Overview

• All-Star forward Kayla Thornton has been ruled out of Friday’s opener of the second half with a lower-leg injury, marking her first missed game of the season.
• French center Iliana Rupert will make her Valkyries debut after finishing EuroBasket commitments, adding shot-blocking and floor-spacing to the frontcourt.
• Coach Natalie Nakase, whose team has led the WNBA in lineup experiments, plans further rotation tweaks to cover Thornton’s absence.
• Golden State owns a 10-12 record, trailing the Las Vegas Aces by half a game for the eighth seed with 22 games remaining.
• The Valkyries have struggled on the road at 3-8, and a five-game trip will test their consistency in the final push for the playoffs.