Gabby Williams, Valkyries Edge Mystics 74-69 for Ninth Straight Win
· Yahoo Sports
Gabby Williams scored 18 points and the Golden State Valkyries held off the Washington Mystics 74-69 on Saturday for their ninth straight win, improving to 19-7.
Veronica Burton scored 11 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season, with only one turnover in 32 minutes against a tough, pressuring defense.
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"The one turnover in 32 minutes might be even more impressive considering the type of defense Washington plays. They're one of the best for a reason. They harass the ball, they're physical in the paint, they stunt, they shift," Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. "I thought she pressed everyone's buttons perfectly tonight, giving each player exactly what they needed."
Kayla Thornton hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4:14 left to score 11 points. Williams made a 3 at 5:55 to cut Washington's lead to 65-62. Stokes then tied it from beyond the arc, and Burton's 3 with 2:14 left completed a 15-4 run, giving Golden State a 71-65 lead.
"KT hit a big three, then Kia hit a big three, then V hit a big three, then Gabby hit a big three," Nakase said. "You could really see our trust growing in those moments."
Burton credited Stokes' willingness to let it fly.
"Kiah is one of the most selfless people. She does so much of the dirty work for us. She probably sets 50 screens for me every game and never asks for anything in return," Burton said. "Her lack of hesitation on that shot was huge."
Shakira Austin matched her career high with 16 rebounds and 18 points, her ninth double-double this season and 23rd overall. She achieved her first 15-and-15 game, becoming the seventh Mystics player to do so, and extended her streak of 10-point, 5-rebound games to six, one shy of her best.
"'Anchor' is a great word. Quarterback is another," Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said of Austin's role. "She takes tremendous pride in defense. She's competitive, vocal, gives extra effort and is versatile."
Johnson said her growth has been a season-long theme.
"I've probably become a broken record talking about this, but Shakira has done a tremendous job with her player development," Johnson said. "The game is really slowing down for her. She's reading the game so much better now, and that's allowing her to be more effective while also drawing attention and creating opportunities for others."
Johnson also credited Washington's training staff for keeping Austin, last year's Comeback Player of the Year, on the floor, and made the case that she belongs on the All-Star roster alongside teammates Sonia Citron and Aaliyah Edwards. Austin chalked the slow start up to a problem that's dogged Washington much of the year, a nine-point hole in the first quarter.
"Our sense of urgency has come a little late, whether that's coming out of halftime or just being able to evaluate what teams are throwing at us," Austin said. "I think we have to bring that same intentionality from the very beginning and just play harder."
Citron went down hard with 7:19 left in the third quarter after colliding with Cecilia Zandalasini for a loose ball, but she shook it off and finished with 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting, four assists and two steals. Johnson said Golden State's early traps on her just open things up elsewhere on the floor.
"Teams are trapping Sonia early and trying to get the ball out of her hands. We're trying to make opponents pay for defending her that way," Johnson said. "We want the ball to move, create opportunities for others, and eventually come back to them."
Michaela Onyenwere chipped in 9 points with a career-tying five assists, and her 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the first quarter put Washington up 18-10. Golden State answered by closing the half on a 23-6 run to take a 33-28 lead into the break.
Washington out-rebounded Golden State 37-26, the 21st time this season the Mystics have won the battle on the glass, tops in the WNBA. Burton said the guards know they have to pitch in to balance that out.
"They were very successful in the paint, and we talked about it," Burton said. "It's on us guards, too, to help. Our bigs cover for us all the time, so we have to return the favor, whether that's digging, doubling or what we call 'smashing' on rebounds."
Austin said the fourth quarter was where Washington's defense came apart.
"I have to be better in the fourth quarter, especially not letting them get up threes," Austin said. "We also have to do a better job keeping them off the offensive glass."
Golden State came in allowing a WNBA-low 76.1 points a game, and Nakase had stressed beforehand that her team needed to be the aggressor. Williams said beating a Washington team that overwhelms opponents in the paint took a different formula than usual.
"They're a really unique team because they're so big, and then they get even bigger off the bench," Williams said. "They went on some big runs, but at the end of the day we made a lot of winning plays, and a lot of different people stepped up."
Williams said wins like this one build on an identity Golden State has been chasing all year.
"I just love that we win in so many different ways and in so many different situations," Williams said. "We're winning when it's easy, we're winning when it's hard, when we're on the road, when we're at home."
Nakase pinned some of the third-quarter lull on residual fatigue from a 14-day road trip.
"I thought we were still carrying a little fatigue from that trip," Nakase said. "I need to do a better job keeping bodies fresh, focusing on matchups and making sure we're all on the same page."
Johnson also gave rookie Bugs Woodard her first WNBA minutes in the closing seconds.
"Like all of our Mystics, I've been praising the work she's been putting in. We were excited to get Bugs activated and wanted to get her on the floor," Johnson said. "She'll be available again for the next two games against Golden State and Las Vegas."
Johnson found some silver lining in the defeat.
"We'll probably hurt on this one until about midnight," Johnson said. "But there were positives. We kept our turnovers low, shot the ball well and competed against a very good team that's difficult to beat at home."
The Valkyries have won 13 of their last 15 and are 11-0 at home, where Chase Center has sold out every game since the franchise's debut. Williams said Monday's rematch depends on tightening defense and starting faster.
"We have to continue doing a better job in the paint, and we talk a lot about getting off to a good start," Williams said. "Our depth is also really important. Having fresh legs will help us."
The teams meet again Monday at Chase Center in their last game before the All-Star break.