Golden State Valkyries On SI

Natalie Nakase’s Paige Bueckers Message After Valkyries Stop WNBA History

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase spoke on Dallas Wings superstar Paige Bueckers.

Will Despart

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5)
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Golden State Valkyries were tasked with slowing down a red-hot Paige Bueckers on Sunday, who was just a game removed from a league-best 44-point game on a remarkable 17-of-21 shooting clip (including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range). Coach Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries certainly passed the test, holding Bueckers to just nine points on an inefficient 3-of-12 from the field.

It was obvious Nakase respected Bueckers' offensive prowess based on the defensive gameplan assigned to her by the Valkyries throughout the game. Nakase made it clear she was focused on Bueckers' scoring ability leading into the game, matching her up with one of the Valkyries best defenders and letting the rest of the team pick up coverage where it was needed.

Golden State stopped WNBA history by holding Bueckers to nine points. She was closing in on the longest double-digit scoring streak by a rookie in league history, but came up short of Candace Parker (32) and A'ja Wilson (33).

"We matched (Kaila Charles) up with her, because Paige just had a 44-point game," Nakase said postgame. "We all watched it. We all saw her. She is an elite scorer in this league, rookie or no rookie, that's impressive what she's been doing."

Nakase added, "Just her ability to do the step back, the floaters, the deep threes, we knew it was going to be a team effort so we matched her up with (Charles) but at the end of the day, too, it was team defense. Just credit to our whole team being locked in because she is not an easy coverage. She demands a lot of attention. So again, just credit to the team, especially without fouling is huge."

Kaila Charles Stepping Up When It Counts

It was an especially impressive performance by Charles when you consider the fact that she was just picked up by the Valkyries this month after being waived by the Wings in late June. Golden State star Veronica Burton praised her teammate's ability to adapt to the circumstances of her career and respond like a true professional.

"I think some people may limit or not understand the challenge that can come from being cut," Burton said. "Her ability to come in and affect everything, not just offensively and defensively, but who she is as a person. It's a major testament to come back (against) the team that waived you and play 35 minutes and impact the game. That is a big testament to who she is as a player but also a person."

Sunday's result was a huge win for the Valkyries, as it kept them in the No. 7 seed position, thanks to fact that they currently own the tiebreaker over the Indiana Fever despite equal 19-18 records. It also keeps them a full game ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks, who are trying to sneak their way into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed despite a trying start to the season.

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Will Despart
WILL DESPART

Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the WNBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.