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'Win or Die': Inside Natalie Nakase's and the Valkyries' playoff mentality
Description
The Golden State Valkyries won their first WNBA playoff game in dominant fashion. Spurred by a 37-point second quarter, the Valks set a franchise record for points in a 104-80 win Sunday over the Dallas Wings at Chase Center. Six players hit multiple 3-pointers, including reserves Tiffany Hayes and Kaitlyn Chen, who were among five Valkyries to finish with at least 10 points. Golden State’s 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series means coach Natalie Nakase’s team can advance to the WNBA semifinals with a road win Wednesday. What does the Valkyries’ Game 1 dominance mean for their playoff outlook? The Standard’s Jane Kenny joins host Kerry Crowley on the “Section 415” podcast to share her takeaways from Sunday’s postseason opener and to preview Game 2.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro: Valkyries win their first-ever playoff game 0:30 The Chase Center environment 1:23 What sparked the historic 37-11 second quarter 3:20 Tiffany Hayes' bench spark 5:03 Ceci Zandalasini's breakout performance 9:13 Kaitlyn Chen's crucial contributions 11:59 Why was Natalie Nakase critical of the Valks in her postgame presser? 14:20 How will Paige Bueckers and the Wings adjust for Game 2? 16:55 Cheryl Reeve wins Coach of the Year over Nakase. Was it deserved? 21:02 Outro & credits
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