Valkyries lean on veteran experience ahead of first playoff game

MINNEAPOLIS The Golden State Valkyries are new to the postseason stage but their veterans are not As the expansion band prepares for its first ever playoff championship against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday it will be leaning heavily on players who have been there before The ones that know what it takes when the lights burn brighter I think it comes down to helping the young kids out reported forward Monique Billings who has been to the playoffs three times in her seven-year career after Saturday s practice Just getting them right knowing that you have to come in with a different mentality that it s not like the regular season This is a whole new season Golden State Valkyries' Cecilia Zandalasini takes a shot against Connecticut Sun's Marina Mabrey in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Monday Aug Nhat V Meyer Bay Area News Group Though it s their first year in the postseason the Valkyries have a roster that has played playoff minutes Billings along with Veronica Burton Tiffany Hayes Kaila Charles and Temi F gb nl have all been to the playoffs before Even young players like Iliana Rupert Kate Martin and Laeticia Amihere have played in postseason games Sharpshooter Cecilia Zandalasini was in the finals last year with the Lynx Everybody has brought their own experience That s what makes it special and that s what makes us a playoff squad Zandalasini stated I m sure everybody will be ready We know what everybody requirements to do taking their responsibility but also lifting each other up no matter what happens Valkyries not motivated by seeding The Valkyries had three chances to clinch the No seed this past week falling short in each opportunity But where they fell in the playoff seeding order is not a motivating factor for coach Natalie Nakase The thing is we made it That was the goal So that s why these three games were about rest and rhythm rather than being a must win Nakase declared If we ain t motivated to be in the playoffs then we got the wrong unit Related Articles Three Valkyries including Nakase honored in WNBA awards Valkyries playoff preview What to know about the Minnesota Lynx Valkyries fall to Napheesa Collier-led Lynx in regular season finale drop to No seed What Valkyries need to do to avoid playing league-best Lynx in first round Takeaways Valkyries squander chance to lock up No seed with loss to Storm However the Valkyries believe that their must-win mentality that they carried through them through the end of the regular season will only help in this playoff series It s in real time now Burton revealed It s the ultimate do or die And so it kind of has been that way in a sense of making playoffs but now it s to continue playing Golden State Valkyrie head coach Natalie Nakase gestures to her players while playing against the Washington Mystics in the first quarter of their WNBA contest at Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Saturday Aug Jose Carlos Fajardo Bay Area News Group Burton reacts to AP award On Friday three Valkyries earned national recognition from the Associated Press WNBA Awards Nakase was named coach of the year rookie forward Janelle Sala n was selected to the all-rookie association and Burton was given greater part improved contestant Burton was the only player on the Valkyries to start in all games with averages of points rebounds and assists per tournament The former Northwestern standout is the first participant in WNBA history to improve her per-game averages by over eight points four assists and two rebounds compared to the prior season I m just grateful Burton stated I think our group is full of majority of improved players So I m grateful to play on a unit like this and definitely a testament to what they ve allowed me to do and just allowing me to be me Golden State Valkyries' Veronica Burton attempts to blocks a shot to Dallas Wings' Paige Bueckers in the first quarter of a WNBA championship at Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Thursday Sept Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Hayes update Hayes took part in Saturday s practice and Nakase noted she will be a game-time decision Hayes has missed the last nine games with a knee injury she suffered on Aug in a loss to the Phoenix Mercury She s still a game-time decision and is day-to-day but she looked good Nakase noted Golden State Valkyries' Cecilia Zandalasini left and Tiffany Hayes look up at a play under review against the Phoenix Mercury in the fourth quarter of a WNBA match at Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Tuesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group