Game 5 wrap: So close to the upset of the year... Always Close Enough To Hurt™
Fantastic defense and composed offense nearly topple the defending champion Liberty. Cecelia Zandalasini debuts and Monique Billings returns.
Official Valkyries By The Numbers
Golden State 77, New York 82
Golden State held New York to a season-low 82 points, the first time the Liberty have been held to under 90 this season, and a 37.7 shooting percentage (23-61), also a season low.
Janelle Salaün reached double-digit scoring for the third time this season with 18 points and added a season-high 13 rebounds for her first career double-double.
Cecelia Zandalasini made her Valkyries debut, scoring nine points in 15 minutes off the bench.
Monique Billings returned from a two-game absence to score 10 points on 44.4 percent (4-9) shooting, and recorded seven rebounds.
Julie Vanloo made several big plays down the stretch, handing out a season-high eight assists , five of which came in the fourth quarter, while scoring eight points.
Golden State limited the Liberty to just 21.4 percent shooting (3-14) from the field in the second quarter, outscoring New York, 19-17 in the frame.
The Valkyries had 29 bench points, one away from a season best (30 at LAS on May 23).
Apricot’s In-Game Notes
I said that after Tuesday the awe was gone and GSV would come out with more force. Up 6-3.
GSV is outfighting NYL early. Salaun’s jumper always looks so flat to me.
Sabrina 2-2 from 3 is saving NYL early.
My hope is that if NYL wins, that at least GSV forces them to play at their best.
15-9 NYL but I venture that NYL will not shoot 71% from 3 all game. If GSV can keep up this pressure and reduce the telegraphed passes to the corners, they will be in this one.
Salaun has a shooter’s lack of conscience but might be shooting a little too much.
Zandalisini is in the game! And immediately hits a 3. Then another 2.
ANOTHER travel though. I think that’s the third travel this year on the jump stop landing on the leaving foot.
Ooooh, 1:37 is NYL’s elevator doors play and it’s called an illegal screen. KT wrenches her neck again.
1.01. Leite with a weird rotation for a charge! If that’s really Nakase’s defensive game plan, I’ll have to think deeper about that because that rotation is not orthodox in any basketball scheme I’ve seen. Or maybe Leite is freelancing, which is also believable.
GSV outhustled NYL in Q1.
Nothing going on that HORNS set and they throw the grenade to the Goddess of Chaos and said we beseech you to bless us with your randomness. VANLOO THREE.
In Q1, GSV had been attacking inside without Jones playing. Got away from that a little in Q2.
And Cecilia Z with ANOTHER 3. She’s come out rested not rusty and GSV is up 1.
Burton dives for a jump ball. Then deflects a pass.
Sabrina is completely saving NYL this game with 5 threes.
I think GSV’s scoring is reproducible… is NYL’s? If GSV stays solid, NYL may need a new weapon or idea to get separation.
Yes, NYL has a LOT of new weapons to pull out… but let’s make them prove it and earn this victory.
I just realized that Ros is one of the NYL announcers. I feel kind of betrayed. I may switch over to Fubo to try to get the GSV feed. Commentary is just way too Liberty-centric.
Cloud with one of the most amazing full court passes you’ll see.
Nakase going with Vanloo most of the end of Q2 instead of Leite. Interesting move. Vanloo has been getting some really nice inside passes to the roller in PNR.
On cue, an amazing entry pass but Temi can’t pay it off. Tied at halftime.
Really proud of the team and their fearless fight. So different from Tuesday.
Not bad for a bunch of castoff players whose last team thought they weren’t good enough to start or even be the first off the bench.
[On training their child to root against Sabrina] Good parenting
The whole team plays like Podz. They couldn’t have a better mascot
This is the first time I’ve seen the GSV halftime show, which appears to be broadcast from a vast infinite astral plane.
H2 is a rock fight, a whistle on every play so far.
