Lynx vs Valkyries WNBA Pick: Minnesota Aiming For Fourth Straight Win (Jul 5)

• The Minnesota Lynx improved to 15-2 on the heels of a double-digit victory against the Washington Mystics.
• The Golden State Valkyries are 9-7 following a dominating win against the Seattle Storm.
• These teams previously faced off on Jun. 1, with the Lynx winning that game 86-75.

One of the games on Saturday’s WNBA slate features the Minnesota Lynx hosting the Golden State Valkyries. Can Minnesota make it four straight in our Lynx vs Valkyries pick?

Minnesota Looks Like A Championship Contender

Excluding their loss in the Commissioner’s Cup title game, which does not count in the standings, the Lynx have produced three straight regular-season wins. Their latest triumph was a 92-75 victory against the Washington Mystics on Thursday.

Minnesota got off to a slow start, as Washington led 24-16 after the opening stanza. But thanks to a 17-5 run to close the first half, the Lynx flipped an early eight-point deficit into a five point advantage at the break. The home team kicked off the second half with a 12-2 burst en route to outscoring its opponent by a 27-14 margin in the third quarter, which put the game out of reach.

Napheesa Collier was Minnesota’s top performer. She finished with 28 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 11-for-21 shooting from the field. It was the eighth time in which she has scored at least 25 points this season.

Golden State Continues To Exceed Expectations

Following an 81-78 loss to the New York Liberty on Jun. 25, the Valkyries have responded with two consecutive wins, including an 84-57 victory against the Seattle Storm six days ago.

Tiffany Hayes spearheaded an offense in which four players tallied double-digit scoring totals. She finished with 21 points, four assists and three rebounds. Veronica Burton had 15 points, along with five rebounds, and five assists. Laeticia Amihere contributed 15 points and eight boards off the bench.

The Valkyries led 34-27 at the break. And they outscored Seattle 50-30 in the second half, including a decisive 31-17 margin in the third quarter. Additionally, Golden State held the Storm to 27 percent shooting overall and 21.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Lynx vs Valkyries WNBA Pick

Minnesota is head and shoulders above the field at both ends of the court, ranking first in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Although Golden State is ranked 9th in points per game, this group boasts the second-best scoring defense, allowing just 77.2 points per contest.

In the only meeting between these franchises, Minnesota came out on top 86-75. While the Lynx should win this matchup, it would not be surprising if Golden State covered the 9.5-point spread.