WNBA Team Bracing for Unfortunate Development Before Playoffs

Valkyries Facing Tough Decision Amid WNBA Playoff Schedule Release

The WNBA’s playoff schedule, newly released on Wednesday, conflicts with the Laver Cup tennis tournament, which will take place at Chase Center from September 19 to 21. The overlap could prevent the Valkyries from hosting early-round playoff games at their home arena. A team statement confirmed the situation (h/t Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao):

“Due to Chase Center hosting Laver Cup, a global tennis tournament, which was booked prior to Golden State’s acquisition of the Golden State Valkyries, we are navigating potential venue impacts if the Valkyries were to make a historic playoff run in their inaugural season. Our primary goal is to ensure the best possible experience for our fans and athletes."

This corroborates an earlier report from Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard, who noted:

“Due to a quirk of long-ago scheduling (before the Valkyries came into existence, the Laver Cup was booked for Sept. 19-21 at Chase, with many advance days needed for the setup), playoff games could be shifted out of Chase in the first or second rounds.”

Potential alternatives include Oakland Arena, Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center, or San Jose’s SAP Center if the conflict cannot be resolved.

Valkyries’ WNBA Playoff Picture

With seven games left in the regular season, Golden State holds a 19-18 record, placing them seventh in the overall standings and hold the final Western Conference postseason spot. They are one game behind the Indiana Fever and 1.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks, who sit in ninth place.

Burton continues to be a key contributor, highlighted by her recent stat line of 25 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a win over the Dallas Wings. The Valkyries’ next challenge comes Saturday at Chase Center against the Washington Mystics, a matchup that is bound to have major playoff implications.