Can the expansion Golden State Valkyries deliver the defending champion New York Liberty a third-straight loss?

If you’re the depleted defending champions, looking to avoid your first three-game losing streak since July 2022, the last place you want to find yourself is Ballhalla.

Yet, that’s the current situation of the New York Liberty, who have made their first trip to San Francisco to face to Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night. (10 p.m. ET, League Pass).

Down Jonquel Jones due to an ankle injury and Leonie Fiebich because of EuroBasket Women, the Liberty lost to the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday before falling to the Seattle Storm on Sunday. In the latter loss, Sabrina Ionescu also was sidelined with a neck injury. The NorCal native is expected to return on Wednesday.

However, the home team will have little sympathy for the local gal and her squad. Adaptability has defined the Valkyries. Whether dealing with injuries or absences, Golden State has dismissed any easy excuses, instead focusing on maximizing what they have to win games.

Most recently, that involved head coach Natalie Nakase calling on Kaitlyn Chen, the third-round draft pick who was cut before the season but resigned due to EuroBasket absences. With fellow rookie guard Carla Leite dealing with a back injury that has her questionable for Wednesday night, Chen made her WNBA debut, scoring five points in 21 impactful minutes as Golden State routed the Connecticut Sun, 87-63.

Nakase and the Valkyries overall ethos also is evident in her response to a question about the anticipated return of Temi Fagbenle, as Great Britain was eliminated from EuroBasket Women. Nakase mused, “That’s a good question. So no, I better figure that out soon because we do miss Temi obviously. But yeah, we’ll figure that out.”

Her words, certainly, do not suggest that the Valkyries do not value Fagbenle, but, rather, are reflective of a “we’ve got what we need” mindset that has the star-less expansion team sitting a 7-6 in the WNBA standings, securely above struggling teams that employ players considered stars.

And at some point, especially if they send the Liberty to a loss on Wednesday, it may be time to stop describing the Valkyries as a “surprise” or a “dark horse;” they’ve done enough to show that they simply are a legit, good team. Yet, in league where it is presumed that stars—or multiple stars—are necessary for success, the Valkyries are an intriguing, unexpected outlier deserving of awe.

Elsewhere around the W

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas Aces host the Connecticut Sun on the first leg of a home back-to-back (10 p.m. ET, NBA TV). Following Sunday’s win over the Indiana Fever, the set presents an opportunity for the Aces show that they’ve recovered from their early-season sputters and rediscovered their championship form.

While a win over the Sun, now without Marina Mabrey due to a knee injury that will cause her to miss two to four weeks, should be all but assured, Thursday’s game presents more of a challenge, as the Washington Mystics, winners of two-straight games behind Eastern Conference Player of the Week Shakira Austin, visit Vegas (10 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

The Fever rebounded from their fall-from-ahead loss to the Aces to defeat the Storm on Tuesday and avoid their own three-loss road trip. On Thursday, they’re back in Indiana to host the Los Angeles Sparks (7 p.m. ET, Prime Video), losers to the Chicago Sky on Tuesday.

The Fever will not have the services of DeWanna Bonner for that one—or moving forward. Away from the team due to “personal reasons” since the Fever’s June 10 game in Atlanta, Bonner “has no interest in returning to play for the Fever,” according to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports. Costabile further cited sources who described Bonner’s fit with the Fever as “off,” while noting that the vet prefers to play for the Dream or Mercury.

Game information

New York Liberty (10-3) vs. Golden State Valkyries (7-6)

When: Wednesday, June 25 at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Chase Center in San Francisco, CA

How to watch: WNBA League Pass

Connecticut Sun (2-12) vs. Las Vegas Aces (6-7)

When: Wednesday, June 25 at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, NV

How to watch: NBA TV

Los Angeles Sparks (4-11) vs. Indiana Fever (7-7)

When: Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m. ET

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN

How to watch: Prime Video

Washington Mystics (7-8) vs. Las Vegas Aces (6-7)

When: Thursday, June 26 at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, NV

How to watch: Prime Video