Good health has been more than good luck for the Valkyries

The last time a Golden State Valkries player missed a game because of injury was back on August 11, when Janelle Salaun sat out with knee soreness.

In a WNBA season with a record number of injuries, the Valkryies have been able to maintain their depth, their momentum and their ability to compete for a title by keeping their players on the floor.

Golden State ranks last in the league in games missed by injury this season – 15 games missed with 11 injuries. Perhaps not coincidentally, coming in second to last is the other WNBA finalist – the Atlanta Dream – who have 57 games missed with 16 injuries.

What’s the Valkyries’ secret sauce? Is it their relentless commitment to defense, their poise and composure, the persistent road of support from Ballhalla? Or is it something staring us all right in the face, all of their available players are, well, available.

So far, in six postseason games heading into Saturday’s Game 1 of the WNBA Finals at the Chase Center, not one of the 12 players on the Valkyries’ roster have been unavailable.

The Valkyries’ good health made a difference against Dallas, a team missing veteran forward Alana Smith, who was injured during the FIBA World Cup Tournament in early September and No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd, who missed the last 14 games of the regular-season and the playoffs with a knee injury.

Against the Aces in the semifinals, Las Vegas played the first two games without guard Jewell Loyd and the entire series without post Na’Lyssa Smith.

It’s hard to argue that it didn’t make a difference in both series.

But as the saying goes, “Sometimes you make your own luck.”

And in the case of the Valkryies, staying healthy for the postseason is not only lucky, it is a function of intention and planning.

“We have built a roster for everyone to play,” said Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase. “And we’ve told everyone that you have to be ready to play, knowing we’re not going to do heavy minutes. That was our goal and we stuck to it.”

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Among the Valkryies’ starters, point guard Veronica Burton leads the way at 28.6 points a game. Gabby Williams is next at 25.1 and Kayla Thorton is next at 24.3. Nine players are averaging at least 15 minutes per game. In the playoffs, 10 players have averaged double-digit minutes as Golden State’s depth continues to be one of its greatest assets. When Tiffany Hayes can come off the bench and average 13.1 points in the playoffs in 18.3 minutes a game, your depth has great value.

Kiah Stokes said it feels good to know her teammates, all the way down the roster, have her back as a starter and a veteran, allowing her to focus on her role as a defensive stopper and rim protector.

“It goes to show that when you have people that really buy into their role…I’m not out here scoring 25 points a game, but I know what I can bring defensively and to be a presence, so that’s all I try to do.”

Nakase has been doling out minutes all season, resting key players in key stretches, and ensuring that her front-line players who participated in the FIBA World Cup had time to acclimate before their return to the floor.

“We’re six months in (to the season), right? No matter how say we had a (FIBA) break or not, we’re still a little bit exhausted. Look at me,” Nakase said, referring to her near-fainting episode in the series against Dallas, “I’m a complete example of emptying the tank. So it was really calculated because now I understand what each player needs.”

Nakase and her staff have frequently checked in with their players.

“It’s like ‘OK, what do you need?’,” Nakase said. “‘Would you like more rest, stay in your beds, stay with your families?’ Maybe that mental recovery is going for a walk, you know? Everyone is different. So we ulitize that, we calculate that. As long as we are concise and clear with our game plan, that is more important that actually getting on the floor and doing a walk-through.”

“We’re keeping our film sessions more important than moving our bodies.”

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After sweeping Vegas, Golden State has a week to prepare for Atlanta, and clearly, to rest.

“I definitely think it’s one of our advantages, that we’re just going to continue to roll with our bench, especially when we play Atlanta,” WIlliams said. “It’s a big thing to make it far in the playoffs having a healthy team. I think our depth has allowed us to stay healthy and stay fresh. I know I feel good, especially compared to how I felt at the end of last season. I feel much better and that is because I am able to sit. I only played 28 minutes today. And I wasn’t worried at all.”

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