
Golden State visits Los Angeles, aims to break road skid
Associated Press
Golden State Valkyries (3-5, 2-3 Western Conference) at Los Angeles Sparks (3-6, 2-5 Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State Valkyries will attempt to end its three-game road skid when the Valkyries play Los Angeles Sparks.
Los Angeles finished 8-32 overall and 5-15 in Western Conference action last season. The Sparks allowed opponents to score 85.6 points per game and shoot 46.4% from the field last season.
Golden State hits the court for the ninth game in franchise history. The Valkyries beat the Las Vegas Aces 95-68 in their last game.
INJURIES: Sparks: Cameron Brink: out (knee), Rae Burrell: out (leg).
Valkyries: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
recommended
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch's ‘difficult' admission after Panthers series
The post Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch's 'difficult' admission after Panthers series appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Edmonton Oilers have shown admirable determination during these last two seasons, erasing deficits and winning the Western Conference in back-to-back years, but this run is ultimately defined by agonizing outcomes in the Stanley Cup Final. Fair or not, this franchise's inability to defeat the Florida Panthers will overshadow the other accomplishments. Advertisement For the second straight year, Edmonton watched the Cats reach the top of the hockey world in Amerant Bank Arena. Following Tuesday's 5-1 Game 6 loss, another grueling reflection period awaits. The organization will have to figure out what it can do to possibly vanquish this powerhouse. Of course, returning to this stage is no guarantee given the parity that exists throughout the West. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch does not care to look ahead. The heartache is strong. 'There's no silver lining to this, it's very difficult to handle right now,' he told the media at the postgame press conference. 'It hurts right now and I don't think it's gonna let up for a while.' The Oilers enjoy one heck of a year, but the season ends in the same dissatisfying way Edmonton worked hard to get to this point. Connor McDavid suffered a lower-body injury early in the regular season and still finished sixth in points. Leon Draisaitl seized the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy and came in second in the Hart Memorial Trophy voting. Goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard each enjoyed huge triumphs along the way. Advertisement The Oilers overcame a 2-0 series deficit versus the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the playoffs and pushed their way to a series-tying Game 4 victory against the Panthers. But that undying perseverance was not enough to lead them to the Cup. That is not to discredit what Kris Knoblauch has achieved since taking over as HC during last season. He has boosted this franchise to heights it had not seen in two decades. Despite the offensive firepower this group possesses, Edmonton was simply outmatched in this Final. Perhaps that would not be the case if injured left winger Zach Hyman was on the ice, but Florida deserves its flowers for outlasting the rest of the league once again. Knoblauch and the Oilers will think about how they had a golden opportunity to take control of the series with a Game 5 win at home, before eventually getting outscored by seven goals across the last six periods. That is just human nature. However, once the pain subsides, Edmonton must use this disappointment as the last bit of motivation it needs to finally bring Lord Stanley's Cup back to Rogers Place. Or, will this latest high-stakes shortcoming break this team's renowned fighting spirit? We shall see. Advertisement Related: Matthew Tkachuk makes Connor McDavid Stanley Cup guarantee Related: Connor McDavid's crushing takeaway from Oilers' latest Stanley Cup defeat


San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries join call for better pay: ‘We're fighting for a fair share'
Golden State Valkyries players Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes joined a chorus of WNBA players on Sunday in calling for a better collective bargaining agreement from the league. Following the Valkyries' 87-63 blowout of the Connecticut Sun at Chase Center, Thornton opened the postgame news conference with a statement about the upcoming CBA negotiations between the WNBA and the Players Association. 'On behalf of my teammates and every member of our union, I want to be clear, we remain committed to negotiating the next CBA with the league and the team in good faith and privately,' she said. 'But we do want to set the record straight, not for the headlines, but for the fans to support us and deserve transparency about what's at stake.' Hayes added, 'This is a defining moment for the WNBA as the league grows, it's time for a CBA that reflects our true values. We're fighting for a fair share of the business that we build. It's business, we're not fighting for anything unreasonable.' Players across the league offered similar statements during their media availabilities on Sunday. Indiana Fever players Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson read the same statement as Thornton ahead of their game against the Las Vegas Aces, while Chicago Sky forward Elizabeth Williams also told reporters, 'the current system is unsustainable.' The current CBA expires at the end of this season, and player salaries are expected to increase significantly. This season, the minimum salary is $66,079, but the WNBA agreed to a record 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal — about $200 million per year, more than triple its previous deal. The WNBPA posted on Instagram on Sunday: 'It's time. As the league grows, it's time for a CBA that reflects our true value. We're fighting for a fair share of the revenue we generate. If not now, when?' In October, the union opted out of the league's current CBA in anticipation of negotiating for increased salaries. In March, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and Dallas' DiJonai Carrington hinted that the players would be willing to strike. Front Office Sports reported Sunday that players wanted to make 'significant headway' in bargaining for a new CBA before the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on July 19. Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase offered support for the players in her postgame presser. 'A huge reason why I wanted to work in the W was, how can I help, and how can I impact?' she said. 'As this league is growing, I want to help, too. I want to do whatever it takes so they what they want and to get what they deserve. So I'm supporting them 100%.' Thornton and Temi Fagbenle, who is currently away from the team for EuroBasket, are the team's Player Association representatives. The WNBA said in a statement on Sunday, 'The WNBA continues to meet regularly with the Women's National Basketball Players Association and engage in constructive dialogue as part of our ongoing collective bargaining discussions.'


CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Kayla Thornton scores 21 as Valkyries hand Sun 6th consecutive loss, 87-63
Kayla Thornton had 21 points and eight rebounds, Tiffany Hayes scored 14 points on Sunday night and the Golden State Valkyries beat the Connecticut Sun 87-63. Connecticut (2-12) has lost six straight. Laeticia Amihere had 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds — her first career double-double — for Golden State (7-6). The Valkyries, who beat Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever 88-77 on Thursday, have won five of six. The Sun's 63 points were the fewest Golden State has allowed in a game this season. Chloe Bibby scored 11 points, Veronica Burton added 10 and Stephanie Talbot grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds to go with six points and four assists. Golden State set a franchise record for points in a quarter with 36 — including 14 by Thornton — in the second. The Valkyries made 10 of 18 from the field and 12 of 14 from the free-throw line, where Thornton was 7 of 7, and turned four offensive rebounds into seven second-chance points. Connecticut scored 12 points of 4-of-16 shooting in the quarter and trailed 59-32 at halftime. Bibby hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer to close the first quarter and another 3 to open the second before Thornton converted a three-point play to cap a 12-2 run that gave the Valkyries a 32-22 lead with 8:20 left in the first half. Aneesah Morrow led the Sun with 14 points and Jacy Sheldon scored 10. Connecticut shot 30% (20 of 66) from the field, 7 of 24 (29%) from 3-point range. Up next The Valkyries play the third of four consecutive home games against defending WNBA champion New York and the Sun play at Las Vegas on Wednesday.