Deadspin | NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic’s historic triple-double too much for Wolves in OT

Deadspin | NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic’s historic triple-double too much for Wolves in OT

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Dec 25, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and center Luke Kornet (7) celebrate at the end of the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic compiled 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists as the host Denver Nuggets rallied from nine down in overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Thursday night.

The 30-year-old star produced the first NBA game ever with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic also logged the third-highest point total ever registered on Christmas Day, behind 60 points from Bernard King in 1984 and 59 from Wilt Chamberlain in 1961.

It was the 15th triple-double of the season for Jokic. He now has 179 in his career during the regular season and 21 in the postseason. Jamal Murray finished with 35 points and 10 assists for the Nuggets, who had lost two of their previous three games.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards scored 24 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter and overtime before picking up his second technical foul with 21 seconds left in the extra session.

Knicks 126, Cavaliers 124

Jalen Brunson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 left for host New York, which overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Cleveland.

Brunson scored 13 of his 34 points over the final 7:15 for the Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback win of the season. Reserves Jordan Clarkson (25 points) and Tyler Kolek (16 points, nine assists) had big games while Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double.

Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points for the Cavaliers, who blew a pair of double-digit leads and lost a game they led entering the fourth quarter for the first time this season. Darius Garland recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists while Jaylon Tyson (16 points), Evan Mobley (14 points, nine rebounds in his return after a five-game absence) and De’Andre Hunter (13 points) all got into double figures off the bench.

Spurs 117, Thunder 102

De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points as San Antonio handed host Oklahoma City back-to-back losses for the first time this season.

The Spurs have won eight consecutive games — which does not include the NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 — to extend their longest winning streak since 2018-19. Three of the Thunder’s five defeats this season, including both of their last two, have come to San Antonio.

Victor Wembanyama, who came off the bench for the sixth consecutive game since missing nearly a month due to a calf injury, finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in nearly 26 minutes for the Spurs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 22 points but was just 7-for-19 from the field, including 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Hartenstein paired 13 points with 12 rebounds, and no other player scored more than 12 for the Thunder.

Warriors 126, Mavericks 116

Stephen Curry lost a personal scoring duel with Cooper Flagg in their first head-to-head matchup, but joined with Gary Payton II to stall a late rally as Golden State held off Dallas in San Francisco.

Curry led the Warriors with 23 points in Golden State’s 13th consecutive appearance in the NBA holiday showcase. After the Mavericks closed within 110-104 with 4:28 to play, Payton converted a Draymond Green pass into his momentum-swinging dunk and Curry bombed in a 26-footer on Golden State’s next possession to reopen a double-digit lead with 3:45 left.

Flagg went for a game-high 27 points and Brandon Williams added 26 for the Mavericks, who lost Anthony Davis for the game after he experienced right groin spasms in the fourth minute of the second quarter. He finished with three points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes.

Rockets 119, Lakers 96

Amen Thompson scored a game-high 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as visiting Houston never trailed Los Angeles to cap a 2-4 road trip on a good note.

Jabari Smith Jr. notched 16 points while Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets transformed a 10-point halftime lead into an 81-58 lead on Smith’s tip-in with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists while LeBron James posted 18 points in his 19th Christmas Day game. Austin Reaves scored 12 points in the first half, but did not play in the second half due to left calf soreness. The Lakers were outrebounded 48-25.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Nationals aim to continue winning ways in finale vs. Blue Jays Jul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon. Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday. “Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.” With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note. Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday. The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener. Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch. He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches. “I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.” He has never faced the Nationals. After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto. On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late. The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span. “It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.” George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234. Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third. “He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.” Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #JaysJul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon.

Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday.

“Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.”

With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note.

Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener.

Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch.

He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches.

“I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.”


He has never faced the Nationals.

After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto.

On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late.

The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span.

“It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.”

George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234.

Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third.

“He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.”

Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #Jays">Deadspin | Nationals aim to continue winning ways in finale vs. Blue Jays Jul 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images The Washington Nationals will go for their fourth straight series win since the All-Star break when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon. Washington rebounded from a 3-2 setback Monday in the opener of the three-game series vs. Toronto with an 8-6 win on Tuesday. “Obviously we understand meaningful games going into late July and August,” manager Blake Butera said after Washington’s sixth victory in the past nine games. “Each win just feels like it means more and more every time out.” With an eight-game road trip through Atlanta and Philadelphia awaiting them, the Nationals will look to end their six-game homestand on a high note. Toronto, which is 4-8 since the break, can earn a split of its six-game road trip with a win on Wednesday. The Blue Jays will send rookie Trey Yesavage (4-5, 3.92 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against fellow right-hander Zack Littell (7-8, 5.17), who could be preceded by an opener. Toronto has lost the last four starts by Yesavage, who is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA during that stretch. He gave up three runs on five hits over four innings in his team’s 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing 93 pitches. “I was getting ahead early. I think every batter I faced, I got to a two-strike count,” Yesavage said. “It’s just a matter of putting them away, which really drove up the pitch count.” He has never faced the Nationals. After allowing eight runs in a start against the Athletics on July 18, Littell worked behind an opener the last time out, with better results. He took the loss despite giving up one run on four hits over five innings Friday in a 3-2 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Littell is 2-0 with 4.68 ERA in six career games (four starts) vs. Toronto. On Tuesday night, the high-powered Nationals offense used early walks and mid-game power to build an 8-3 lead before holding on late. The Nationals got a team-record six walks in the first inning against Shane Bieber and back-to-back homers from Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Crews in the fourth. Crews has reached safely in 10 straight games, batting .314 (11-for-35) with three doubles, three homers, eight walks, nine runs and six RBIs during that span. “It’s unbelievable,” said closer Clayton Beeter, who picked up his 11th save. “One through nine, I feel like everybody’s a tough out. Just talking to guys around the league, everybody’s respecting out lineup, and that’s good to see.” George Springer’s three-run homer in the eighth inning trimmed Washington’s lead to 8-6. He is batting .333 (14-for-42) with two doubles, three homers, five runs and 11 RBIs since the All-Star break to raise his season average to .234. Kazuma Okamoto hit his 24th homer of the season for Toronto. Teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game in the fourth inning with right hamstring tightness after legging out an infield single in the third. “He wanted to stay in,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and it was just my call to be careful with him and not have anything worse happen.” Schneider did not rule out Guerrero playing on Wednesday. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Nationals #aim #continue #winning #ways #finale #Blue #Jays

Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen">Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the ValkyriesPlum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching. #Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen

according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen">Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen

Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

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CWG 2026 Glasgow LIVE Score, Day 7: Tajinderpal, Samardeep qualify for shot put final; Sanjana eliminated from 77kg weightlifting Plenty to keep track of today. Here’s hoping you keep up.WEIGHTLIFTING2:00 PM – Women’s 77kg final (medal event) – SanjanaATHLETICS AND PARA ATHLETICS3:35 PM – Men’s shot put qualifying – Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Group A), Samardeep Singh Gill (Group B)4:02 PM – Men’s 200m, Round 1 – Animesh Kujur (Heat 4)11:54 PM – Men’s long jump final (medal event) – M. Sreeshankar, Lokesh Sathyanathan12:03 AM (July 30) – Men’s 400m hurdles Round 1 – Yashas Palaksha (Heat 1), Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (Heat 2)12:31 AM (July 30) – Women’s shot put final (medal event) – Manpreet Kaur12:55 AM (July 30) – Men’s discus throw F42-44/F61-64 final (medal event) – Devender Kumar, Sagar Thayat1:42 AM (July 30) – Men’s 100m T47 final (medal event) – Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath, Dilip Mahadu Gavit2:05 AM (July 30) – Women’s 3000m steeplechase final (medal event) – Parul ChaudharyBOXING4:45 PM – Women’s 51kg quarterfinal – Sakshi Chaudhary vs Caitlyn Fryers (Northern Ireland)5:30 PM – Women’s 70kg quarterfinal – Arundhati Choudhary vs Morgan Henderson (New Zealand)6:15 PM – Men’s 60kg quarterfinal – Sachin Siwach vs Treasure Moremi (Botswana)7:00 PM – Men’s 80kg quarterfinal – Ankush Panghal vs Jade Micock (Seychelles)7:30 PM – Men’s 90+kg quarterfinal – Narender Berwal vs Michael Seko (Samoa)11:00 PM – Women’s 57kg quarterfinal – Jaismine Lamboria vs Elise Glynn (England)SWIMMING AND PARA SWIMMING3:12 PM – Men’s 200m freestyle heats – Sajan Prakash (Heat 4), Aneesh S. Gowda (Heat 5)3:44 PM – Men’s 50m freestyle S7 Heats – Chaitanya Kulkarni, Suyash Jadhav11:51 PM – Men’s 200m freestyle final (medal event) – Sajan Prakash, Aneesh S. Gowda (Subject to qualification)12:46 AM (July 30) – Men’s 50m freestyle S7 final (medal event) – Chaitanya Kulkarni, Suyash Jadhav (Subject to qualification)1:14 AM (July 30) – Men’s 1500m freestyle fastest heat (medal event) – Aryan NehraBOWLS AND PARA BOWLS8:55 PM – Men’s pairs Sectional Play, Section B Round 2 – India (Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar) vs Namibia (Waylon Wentzel and Christo Steenkamp)1:10 AM (July 30) – Women’s Singles Sectional Play, Section C Round 2- Nayanmoni Saikia vs Caroline Whitehead (Isle of Man) #CWG #Glasgow #LIVE #Score #Day #Tajinderpal #Samardeep #qualify #shot #put #final #Sanjana #eliminated #77kg #weightlifting

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