Date, Time, and Location: Tuesday, June 9th, 7:00pm, Chase Center
Broadcast Information: KPIX (San Francisco Bay Area), KOVR (Sacramento Area), Arizona’s Family Sports (opposition’s broadcast area), WNBA League Pass (streaming outside teams’ broadcast areas)
The Golden State Valkyries return home for one game on Tuesday when they host the Phoenix Mercury. Their opponents struggled after losing to the Valkyries earlier in the season in the home opener, but enter the game on a two-game winning streak. After two close losses on the road, Golden State looks to bounce back ahead of some big games. With the last two games on national broadcasts, this game returns to local channels with the main CBS affiliates in both the Bay Area and Sacramento carrying the game.
The Valkyries
Golden State enters another game with a clean injury report, but that does not mean that they will have everyone available. Nadia Fingall has joined the team recently enough that it might not make sense for her to take the floor even if the result has been decided. After the rotation was shortened to nine players in the last game, whether it will extend to back ten players for first halves even in close games as had been happening in prior games remains to be seen.
The Opposition
After playing in San Francisco last time, Phoenix split a pair of home game, but then went on a six-game losing streak. They did just pick up two close wins to start this road trip, winning at Seattle on Wednesday and then at Portland on Friday. The latter win was without their two stars, but the days off have allowed them to recover as Alyssa Thomas is listed as probable and Kahleah Copper is listed as questionable. Sami Whitcomb remains out as she has yet to play this season.
Phoenix was missing one of their starters in the first meeting as point guard Monique Akoa Makani finished up her season in France and returned to bolster their perimeter defense. Valeriane Ayayi finally received her international clearance, but she has been in and out of the rotation. Those players being available left the team needing to waive Peyton Williams and Anneli Maley to get back to roster compliance. Their latest move was to bring back Lexi Held, who had a strong rookie season with them last year before being selected by Toronto in the expansion draft, but ended up being waived after not finding the same role there. As a result, Kiana Williams was waived and then signed to the developmental player slot that they created by letting go of Shay Ciezki.
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