I like Burton jamming Stewart’s roll. GSV fiercely defending the paint.
Salaun as I mentioned may have a little too itchy a trigger… then coughs up a TO stopping the ball next play.
Still no Leite. Perhaps she was injured? Vanloo in as first guard off the bench. I don’t see Leite on the bench yet…
Johannes with a weird shot, in. Don’t want her heating up. NYL has her curling, threatening to pop for a catch and shoot and then she gets the inside cut.
Cecelia Z with an astonishing no look pass at the end of the shot clock.
Vanloo with good chaos and a tremendous outlet pass which KT muffs.
So much Vanloo chaos. First Billings passes up a 3 to reset to Vanloo standing five feet farther out, and JVL promptly launches the three. Then JVL crazy spinning no look pass to an open corner 3.
[On Billings’s different shorts] It might be a long shorts vs classic shorts option?
GSV finally guarded that Sabrina dribble handoff well. Clean switch and an illegal screen. Chef’s kiss.
Really unfair for NYL to have two insane three point shooters, with Sabrina bottled up, so they swing to Johannes… wild 3 good.
NYL missing Jones has allowed GSV to attack the inside and play outside-in. But Jones’s replacement Burke has hit a bunch of threes so makes up for it partially.
1 point lead at the end of Q3.
Ooof, bad start to Q4, getting mixed up in transition defense. Good defensive rotation on previous play, Great VL pass inside. She has a real knack For getting the pass to the rolling big.
I love/am relieved that Billings attacked the mismatch. But misses the FT to cut it to 2. Billings has looked rusty.
Salaun with another ill-advised shot but hits it, so I can’t complain this time. Next play, another contested 3 in the corner. This one I CAN complain about.
GSV consistently going pick and roll, then kicking to corner or to roller. Simple pressure on interior defense.
[On Billings return] Mixed… some really off shots. But some good results too.
WOW, GSV pulls out the small-small pick and roll into a flare, Vanloo 3!! Then another Vanloo flare, but can’t cash.
Then Vanloo with another gorgeous bounce pass inside transition, have I mentioned she’s really good at these passes to the big cutting to the paint?
GSV UP ONE. ALWAYS CLOSE ENOUGH TO HURT
Now officially in Always Close Enough To Hurt™ territory. We’re beyond a huge moral victory, this is 4 minutes away from the biggest upset of the WNBA season. GSV up 1. Can they hold on??
Then Vanloo chaos with the TOV. But Salaun with her own chaos. Her line drive threes defy physics, but that one still counts. Up 1, 2:56 to go.
Starting to get some home cooking on this whistle. Two soft fouls benefiting Stew on Temi.
Vanloo Chaotic Good with the leaning And-1. Missed a big FT though. Up 1 with 1:44 to go.
I think Sabrina got away with a foul on a drive. Stew cashes in 2, down 1 1:33 left.
More homecooking? That was a quick 5 second call. FULL RANDOM ENDING TERRITORY.
That was actually great play call from NYL. Nice when you can have Sabrina DHO to the great new addition Cloud and have Stewart clear the lane to prevent the defensive rotation.
GSV still has a chance to tie with 10 sec left. Cecliia Z misses the tying 3. Got a good look though.
ALWAYS CLOSE ENOUGH TO HURT.
But a great great game anyway.
[On Stewart's 19 FTA] I think 70% of them were deserved. That’s only mildly bitter, right?
[On why Kate Martin didn’t play] No explanation, and Leite didn’t get in either after Q1 I think. We’ll see if anyone asks Nakase about it. I guess technically I could get into the Zoom to ask…
The press conference was over, but I watched the video. No one asked about Leite or Martin. Partly because the natural answer would be “I played the players that gave us the best chance to win. They’ll be back in important roles in future games.” The other natural answer is “we just got back Billings and Cecelia into the lineup and there weren’t enough minutes to go around.”
Valkyries basketball is really fun
Valkyries basketball is fun.