"I'm going to hold some stuff, but I'm going to say it was amazing." Golden State's Tiffany Hayes, who missed last year's playoffs injured, on beating her old team, the Aces: "I know I played with them, much respect to them. But at the end of the day, I'm here."
Veronica Burton's assignment for Golden State: the Aces' Bre Turner, whom she has guarded the past two games. Burton said that can change at any moment, because a fast break can put her back on a guard. The Valkyries lead the series 2-0 heading to Las Vegas.
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase called her exhaustion and dropping during the Dallas game a "complete wake-up call on how important health is." Her sister crying shook her; both saw their father die in front of them. She now eats and prioritises mornings over coffee.
Kalani Brown may get a bigger role for the Las Vegas Aces. Down 0-2, Becky Hammon went to a two-center lineup and said Brown got Golden State's thin frontcourt in foul trouble. Stephanie Talbot: "Kalani was huge for us inside... We can use her a little bit more."
Stephanie Talbot returned for the Las Vegas Aces in a Game 2 loss to Golden State and leaned on how she closed the year: "I finished the regular season with some momentum and some confidence, and I just tried to bring that into the game."