Deadspin | Week 11 MNF: Cowboys-Raiders Preview, Props, Prediction

Deadspin | Week 11 MNF: Cowboys-Raiders Preview, Props, Prediction

Sports news

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) warms up before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders enter their Monday night clash separated by less than two games in the over NFL standings but in vastly different positions in terms of realistic expectations for the rest of the season.

The Raiders are 2-7, last place in the AFC West and closer to a battle for the No. 1 overall draft pick next spring than for a playoff spot this season. The Cowboys are a meager 3-5-1, but are clinging to playoff aspirations as they welcome in significant reinforcements for the league’s 31st-ranked defense.

ODDS & TRENDS

Dallas has dropped consecutive games as it travels for Week 11, but the Cowboys are still consensus 3.5-point favorites. They have been backed by 71% of the spread-line money at BetRivers, where their -190 moneyline has drawn one-sided action with 95% of the money and 90% of the total bets.

Las Vegas has failed to cover the spread in four consecutive games against NFC opponents and has lost 17 of its past 18 games as underdogs.

Meanwhile, five of Dallas’ past six games have gone Over the total points line, which had shifted from 50 to 49 at BetRivers by Monday afternoon. That’s despite the public backing the Over with 68% of the money.

PROP PICKS

–Cowboys QB Dak Prescott 2+ TD Passes (-189 at DraftKings): The Raiders have surrendered 12 passing touchdowns through nine games, despite often falling behind and facing run-heavy attacks from their opponents. Prescott has thrown 17 touchdowns, including two or more in five games thus far, leading to this being the most popular player prop at the book.

–Raiders QB Geno Smith Anytime INT (-155 at BetRivers): Smith has thrown 12 picks already, including eight through four home games. Overall, Smith has thrown at least one interception in 10 consecutive home games dating back to last season with Seattle.

INSIDE EDGE

Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is third among all NFL wide receivers with 12 receptions of 20+ yards this season. Meanwhile, teammate Jake Ferguson is second among all tight ends with 10 receptions in the red zone, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable engine.

KEY STAT

Dallas’ offense is averaging 40.3 points per game in its three wins thus far, in addition to battling to a 40-40 tie in a Week 4 duel against Green Bay. In the Cowboys’ five losses, the offense has crossed the 24-point plateau only once.

TRAGEDY AND REINFORCEMENTS

Monday will mark the Cowboys’ first game since tragedy struck the organization during the team’s bye week.

Defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died via a self-inflicted gunshot wound per authorities after a police chase near the team’s facility in Frisco, Texas. Kneeland’s death came just days after he recovered a fumble for a touchdown in Dallas’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 3.

While members of the Cowboys’ organization undoubtedly had their lives changed by the sudden loss of their teammate last week, coach Brian Schottenheimer believes Monday night will bring a welcome sense of normalcy.

“I don’t think there’ll be much that’s different,” Schottenheimer said. “I think these guys are going to be excited to be out there with their brothers and doing what they love to do.”

Just days before Kneeland’s death, the Cowboys acquired linebacker Logan Wilson (Bengals) and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Jets) before the trade deadline. They will join linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who is expected to make his season debut after recovering from last year’s devastating knee injury.

INJURY REPORT

Cowboys defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (calf) was ruled out Saturday after missing practice all week. Starting safeties Donovan Wilson (elbow, shoulder) and Malik Hooker (toe) were limited, along with four others, on Thursday and Friday, but the pair were full participants on Saturday.

For the Raiders, wide receiver Tyler Lockett (knee) was limited and linebacker Cody Lindenberg (Achilles) didn’t practice on Thursday but both were full participants on Saturday. Quarterback Aiden O’Connell (right wrist) has been ruled out despite being a full participant at practice all week. O’Connell is on injured reserve with his 21-day window to return opened on Oct. 29. Smith will be backed up by veteran Kenny Pickett.

THEY SAID IT

–“It’s not just a distraction for me, it’s a distraction for them. A lot of them have lived through a lot of tragedy in their life. Their escape is to come and be in the locker room with their brothers, put their helmets on, go out to the practice field. We might be feeling a lot of emotions, I’m sure we will. My hope and what I believe is that it won’t feel that different.” –Schottenheimer on the impact of Kneeland’s death on the Cowboys.

–“It’s been crappy, and this is not what I expected to happen. I didn’t feel like we would be this far behind at the start of the season … It’s a kick, it’s a blocked kick, it’s an OT catch. There are four to five games here that could have flipped just like that, just with small margins of better play, better execution, better calls, and all of that.” –Raiders coach Pete Carroll

PREDICTION

The Raiders should prove an ideal opponent for a Cowboys team coming off its bye and playing with heavy hearts. Dallas’ passing game has been humming most of the season and Las Vegas’ error-prone offense is the perfect tonic for the Cowboys’ porous defense as they work Wilson, Williams and Overshown into the fold. –Cowboys 31, Raiders 23

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Week #MNF #CowboysRaiders #Preview #Props #Prediction

Related Posts

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.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen
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

Post Comment