Less than a week ago, these two Western Conference rivals faced off in Ballhalla. The Las Vegas Aces put up a convincing performance, picking up a 91-81 road win. Now the Golden State Valkyries are looking to repay the favor in this Commissioner’s Cup matchup.
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. The Aces are 2.5-point home favorites with -155 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. A Valkyries upset is priced at +130. The game total is set at O/U 169.5 points.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Aces-Valkyries game.
Aces vs. Valkyries Preview
Last time around, it was the A’ja Wilson show for the Aces. The four-time MVP was matched up with Valkyries center and former teammate Kiah Stokes, and Wilson won every round. Not only did she put up 28 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks, but she also held Stokes scoreless and led the win. Golden State will be hard-pressed to solve the A’ja problem.
Golden State’s defensive advantage is on the perimeter. They were nails against Vegas’ All-Star backcourt: Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were held to a combined 19 points on 10-of-24 shooting. Chennedy Carter, who was limited in that game after a hard fall, couldn’t provide relief. A’ja Wilson can dominate a game on both ends of the floor, but they need this backcourt to step up. With Carter and Jewell Loyd questionable for Saturday’s matchup, the injury report holds heavy sway over this one.
Golden State’s loss to the Aces this past Sunday was a microcosm of their season. They fired 35 three-pointers, hitting 46% of them. But the Valks only made nine of their 39 two-pointers, a ghastly 23% clip. The combination of A’ja Wilson’s presence and a lack of frontcourt play doomed them; when the threes weren’t falling, they had nothing going offensively.
The defense will always be there on the perimeter. Golden State has no shortage of shooting, but they need to get Veronica Burton going downhill to put Las Vegas’ defense in rotation. There is only so much you can do about A’ja’s defense; playing scared of the DPOY won’t get you anywhere.
Now we have a good idea what to expect from these teams. Who is going to come out the winner?
Aces vs. Valkyries Pick, Best Bet
Last time around, it took a massive stretch run from both teams to clear this over. It was uncharacteristic to see both of these excellent defenses give up 80+ points. This time around, the ugly end of the floor will prove to be crucial. Don’t expect fireworks in this matinee matchup.
