Valkyries instant analysis: Chen provides spark as Golden State downs Wings at home
SAN FRANCISCO -Even as a rotation regular, Kaitlyn Chen hadn't played big minutes all season.
But on Wednesday night, the Valkyries needed every bit of Chen’s big performance to get past the star-studded Dallas Wings.
Chen finished with 15 points off the bench to help spark a 91-80 win over the Wings at home. She beat her former Connecticut teammates Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, whom she won a national championship with in 2025.
“(Kaitlyn) knew a couple of those people on the other team, so it’s just really good to see her know their strengths and weaknesses,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “She took full advantage, but that was the type of punch that we needed.”
Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 25 points and Veronica Burton had 11 to go along with eight assists to give Golden State its fourth straight win.
The Valkyries held Bueckers to 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Golden State hit 12 of its 25 3-point attempts while shooting 46% from the field in a solid offensive performance.
After a shaky first quarter that gave way to a nine-point advantage for the Wings, the Valkyries woke up thanks to a huge spark off the bench from Kaitlyn Chen.
Chen scored seven of her nine first-half points in the second quarter as she super charged a 19-0 run for Golden State.
At halftime, the Valkyries led by 11 after outscoring the Wings 27-7 in the second period. It was the fewest points allowed by Golden State in any quarter in team history.
"I feel like we stepped up our defense, and then when we were able to get stops, we were able to push in transition and get easy baskets,” Chen said of the second-quarter surge. “I feel like that really drove it, and we fed off the energy of Ballhalla. They were great tonight."
But even after going down double digits, the Wings never went away.
An 8-0 run to open the third quarter put the Wings back within striking distance. Led by timely baskets from Fudd and Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings got within two points of the Valkyries' lead in the fourth quarter.
But the Valkyries responded as Chen and defensive stopper Kaila Charles hit big shots down the stretch to seal the win.
Nakase once again stuck with essentially a nine-woman rotation, though she did throw in backup center Laeticia Amihere for three minutes in the first quarter. With her parents in the stands, rookie Justė Jocytė registered another DNP as the European sensation continues to not play.
Another solid night from Williams
Williams recorded her third game of at least 20 points in the last five contests.
The veteran forward got to the free throw line 12 times, hitting nine of her foul shots. Over this five-game span, Williams is averaging 22.4 points on 38.9% shooting from the 3-point line.
Williams recorded a plus-minus rating of +25.
“I think Gabby has been very mindful of when she needs to attack, when she needs to see that open space and pull up. When she sees enough open space, she pulls a three,” Nakase said of Williams. “I think Gabby is just making reads. Whether it’s pick-and-rolls or hand-offs, or just in the open court, it’s credit to her ability to just pick the defense apart …She’s so selfless, so I think that’s key. She doesn’t mind mixing it up."
Valkyries win rebounding battle
Despite being undersized at nearly every position, the Valkyries outrebounded the Wings 41-25.
Golden State had a whopping nine offensive rebounds while limiting Dallas to two offensive boards all night.
"We understand that rebounding is a majority part of our defense. We have to finish that way, but on the other end, getting extra possessions was key,” Nakase said. “I thought (Kayla Thornton) did a phenomenal job, especially when we matched up with Jessica Shepard. She is elite, she’s been elite, and so her matchup, and her taking on the challenge, and then hitting viral threes when it was time to space the floor and hit, KT was unbelievable. Credit to her and our staff."
Closing out Commissioner’s Cup
The Valkyries ended their 2026 Commissioner’s Cup run 5-2 with their only losses coming to the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.
In total, the Valkyries raised $17,000 to the East Oakland organization Youth UpRising for their Commissioner’s Cup campaign.
“I take what we do night in and night out very seriously, and when you get the chance to play for something bigger than yourself, something that actually impacts your community and reach local youth who might never even step foot inside Ballhalla, it just gives you an edge," Nakase said in a statement. “It gives us something extra to fight for and adds to our why, and I see that as a great thing.”
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 9:29 PM.