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The Golden State Valkyries reached the WNBA Finals on grit, defensive savagery and some charming novelty, too.
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Well, that novelty is dead now. The Atlanta Dream didn’t just knot this series at 1-1 with a 79-65 Game 2 beatdown Monday; they appeared to solve the Valks’ puzzle.
If coach Natalie Nakase doesn’t evolve her stagnant offense before Game 3 in Atlanta, the clock will strike midnight on the Valkyries’ incredible run well earlier than expected – much like the shot clock on seemingly every Golden State offensive possession.
Golden State’s defense remains kinetic, violent and relentless. While Angel Reese had a brilliant Game 2, Atlanta only shot 34 percent from the field and 28 percent from beyond the arc. The Valks’ defense did the job.
The offense didn’t even come close.
I’ve covered enough NBA playoff series throughout the years to know that the winners are the teams that make the best adjustments.
Game 3 cries out for a big adjustment from the Valkyries on the offensive side of the court.
When the Valks can’t force live-ball turnovers and can’t scavenge second-chance points on the offensive glass, they so often turn into a basketball team standing in quicksand.
The Valkyries’ offensive playbook is rather simple: high pick-and-rolls, predictable dribble-handoffs at the top of the key and a steadfast hope that dribble penetration can collapse the lane for a layup or a kick-out for 3.
When that doesn’t work? Well, it sure looks like everybody panics and the Golden State offense devolves into a game of one-on-one.
Gabby Williams’ isolation brilliance can cover for some of that, but on a night like Monday, when Williams went 3-of-15 from the field, there was simply no second option.
It took one game for Atlanta to figure out the patterns and typical movements of the Valkyries’ offense. On Monday, the Dream jumped lanes and beat Golden State players to spots from the opening tip. Ergo, 18 turnovers for the WNBA’s best team at keeping possession in the regular season.
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The deeper the Valkyries get into the shot clock, the slower things move, and that’s when Atlanta really pounced on the predictability.
So, what’s the counter?
Nakase doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but she must stop driving with four flat tires.
First, look at how the Dream are guarding Veronica Burton. Atlanta is ducking so far under perimeter screens that Burton could legally file for homestead exemption in the open space.
They don’t respect her outside shot. They won’t until she forces them to.
It’s time for Burton to start chucking early in the shot clock. See the space, take the shot. Let them fly. If Burton can knock a few down, Atlanta has to adjust its geometry, and suddenly the paint stops looking like rush hour on the Bay Bridge.
And, beyond that, get more motion. Atlanta boasts elite stoppers everywhere. The Dream really is the East version of the Valks.
Force more switches. Run them through screening actions until Atlanta’s lungs burn. Stop running handoffs right into the teeth of Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray. This is where the Golden State depth can play a big role – movement, movement, movement.
That said, the Valkyries survived this long because they could work their way through problems.
But in the Finals, defense and effort only earn you a puncher’s chance. That’s the baseline.
If Golden State wants to bring a trophy back to the Bay, Nakase and her staff must add some wrinkles to the game plan. Opening salvos have been issued. This is a tactical battle now.
Yes, winners make the best adjustments. Atlanta just showed its – more aggressively jumping passing lanes, hitting Reese with pocket passes in the pick-and-roll.
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What’s the Valkyries’ answer in Game 3?
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 2:24 PM.