Valkyries Coach Had Words for Officials After 9th Loss

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase had some thoughts about what decided the game.

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase reacts on the bench during the game against the Atlanta Dream during the first half at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Golden State Valkyries dropped their game against the Atlanta Dream on Monday by nine points and were outscored by 13 in the fourth quarter, but the stat sheet of the game may tell a different story of how that score came to be.

The Valkyries went a perfect 9-for-9 in free throw attempts, but their success at the charity stripe paled in comparison to the Dream's 21 free throws on 24 attempts.

The discrepancy in free throws has been a problem Golden State. In the team's 82-71 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, also a road game, the Valkyries attempted just eight free throws compared to the Lynx's 15. Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase received her first technical foul as a head coach in the game against the Lynx for arguing a call with officials, and she has noticed a trend in officiating during away games.

Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase and referee Amy Bonner during the third quarter against the Indiana Fever at Chase Center. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Nakase expressed her frustrations with the gap in free throw attempts after Golden State's latest loss.

"24 to nine, so that's minus 15. So, if they get 15 more free, that's why they're called free, and we lost the game by nine I'm telling the refs this is a hard game for us to win," Nakase said (via Valkyries).

She added, "I get it, home cooking, but to me... V (Veronica Burton), Mo (Monique Billings), Tiff (Tiffany Hayes), they were going up just as aggressive as their players and we just did not get the whistle. I'm going to keep fighting for my players."

Golden State has been in the middle of the pack when it comes to total free throw attempts with 357 so far this season, which comes out slightly ahead of their opponents FTA against them, 353, but Nakase is still aware of how a difference in free throw opportunities can decide such close games, as it did against the Dream.