WNBA Wednesday Night Showdown: Valkyries Surge at Home, Thornton’s Revenge Game Looms Large

Golden State Valkyries look to upset the New York Liberty as Kayla Thornton targets a breakout game in Wednesday’s WNBA action.

On a warm Wednesday night in San Francisco, a team born of potential, grit, and a fan base as loud as belief itself, welcomes the New York Liberty. The Golden State Valkyries—expansion no more—have become a problem for the league’s elite. Natalie Nakase, a coach you might not know yet but soon won’t forget, has her team defending like every possession is a last breath.

The Liberty come west with pedigree and stars. But no Jonquel Jones. No Leonie Fiebich. And suddenly, the odds begin to tilt. Even in their wins, something has looked off. The floor spacing isn’t the same. The inside-out rhythm feels forced. And while Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu can always turn the tide, the Valkyries have made a habit of asking stars to try—then humbling them in the attempt.

Eight-and-a-half points? That’s too rich. And too dismissive of what Golden State is building.

Kayla Thornton: Poised, Focused, and Ready to Rise

There’s always something different about a game against your former team. For Kayla Thornton, that something feels urgent.

She’s not just scoring—she’s commanding. At home, she’s a force: averaging nearly 17 points per game, hitting tough shots, leading runs, refusing to let the moment drift by. And this game, under the lights at Chase Center, might be the one that shifts the conversation.

Her 20-point potential isn’t a maybe—it’s a rhythm. Three of her last four at home? She’s hit it. And now she faces a Liberty defense without the size and structure it had the last two times they met. Thornton was held in check in those games. But those rosters are gone, replaced by patchwork rotations and tired legs.

This isn’t about revenge. It’s about proving that the Liberty let go of someone who could’ve carried them through nights like this.

Kayla Thornton pulls a Skylar 😆 pic.twitter.com/qXgp8GA9w3

— HoopHer (@HoopHerSpeaks) June 15, 2025

The Home-Court Heat: Chase Center’s Growing Pulse

Every new franchise dreams of culture, of fans who show up before the scoreboard and stick around through the rebuilds. Somehow, Golden State’s WNBA debut has already lit that flame.

Six straight covers at home. Not luck. Not coincidence. Just energy. The Chase Center feels different when the Valkyries play—not because of a sold-out crowd or a banner in the rafters, but because the players feed off that early, organic hunger. They’re playing above expectation, above talent, and at times, above the script.

What Nakase has built, even without key pieces like Salaun and Fagbenle, is the kind of team you don’t want to play in July. And you definitely don’t want to face in late June when your roster is battered and your stars are overextended.

The Liberty walked into Phoenix last week and left limping. Tonight, they walk into something far more alive.

Kayla Thornton pulls a Skylar 😆 pic.twitter.com/qXgp8GA9w3

— HoopHer (@HoopHerSpeaks) June 15, 2025

Prediction and Best Bets: Value in the Underdog, Spotlight on Thornton

This line opened at Liberty -9.5 and has already dipped. And still, it might not have dropped far enough. Golden State isn’t just hanging in games—they’re controlling tempo, turning defense into pace, and forcing teams to play uncomfortably.

With the Liberty’s shortened rotation and historical struggles when Jones is out, this is more even than the market suggests. Thornton’s scoring props offer additional value, especially considering her recent form and the absence of former teammates who once shared the offensive load.

Best Bets:

• Valkyries +8.5 (-112)

• Kayla Thornton Over 14.5 Points (-130)

• Kayla Thornton 20+ Points (+275)