Valkyries coach addresses rivalry after beating Caitlin Clark, Fever

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Valkyries coach addresses rivalry after beating Caitlin Clark, Fever

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated May 29, 2026 12:06 PM ET

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever suffered their fourth loss of the season on Thursday night. This is after the Golden State Valkyries snapped Indiana’s three-game losing skid with a hard-fought 90-88 victory at Chase Center.

Clark made history in the game by becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to surpass 1,000 points and 500 assists. However, it was not enough to lift the Fever to victory. The two-time All-Star struggled with her shot all night long, finishing with 16 points on 3-of-12 from the floor. Clark added four rebounds, six assists, three steals, a block and two triples in 29 minutes of action.

Indiana fell to 4-3 after Thursday’s disappointing loss.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the second half against the Golden State Valkyries.

Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase has blunt take on Indiana Fever rivalry

The Valkyries evened the score with the Fever on Thursday night. These two teams faced off on May 22 at Indiana, with the Fever outdueling the visitors, 90-82.

There was a lot of talk after the game, especially on the physical nature of the contest. At one point, Clark was even whistled for a flagrant foul after a hard hit on Valkyries guard Veronica Burton.

The intensity carried over to Thursday’s game. The two teams went back and forth throughout the matchup, which wasn’t decided until the final second.

Nakase was asked to share her thoughts on the Valkyries-Fever rivalry. The second-year bench boss had a blunt response.

“Everyone is a rival in my eyes,” Nakase stated.

Nakase refused to stoke the fire between this budding rivalry, but the Golden State coach also chose not to shut down the narrative completely.

Now at 1-1, these two teams will need to wait patiently for their next matchup. The Fever will play hosts again when they face off on July 15 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Based on how their first two games played out, that July showdown should be another must-see game.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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