SAN FRANCISCO — Heading into Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, Natalie Nakase had a request for the fans: Get hostile.
The ultra-competitive Valkyries coach wanted boos when the starting lineups were announced, when the opposing team called a challenge — any time there was an opportunity to unleash their wrath.
Which was funny, in part, because that isn’t really in the fans’ nature.
With their lavender wigs, sparkly accessories and witty, culturally aware signs, Valkyries fans come to Ballhalla — all 18,000 of them, every game — to uphold the league’s original spirit of inclusivity.
Asking Valkyries fans to boo their opponents is kind of like asking point guard Veronica Burton, naturally positive and encouraging, to cuss out her teammates. They’ll do it if you ask, but eventually they’ll go back to being themselves.
Valkyries fans are loud, loyal and present. But what they ultimately want, in their heart of hearts, is to cheer for their team, rather than against the opponent.
They got that chance Saturday night, when the Valkyries won their first Finals game in franchise history at home.
The matchup between the top two defenses in the league was, as many expected, a 68-64 grind. The first half for the Valkyries was all hustle and smoked layups, until All-Star Gabby Williams scored 16 points in a quarter and took the lid off the rim.
“At this point in the season and in the finals, Gabby is one of the best players in the world, like hands down,” Nakase said. “She’s showing that when we need buckets, she’s willing to…get to her spots and take over.”
For the Valkyries’ offense to get going the rest of the series — and for the home-court advantage to fully flourish — they need to shoot better from deep. The home crowd has been conditioned to feed on the deep ball, but the Valkyries made only seven of 33 three-point attempts Saturday, and Williams was 3-for-11.
The other missing piece was the Valkyries’ depth. Aside from Williams, who finished with 26 points, none of the supporting cast finished in double digits.
But after the game, Nakase didn’t seem rattled. It was just another day of the Valkyries’ grind. They got timely stops. They made the right adjustment on Dream forward Angel Reese, who scored 11 in the first quarter but nothing in the second half. All-Defensive center Kiah Stokes had some key blocks on Reese, but Nakase said reserve forward Laeticia Amihere also deserved credit.
“We know it’s effort,” Nakase said. “We know it’s the details. I thought tonight our staff did a great job calling when to switch the coverage, how to finish the coverage. We did a great job studying their plays.
“I thought it was really good that we told them in the time out this is what we want to do. Then was asked, are you guys in agreement with what you want to do? And we go out and execute.”
And to hear the players tell it, they weren’t shaking in their boots either. Williams hit all six of her free throws in the final two minutes to seal the game.
“Even though we were down with a few minutes left, I think we had the game right where we wanted it,” Williams said. “Because it just came down to getting stops, and that’s been our bread and butter all season. That’s why we harp on it so much because we’ve built great defensive habits for these moments.”
Meanwhile, the crowd tried their darndest to lean into Nakase’s instructions, comfortably booing the officials throughout the game, gaining confidence in their “Ref you suck chants” and occasionally booing the Dream players.
Did they live up to Nakase’s challenge?
“I think so,” she said. “Once I got out there and start to write my notes on the board I kind of actually block everything out. But I did feel a different roar. So yeah, I was excited. They were really screaming when [Atlanta] got announced. So great job.”
Still, she’s always checking to see if you’ve got a little more left in the tank.
“But hey: level up,” she said. “Like, Game 2, it has to be better. We’re gonna ask more from our players. So I’d say, check for Game One. Let’s get a better Game Two. So rest and recover, Ballhalla. Careful what you drink tonight.”