Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase briefly collapsed on the court during a fourth-quarter timeout on Friday, but she returned to coach the rest of Game 3 as her team held on for a 77-73 win over the Dallas Wings in the WNBA playoffs.
The incident came at Chase Center in San Francisco during the opening round series, where every moment carried extra weight. The Valkyries now move on with a chance to keep their playoff run alive, while the winner of the series advances to the WNBA Finals.
Kasib Powell: "Natalie’s fine"
Assistant coach Kasib Powell moved quickly to calm any concern after the game, telling reporters that Nakase was fine. He also said the turnaround was quick, with the Valkyries scheduled to play again on Sunday.
"Obviously, it’s a quick turnaround. We play again on Sunday. She wouldn’t miss it for anything," Powell said. He added: "We’ll figure out more as we go, but I think she’s totally fine."
Powell also said Nakase was already back in good spirits. "She’s talking, she’s laughing in the back. We look forward to preparing and getting ready for Sunday," he said, before adding: "We do know that she will be ready for Sunday."
The Valkyries still finished the job
What stood out most was that Nakase continued coaching after the scare. That matters because it turned a worrying sideline moment into a footnote inside a much bigger playoff result.
The Valkyries did not let the interruption derail them. Instead, they finished the fourth quarter well enough to secure the 77-73 victory and take the series into the next stage of the postseason picture.
Now the focus shifts quickly to Sunday, when the Valkyries are scheduled to face the Las Vegas Aces. In a playoff setting where little time is available to reset, the main takeaway is simple: Nakase was able to continue, and Golden State were able to finish the night with a win.
