The Valkyries boast one of the best defenses in the league, but as they turn up to face the Dallas Wings, head coach Natalie Nakase is looking to make a tactical push in their approach. After having defeated the Wings thrice already in the regular season, the Valkyries are adjusting their strategy to further stifle the Wings’ offense, particularly for one player.
Coach Natalie Nakase was asked about the preparation process to face the Wings in the first round of the 2026 WNBA playoffs in a recent media availability session. She opened up about their scouting report in a detailed reply, specifically about Paige Bueckers, per an X post by Kenzo Fukuda of ClutchPoints.
“I think he’s [Jose Fernandez] changed a couple of sets, obviously, to free up Paige [Bueckers]. She gets blitzed a lot. So he’s tweaked a couple of things. But we also just want to just stay aggressive on their players, on their routes, on their tendencies. We just want to make sure that they take tough shots. But mainly, we take away their pace. They play fast. So it’s just, again, meeting them early,” said the HC.
Seems that the Valkyries’ scouting has been on point. Paige Bueckers, who has been one of the primary scoring engines for the Dallas Wings this season, has faced serious guarding throughout the seasons. Often, she has faced defensive blitzes and double-team defenses to stop her prolific scoring ability.
In their three victories over the Wings in the regular season, the Valkyries have managed to curb Paige Bueckers’ usual scoring ability through intense perimeter defense. Fernandez has actively tweaked offensive sets and spacing to help free Bueckers up. But under Natalie Nakase, a team like the Valkyries rarely allows Bueckers to face only one defender at a time.
The Golden State Valkyries have the highest defensive rating in the league, and Paige Bueckers’ stats across her games against them are proof. Bueckers has averaged 17.6 points, four assists, and two rebounds per game, a significant fall from her season average of 20.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, and 5.9 apg. The Valkyries, led by Gabby Williams, held the 24-year-old to 44.2% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. Bueckers, across this season, has averaged way more – 51.2% from the field and 41.0% from three. Natalie Nakase’s strategy to shut down Bueckers’ scoring seems to have worked in the regular season.
The Valkyries’ plan seems to be to force Paige Bueckers and other shooters to make difficult shots, reducing efficiency. This defense is anchored by Williams, who provides a presence on both ends of the court. She leads the Golden State in points (14.4 ppg) as well as steals (1.6 spg), presenting a unique two-way threat. It is likely that the duo of Williams and Veronica Burton will be sent in to guard the Dallas Wings’ star guard.
Paige Bueckers herself has admitted the difficulty in breaking past the Valkyries’ defenses.
“They’re probably one of the best, if not the best, defensive backcourts in the WNBA,” she said, per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.
But Bueckers is also keenly aware that her being blitzed presents a unique opportunity for the Wings.
“Honestly, teams blitzing me provides an opportunity for my teammates, and we can play to those advantages,” Bueckers said, per The Podium Finish. “Even in isolation they’re sending two as well, so that creates opportunities and advantages in 3-on-2s and 4-on-3s for my teammates, and we’re getting good looks”
If the Wings can use Bueckers’ gravity as bait to pass the ball to other scorers like Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard, they could effectively counter Natalie Nakase’s plans. Bleacher Report contributor Nekias Duncan pointed out another interesting take on how he thinks Paige Bueckers handles the intense gravity that she has attracted this season.
“Something that I find myself repeating when watching games or taking notes is some variation of “I like how Paige is handling traps.” She’s one of four players—Sabrina Ionescu, Tiffany Hayes and Marina Mabrey are the others—to be blitzed on at least 10 percent of her pick-and-rolls post-All-Star break…She’s done such a good job of diagnosing and accepting the aggression, and countering with quick advance passes to the wing or soft lobs to whoever is slipping/rolling.”
The first game between Natalie Nakase’s Valkyries and Jose Ferdandez’s Wings is set to be held on Sunday at the Chase Center, as Golden State secured the home-court advantage by being in the top-four seeded teams. Paige Bueckers and Co. will hope to add a win to their ledger against the Valkyries and make a deep playoff run after holding the worst record in the league in the 2025 season.