Valkyries vs Mystics WNBA Pick: Will Golden State Remain Dominant In This Head-To-Head Matchup? (Aug 30)

• The Golden State Valkyries are 19-18 and trail Seattle by a half-game for the No. 4 spot in the conference playoff race out west.
• The Washington Mystics are 16-23 and trail the Fever by three and a half games for the third-best record in the East.
• These teams previously squared off on Aug. 13, with the Valkyries claiming an 88-83 victory.

One of the games on Saturday’s WNBA slate features the Golden State Valkyries hosting the Washington Mystics. Who has the edge in our Valkyries vs Mystics pick?

Valkyries Hoping For A Late-Season Surge

After dropping three straight, Golden State finally got back into the win column, courtesy of a 90-81 victory against the Dallas Wings on Aug. 24.

Dallas appeared to have the momentum after flipping an early double-digit deficit into a 38-36 advantage at the break. But thanks to a 55-point effort in the second half, the Valkyries remain in the hunt for a postseason berth.

Veronica Burton produced a memorable performance, to say the least. She finished with 25 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, and four blocked shots. Illana Rupert contributed 17 points, six boards, and two dimes.

The expansion Valkyries hope to solidify their position in the playoff race as each of the next five games will be on their home floor.

Washington Seeks To Halt Five-Game Slide

The Mystics enter this contest amid a five-game losing streak. This includes an 89-63 defeat at the hands of the New York Liberty on Thursday night.

The Mystics held a 20-18 lead after the opening quarter. However, they were unable to sustain their early success, as New York rallied to take a six-point advantage into the break.

Unfortunately for Washington, the second half was more of the same, as New York put up 46 points, while holding the road team to just 26. This was an impressive feat considering the defending champs were missing three starters.

Sonia Citron powered Washington’s offense with 18 points and three assists on 7-for-14 shooting from the field. Kiki Iriafen finished with 16 points and four rebounds.

Valkyries vs Mystics WNBA Pick

Golden State has the second-worst scoring average in the association, but is third in points allowed per contest (77.6). Meanwhile, Washington is ranked 11th in offensive efficiency and has the seventh-best defensive rating.

The Valkyries have dropped of their last four games. On the other hand, they have taken all three matchups between the two teams this season. With that in mind, look for Golden State to sweep the season series.