WNBA daily boards

Stokes says she is leaning into shooting more after a teammate's scolding; a self-reported, vague role expectation.

Kiah Stokes has a new reason to shoot: a teammate yelled at her. After the Golden State Valkyries' Finals win, Stokes said a teammate "cussed me out when I passed up one, so I didn't want to make her mad again." She is leaning into shooting more.

Burton played 38 and 37 minutes, says she's healthy and will play any minutes; heavy workload likely continues.

Veronica Burton has played 38 and 37 minutes in the Golden State Valkyries' last two games, and she isn't asking for a break in the WNBA Finals: "So I'll play however many minutes, whenever, whatever time... by the grace of God, I'm healthy."

Zandalasini moved to the bench in a planned rotation change and accepted a new role; the future role is not stated.

Cecilia Zandalasini came off the bench in Game 4 and had 3 steals. Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said Zandalasini "knew ahead of time that rotation was going to happen and where she could be strong at," and praised her and Kayla Thornton for accepting new roles.

Stokes says she'll take open shots rather than pass them up, though the five early shots were unplanned.

Kiah Stokes took five shots in the first quarter of the Golden State Valkyries' win, and said none of it was planned. She is taking what's open: "In the past, when I wouldn't shoot those shots, I think it's a detriment to our team."

Mentions a Valkyries starting lineup switch but names no player, and says starters don't matter.

Asked about the Warriors' famous Game 4 lineup change in the 2015 Finals, Natalie Nakase said she was with the Clippers then. On the Golden State Valkyries' own switch: "No one cares who starts," and the team "didn't even miss a beat."

Charles started and Thornton came off the bench in a seven-player rotation, though Nakase framed it as just a change-up.

Kaila Charles started for the Golden State Valkyries in a rare lineup change. "I just wanted to change it up," Natalie Nakase said postgame. Kayla Thornton came off the bench and added "another punch." The rotation shrank to seven, and she credited "egoless players."

Golden State will pick up Atlanta ball handlers deeper this series; defensive scheme with no named player or stat market.

Golden State picking up Atlanta's ball handlers deeper this series isn't just the game plan. Before Game 3 on Oct. 21, Natalie Nakase said players' input shaped it too: "I have to listen too to make sure we're playing at our best and we're playing with fresh legs."

Nakase weighing more aggressive schemes for Game 4; Williams guarded Canada higher in Game 3 to save Burton.

More aggressive defense could come for Golden State in Game 4. Natalie Nakase is weighing "a couple of different schemes that could be a little bit more aggressive." Gabby Williams took more of Jordin Canada in Game 3, picking her up higher to keep Veronica Burton fresh.

Nakase reviewing substitution pattern; Golden State guards might play longer stretches in Game 4, unnamed.

Golden State's guards could stay on the floor longer in Game 4. Atlanta won the third quarter in Games 2 and 3, and Natalie Nakase said after the Game 3 loss she will review her substitution pattern: "Should I let you guys continue to punch, you know, or do I sub?"

Staff will plan individual player management over two days before Game 4; no player or status named.

Down 2-1 to Atlanta, Golden State's Natalie Nakase said she and the medical staff will use the two days before Game 4 to plan "what's right for each individual player." She named no player and gave no status. Film will be a "double dose": individual, group, then team.

Williams says her knee is okay and the extra day goes to rest before Game 4. No detail given.

Asked after the Golden State Valkyries' Game 3 loss to Atlanta whether her knee is okay, Gabby Williams said "Yes" and offered nothing more. Williams said the extra day before Game 4 on Oct. 24 goes to "rest, recover" first, then film and practice.

Smesko gave Reese a couple more breaks to sustain intensity, hinting at slightly fewer minutes; she also stressed taking more shots.

"I think I let the team down last game by only getting 2 shot attempts. And that was on me." Angel Reese answered with 30 points and 16 rebounds in Atlanta's first-ever WNBA Finals win. Coach Karl Smesko gave her "a couple more breaks" to keep that intensity going.

Salaun has accepted an adjusted playoff role, which implies reduced minutes. The coach doesn't give specifics.

Janelle Salaun has accepted an adjusted playoff role for the Golden State Valkyries. Before Game 2, Natalie Nakase credited her maturity and selflessness: "Credit to her of understanding we've obviously made some adjustments... she's fresh, she's ready to go."

Coach says Atlanta didn't feed Reese enough and drifted into one-on-one play. That implies more touches for her.

"Angel had a great first half. We didn't get her the ball enough." Dream coach Karl Smesko on Angel Reese after the Game 1 loss to Golden State. He said Atlanta drifted into too much one-on-one play in the second half instead of going back to her.

Hayes went down hard late; Nakase gave no status, awaiting medical. Gabby Williams limped, no status given.

Golden State's Natalie Nakase didn't commit on Tiffany Hayes after she went down hard late: "Tip's okay... I'll know when medical tells me." Nakase is adding film study "because I want to win this for Tip." Gabby Williams limped; Nakase gave no status: it's the player's call.

Coach reflects on her past communication problems and the turnaround; no concrete role or rotation change stated.

"I gave myself an F-minus in game 1, 2, and 3. My communication was poor." Natalie Nakase said the Golden State Valkyries turned it around after Veronica Burton and others told her the game plan wasn't clear: "They wanted clarity, and I wasn't giving that to them."

