in terms of capacity, as the SAP center can hold 17,562. But a change in home court during such a critical game takes them slightly out of their comfort zone. 

Statistically, Cheryl Reeve’s Minnesota is leagues ahead in almost every aspect. They are the best offense and defense in the league while having at least 8 players that can come in and win them the game. The Valkyries just don’t have that luxury since they are missing All-Star Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes. “I think Golden State will have too hard a time and Minnesota is just too deep and too tough a team to pull off an upset,” said Mitchell Hansen of Windsr. 

Napheesa Collier has a point to prove in the MVP conversation, especially to those leaning toward A’ja Wilson, after a blistering 50-40-90-level season that fueled Minnesota’s rise. While the ballots are locked, the postseason becomes narrative fuel: Collier can elevate her legacy by outdueling Wilson now, turning skepticism into motivation rather than votes.