Game 8 wrap. Valkyries blow out #3 Aces and contain MVP A’ja Wilson

you can uncover your eyes, they held on to the lead this time

Golden State Valkyries 95, Las Vegas Aces 68

• The official box score!

Apricot In-Game Notes

• Relatively big cheer for A'ja Wilson and the Aces. Gonna need Ballhalla to digest lunch and outyell the interlopers

• So far the game is a beautiful contrast of styles.

  • LVA runs cross screen to post up Wilson, then PNR for Aja rolling, then Aja off dribble, then Aja straight post up. Very inside oriented.

  • GSV all chaotic running, and 5-out formations.

• Q1.4.55. GSV has turned it over twice in a row trying to force it into the post. I don't get that strategy. In theory, they are attacking mismatches (with Wilson guarding Fagbenle spaced to the arc), but the entry pass and the shots have not been good.

• Play out of the timeout, get A’ja defending in the pick and roll and when she follows Zandalasini, pass to the roller. That one actually worked except Temi dropped the pass.

• Martin actually finished a shot inside over Wilson! Usually is a foul or is blocked.

• Martin with a SWEET inside pass but the layup is muffed.

• Q1.2.52, hey it's good old HORNS 5. Guarded well, it flows into a PNR. Vanloo really (sometimes) has the touch getting the ball to the big.

• Martin-Burton-Vanloo with a 3 guard lineup. I guess Leite has fallen below Martin in the depth chart.

• 6 TOV for LVA. Some forced but some just careless.

• Q1.1.42. Another GSV travel!! This time Vanloo caught choosing between an entry pass directly to Salaun in the post or a relay.

• Q1.1.02. EXCELLENT cut from Martin and a good pass from Thornton. That wasn't anything planned, just a straight backdoor cut when her defender overplayed the swing pass to her.

• High leverage challenge from Nakase for 3 FTA. Looks like high five contact, but *also* the shooter steps out of bounds. Wow and GSV gets the ball too.

• Q1 in the books, GSV has forced turnovers on 30% of LVA possessions. I don't think that can last, but if it does, GSV really should win.

• Vanloo LOVES feeding the big roller in the PNR - this time Billings who finishes with a sweet step through. Ran the same play, the big went to Billings, Vanloo had an open layup and instead kicks it out to a corner 3.

• Whoa that block by Billings went out with velocity, leads to a Vanloo to Z three. Will be so huge if Cecilia hits her 3s. She's literally the only elite 3pt shooter on GSV (>40% career 3P%).

• Vanloo goes to the well again. Wing pick and roll with Billings, this time she takes the open layup. Then repeats the skip pass to Z... interception.

  Thornton got clocked on that play, didn't see what happened.

• People talked about how GSV is going to guard Wilson... LVA currently cannot handle Billings. After destroying with the PNR as a roller w Vanloo, she pops out of the PNR with Burton, 3. LVA still at 27% TOV rate.

• Funny play, Thornton with a nice drive and then kick to Fagbenle who was I don't think expecting the pass. She's stuck in the midrange, contemplates whether to back up to the 3 then says analytics be damned, swish.

• Q2.2.35. GSV working in a blind pig option there. Instead of swing along the arc, pass to the elbow with the arc cutting behind for a handoff.

• Wilson drew 3 defenders on that one. It's an Anyone But A'ja defense.

• Thornton drains a looong 2 and lets the crowd know about it. Then drains a 3 on the dribble handoff from Burton.

• 15 POINT LEAD. From last game, we know this lead should hold for at least 4 minutes. (Too soon?)

• Kevon Looney is at the game! Looking very purple.

• Kayla Thornton with 7 straight now on the putback. and then... we can't have nice things. Kayla goes down hard... the initial contact didn't look that bad but maybe she whacked her head on the fall?

• ATO (after time out play). Q2.0.40. Small-small pick and roll with Martin and Kate pops out with a flare screen. I like that. But Burton ends up keeping and driving and she gets rejected into the stands.

• Martin with a Steph-like buzzer beating 3, but I like even better that Nakase is trying to integrate her as a screener and spot up shooter.

• Leite, Talbot and Linskens are Coach DNPs tonight. But can't complain about the results. I believe this is the largest lead in franchise history, up 21. From last game, we can estimate this lead should last at least 5 minutes.

• Q3.12.00. GSV ATO play: classic Floppy for Zandalasini, she goes under the basket, has choice of screen(s) to the left or right. But she coughed up a TOV.

• Thornton back in. Assume she passed a concussion protocol thing.

  GREAT rotations on Q3.8:00 leads to a run out. Then another one. UP TWENTY NINE on the #3 team in the WNBA.

• Zandalasini is a sharpshooter, but the finishing in the paint has been questionable.

  I don't like the Salaun shot. Chucked it iso early in the clock. Then a Vanloo pass to no one in the corner. Down to 24.

• Then Ceci V gets an open 3 on the break which she air mails. I know it's hard to be intense up 20+ but getting a bit sloppy. Down to 22.

• Now, that's good chucking. GSV had nothing going, throw it to Salaun, jumper good.

• Good time out, lead down to 18 in a blink of an eye.

• ATO, wing PNR for Salaun. Ends up as a DHO to Martin who converts a nice hesitation dribble.

• Q3.1.20. Good example of how GSV is guarding Wilson in the PNR. Going over the screen plus the screen defender shows, then Burton sinks way in from the weak corner to cover Wilson on the roll. Then Burton has to scram back out to the corner. (Of course Gray makes something out of nothing to score, but the defense was good.)

• Q3 ends with Valks up 22. Just remember, the Golden State corporate mission is Always Close Enough To Hurt™

• Given that last game GSV got outscored 16-1 in the last 4 minutes, no one should get too comfy

• Q4.8.22. I like that ATO BLOB (after time out baseline out of bounds) play.

  LVA has no answers for the GSV pick and roll. It's a little weird. That time, the defender got hung up on the screen going over, Wilson is in drop but she goes to cover the roller Billings. That leaves Burton with a short runner. Back to 26.

• *taps corporate mission plaque*

• q4.4.40. Looked like the 55 play from GSW. Then again two plays later.

  Up 23 with 3:08 to go. Becky Hammon sends in the bench.

  GSV will have the largest win in franchise history!