Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase criticized Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani for what she described as an intentional kick on Veronica Burton late in Tuesday’s game

After a rough first half, the Phoenix Mercury tightened up their defense after the break and picked up a vital road win against the shorthanded Golden State Valkyries.

There's no denying the Golden State Valkyries fought hard in their 98-91 loss to the Phoenix Mercury. With only eight players available due to Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini's late injury scratches, the remaining Valkyries stepped up and tested the Mercury through the majority of the game.

Valkyries were dealt a big blow as Cecilia Zandalasini, Tiffany Hayes were scratched minutes before Tuesday’s game vs. Phoenix Mercury

In Year 1, Natalie Nakase and the Valkyries revealed how they built a successful WNBA expansion team from scratch.

Veronica Burton makes WNBA history, but her record-setting night isn’t enough as the Valkyries fall to the Mercury.

San Francisco Standard columnist Tim Kawakami went to Sunday’s Valkyries game and reported on the fan atmosphere at Chase Center, which he said was “thrumming” even in the team’s worst home loss of the season. But buried in his reporting were two paragraphs about a brewing scheduling conflict with the Laver Cup, an international tennis tournament:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kahleah Copper scored 25 points with five 3-pointers, Satou Sabally scored 10 of her 17 points after halftime, and the Phoenix Mercury came back to beat the short-handed Golden State Valkyries 98-91 on Tuesday night.

The Golden State Valkyries are amid a potential historic run to the WNBA Playoffs. Should they finish top-eight in the standings, Golden State would become the