Valkyries face Carla Leite, Fire, heading into break

The Golden State Valkyries aim to take a four-game winning streak into the WNBA's World Cup break when they visit the Portland Fire on Sunday afternoon.

With consecutive road wins over the Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty, the Valkyries (28-11) have strengthened their hold on second place in the league standings with just five games remaining.

Trailing the first-place Lynx by three games and leading the third-place Las Vegas Aces by 1 1/2, Golden State won't have to face another team with a winning record during the WNBA regular season, which after Sunday doesn't pick up again until Sept. 17.

While a soft schedule likely won't be enough for her team to catch the Lynx, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase believes the Valkyries' recent play on the road has demonstrated they have the quality of depth that will make them a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming playoffs.

"It could be Ceci's (Cecilia Zandalasini's) night; it could go back to Gabby (Williams); it could go to V (Veronica Burton); it could go to Ja (Janelle Salaun)," Nakase boasted after Thursday's 79-60 win over the Liberty in Brooklyn. "Being on fire, but also having selflessness, is huge, and I think it's going to be tough, in terms of the playoffs, to guard us when we have that kind of mentality."

The matchup with the Fire (16-23) will be one of three among Golden State's final five games. The clubs have met just once previously, with Kayla Thornton leading a 95-77 home win in June with 19 points, including five three-pointers, and eight rebounds.

The expansion team features former Valkyries guard Carla Leite, who exploded for 26 points in Portland's surprising 101-83 win at Atlanta on Friday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak.

Emily Engstler, who contributed 25 points to the win, believes the Fire are developing a core that bodes well for their future.

"There was a lot of leadership (in the Atlanta game) from everybody, down from the young ones all the way to the oldest person on the court," she observed to reporters after the win. "That's the difference of a winning team, a winning organization. I think this last stretch of games is really going to show who we are for next year."

The teams will also duel on Sept. 18 in San Francisco before closing out the regular-season with a rematch on Sept. 22 in Portland.

--Field Level Media