What we learned as Janelle Salaun, bench help fuel Valkyries’ win over Mercury
What we learned as Janelle Salaun, bench help fuel Valkyries’ win over Mercury initially appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – This time final yr, Chase Center was full of followers cheering on the Golden State Warriors within the NBA playoffs.
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This yr, regardless of the Warriors lacking the playoffs, the San Francisco enviornment was swarmed in violet as the Valkyries kicked off their dwelling opener in opposition to the Phoenix Mercury for the 2026 WNBA season.
They opened their second WNBA season with a 91-80 highway win over the Seattle Storm on Friday, and the momentum carried over with an electrical 95-79 win Sunday night.
After a sluggish begin, the Valkyries obtained a jolt of power from their reserves to help flip the sport round. Golden State outscored Phoenix 31-11 within the second quarter, however then the Mercury returned the favor and outscored the Valkyries 31-18 within the third to make it a 66-62 sport coming into the ultimate body.
But an 11-point outburst from second-year ahead Janelle Salaun helped the Valkyries safe the 95-79 victory and preserve a flawless 2-0 document to start the 2026 season.
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Salaun led all scorers with 21 factors — one level shy of her career-high.
New Valkyries ahead Gabby Williamsmaking her Chase Center debut, added 19 factors on 7-of-13 capturing from the sphere and 4 of 9 from 3-point vary. Kayla Thornton additionally contributed 19 factors, and the reigning Most Improved Player, Veronica Burtoncontributed 13 factors and 12 assists in 32 minutes.
Here are the takeaways from the thrilling home-opening win:
bench mob
Sometimes the celebrities want a bit increase to get going.
For the Valkyries on Sunday, that increase got here from their reserves.
Golden State made one subject aim within the first six minutes of motion. The Valkyries shot 11.1 p.c from field-goal vary up till that time, forcing coach Natalie Nakase to name a timeout and search some change.
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Salaun and Laeticia Amihere subbed in on the 4:10 mark.
Salaun knocked down a triple 15 seconds later. Amihere made the subsequent bucket – a working layup that lastly gave passionate Valkyries followers within the constructing one thing to cheer for.
The Valkyries closed out the quarter on an 11-7 run to carry it to a 3-point sport down 20-17. They then outscored the Mercury 31-11 within the second quarter.
Golden State’s bench — aka Salaun, Amihere and Kaitlyn Chen — outscored Phoenix’s 36-17.
Salaun’s large evening
All it took was to observe that first shot go in for Salauan.
She checked in on the 4:10 mark of the primary quarter — a part of the unit that helped shift the momentum of the sport early — and her influence continued the remainder of the best way.
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Salaun constructed on her large efficiency within the season opener Friday in Seattle, the place she completed with 20 factors on an environment friendly 7-of-16 capturing from the sphere and 5 of 11 from 3-point vary in 27 minutes.
She was two factors shy of a profession evening, however her contributions got here when wanted most to shut out the Mercury.
Eleven of Salaun’s 21 factors got here within the fourth quarter, as she completed with 21 factors on an excessively environment friendly 7-of-10 capturing from the sphere and 4 of 5 from downtown in 26 minutes off the bench.
Welcome to Ballhalla
After a historic inaugural season final yr, the Valkyries added extra star energy to their roster this offseason.
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Golden State signed WNBA All-Star ahead Gabby Williams to a multiyear contract after she spent the final 4 seasons with the Seattle Storm.
Williams’ Valkyries debut did not essentially blow the sports activities world away, as she completed with seven factors in 22 minutes and shot simply 22.2 p.c from the sphere.
But the All-Defensive Team participant had a greater displaying in his second sport along with his new workforce, ending with 19 factors on 7-of-13 capturing from the sphere and including 4 treys in 32 minutes, with 5 rebounds, three assists, 4 steals and one block.
The Valkyries additionally signed three-time WNBA champion Kiah Stokes this offseason.
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Stokes added one level and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
