The Golden State Valkyries return home to Chase Center on Saturday night looking to extend their franchise-record eight-game winning streak as they host the Washington Mystics in the second meeting of a three-game season series.
Golden State enters the matchup with one of the WNBA’s hottest records at 18-7, while Washington comes in at 12-11. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. PT.
Series History
The Valkyries have dominated the all-time series, winning all five meetings against the Mystics, including a 62-49 defensive masterpiece in Washington on July 6. Golden State held the Mystics to just 30% shooting from the field and 3-of-24 (12.5%) from beyond the arc while allowing a franchise-low 49 points.
Golden State Riding Defensive Momentum
Defense continues to be the identity of Natalie Nakase’s squad.
The Valkyries lead the WNBA by allowing just 76.1 points per game and have held opponents under 70 points eight times this season. During their current eight-game winning streak, Golden State is surrendering only 69.3% per contest, while opponents are shooting under 39% from the floor.
Golden State is also 10-0 in July and enters Saturday after an impressive 88-75 road victory over the Indiana Fever.
Players to Watch
Gabby Williams
Williams continues to lead the Valkyries offense, averaging 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. The 2026 WNBA All-Star starter has emerged as one of the league’s top two-way players and is coming off a 16-point performance against Indiana.
Veronica Burton
Burton remains the engine of Golden State’s offense, averaging 11.9 points and a team-high 5.2 assists while ranking among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. The Valkyries are 11-0 when Burton records six or more assists this season.
Janelle Salaün
One of the league’s most productive reserves, Salaün averages 13.0 points off the bench while shooting 40% from three-point range. She enters the game just five three-pointers away from the WNBA single-season record for made threes by a reserve.
Washington Looking for Offensive Answers
The Mystics average 80.0 points per game, but they’ll face one of the league’s stingiest defenses.
Washington struggled mightily in the previous meeting, scoring only 49 points while committing 17 turnovers. Kiki Iriafen led the Mystics with 12 points in that contest, while Shakira Austin added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Injury Report
Golden State will once again be without:
- Justé Jocyté (left foot soreness)
- Iliana Rupert (pregnancy)
Key Matchup
Golden State’s defense versus Washington’s offense will once again take center stage. If the Valkyries continue to force difficult shots and capitalize on their deep, productive bench, they’ll have an opportunity to extend their winning streak to nine games.
Washington, meanwhile, must find a way to generate consistent offense after being held to a season-low 49 points in the teams’ last meeting.
With first-place aspirations and postseason positioning becoming increasingly important, Saturday night’s contest provides another opportunity for the Valkyries to prove why they have become one of the WNBA’s elite defensive teams.
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