Coach Nakase and WNBA's Valkyries determined to avoid another slow start in winner-take-all Game 7

There should be no problem with the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream approaching the first WNBA Finals Game 7 in league history with a sense of urgency.

Then again, that's what Golden State coach Natalie Nakase thought about Game 6. She was baffled that her team somehow left behind its defensive intensity at the start of Thursday's 80-69 loss to the hometown Dream that forced Game 7 at “Ballhalla” in San Francisco on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

While the Valkyries were missing their defensive edge that was so important in their 64-55 Game 5 win, the Dream seized the opportunity by making 73.3 per cent of their shots in the first quarter and racing to a 32-15 lead. The 32 points are the highest by either team in a quarter in the series.

Atlanta kept the lead in double figures for most of the remainder of the game.

“Can’t let that happen right out of the gate,” Valkyries guard Veronica Burton said. “There needs to be a sense of urgency. It’s the WNBA Finals.”

Even after the Valkyries showed fight by attempting a second-half comeback, Nakase was still struggling to comprehend the lackadaisical start so she could make sure it's not repeated in Saturday night's decisive game. She said she planned to have conversations with her players about the issue on the flight back to California.

“I put that on me of like, what did I not say, what did I not get to my team of the sense of urgency that we knew they were going to play?” Nakase said of the Dream. “We knew they were going to play desperate. We knew they were going to play like their life depends on it. For us not to match that is disappointing and frustrating. So, yeah, I need to make sure my team is prepared.”

Added Nakase of her plan to seek answers: “For me, I