Williams' late limp in Game 1 did not hold her back in Game 2; she was fine. Past injury background only.

Gabby Williams' late limp in Game 1 didn't hold her back in Game 2, Natalie Nakase said after the Valkyries' loss to Atlanta: "Oh, no. She was aggressive. Yeah, she was fine." Nakase said Williams just missed: "I thought her looks were the same as usual."

Complaint about officiating and foul calls for Reese in past games; no stated change for the next game.

"The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous." Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko said Angel Reese's treatment cost them 6 to 8 trips to the foul line. Reese said it "definitely shifted when we went up 2-1" in the series.

Recap and praise of Stokes' rim protection; no stated change to role or minutes.

Kiah Stokes holds the record for most blocks in a Finals series. After the Golden State Valkyries' win she said she hangs her hat on defense: "I'm trying to be the last line of defense for our team." She admits Atlanta drew some fouls from her with pump fakes.

Generic toughness talk and self-criticism; no concrete role or stat-market change.

"This is the Finals. It's going to be physical. It's going to be tough. So we have to woman up." Gabby Williams called the Golden State Valkyries "very soft" in their previous game, waiting for foul calls. On herself: "I didn't like who I was in that last game."

Recap of Burton asking for the isolation on the clutch shot; no forward-looking role change.

"She was getting punched in the face... she just kept saying, I'm good, I'm good." Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase on Veronica Burton, who asked for the isolation on the clutch shot: "She said, I got it, you know, I got the isolation."

Recap of Atlanta's loss with general talk about applying pressure earlier and free throws; no specific change.

"I think our second quarter is what honestly killed us, 26-15." Angel Reese on the Atlanta Dream's loss at Golden State, saying they can't wait until the second half to apply pressure. On 22-of-31 free throws: "We make all our free throws, we win the game."

Recap of Reese's record double-doubles and a motivational quote; no stated change in role or minutes.

Angel Reese is the first player in WNBA history to open her Finals debut with three straight double-doubles. Told of the record after the Atlanta Dream's 26-point win over Golden State, she said: "This is what I live for. This is what the offseason is for."

Praise of Bonner's leadership and a general third-quarter goal; no concrete role, minutes or stat change for any named player.

Naz Hillmon said DeWanna Bonner pulled Atlanta together in the third quarter: "She's not shy to cuss us out when needed, but she's also there to continue to pour into each and every one of us." Angel Reese: "We want to be the best third quarter team coming out at halftime."

Coach took blame for messaging and effort in Game 2 loss; recap with no stated change.

"That was on me. My delivery wasn't great." Golden State's Natalie Nakase took the blame for her messaging in the Game 2 loss to Atlanta before Game 3 on Oct. 21, but not for the effort: "It probably was one of our worst fighting games, I think, of the season."

Coach asks for energy and patience against a packed paint; generic, no role or minutes change stated.

Kaila Charles brought energy in Game 1 against Atlanta. Before Game 3 on Oct. 21, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase asked for more: "now we need that same fight, but also some patience just because they are packing up the paint defensively."

Player recap blaming effort and turnovers after Game 3 loss; no stated change.

"I think this game they wanted it more than us, and that's not who we are." Tiffany Hayes after the Golden State Valkyries' Game 3 loss to Atlanta. She pinned two games of turnovers on her own team, not Atlanta's pressure: "being undisciplined, being really loose with the ball."

Valencia Basket (Europe) still integrating new players after a game; no WNBA market impact.

Valencia Basket are still working in new players and new plays, Raquel Carrera said after facing Flammes Carolo: "we need to improve that." Carolo's physicality made it harder: "They don't want us to run our plays, so that for us was difficult."

Recap of Game 2 fixes: fewer second chances, better shot quality and pace; no stated change going forward.

Another poor shooting night didn't sink Atlanta in its first WNBA Finals win. Karl Smesko said his Game 1 fixes worked: Golden State got fewer second chances, and "even though we didn't shoot it great again, our shot quality was better, our pace was better."

Canada's self-critique of forced shots and turnovers after a win; no role or minutes change stated.

Jordin Canada wasn't satisfied after Atlanta's first-ever WNBA Finals win: "The stats looks like I had a triple-double, but to me, I know I could have played a lot better." She pointed to forced shots, overthinking on defense and turnovers down the stretch.

Recap of Amihere guarding Reese in second half; no stated change for next game.

Laeticia Amihere took the second-half defensive assignment on Angel Reese in Golden State's Finals game against the Dream. Natalie Nakase said Amihere was key to the game plan: "LA had great energy." A matchup to watch for Reese's numbers next game.

General game plan citing Canada's pace; no explicit minutes or usage change stated.

Jordin Canada's speed is step two of the Dream's plan against the Valkyries, coach Karl Smesko said pregame. Step one is keeping them from rebounding their own misses. Then the edge is "having somebody like Jordin who can really push the pace."

Praise of Bonner's versatility and range; no specific role or usage change named.

DeWanna Bonner's versatility lets Atlanta use different lineups, Dream coach Karl Smesko said pregame, and her range is meant to pull the Valkyries' defense out from the basket: "She not only shoots the 3, but shoots it from very deep."