For Natalie Nakase, whose mind is always racing, sleep can be hard to come by. But, these days it might just be the best indicator of where the Valkyries stand. 

Last season, the ever-fiery WNBA Coach of the Year admitted shut-eye was her struggle. She’d opt for late nights spent buried in film, obsessing over game plans, matchup combinations, and how to maximize a new roster. Two games into Year 2, Nakase says it’s a little different.

“I am sleeping better because of the roster that we built,” Nakase said after Golden State’s 95-79 win over Phoenix in Sunday’s home opener.

The continuity, the connectivity, and the trust she has in her group has given her peace of mind.

It’s only two games, but the Valkyries have already doubled down on a scoring threshold they rarely reached a year ago — back-to-back nights over 90 points after hitting that mark just four times last season. Even with early injuries to Cecilia Zandalasini (concussion protocol) and Tiffany Hayes (pinky), depth has been central to that step forward. 

In Friday’s season-opener in Seattle, Golden State’s bench erupted for 48 points. Two nights later, the non-starters followed with another 36, finishing Sunday’s win a combined plus-68 in the minutes they controlled. Janelle Salaün, the team’s leading scorer in both matchups, was at the center of the second-rotation boost and in course-correcting the slow starts for the offense.

After Salaún knocked down five threes on her way to a 20-point night in Seattle, Nakase called her a “secret weapon” — before conceding that the secret might already be out. The second-year French forward has been both a tone-setter and a game-changer off the bench, to the point where the question isn’t if she’ll crack the starting five, but when her production will force Nakase to toggle with the lead group.

Kaila Charles earned the start in place of the injured Hayes against the Mercury Sunday after finishing plus-18 in Seattle. Last season, Salaün started in 33 of her 36 games, but Nakase was firmly non-committal on the topic of more lineup changes.

“Every possession matters. Every minute matters,” Nakase said. “That’s what the luxury of our team is — the selflessness and the humility of ‘Coach, you want me to start? You don’t want me to start?’ It’s unbelievable, and it’s rare. I have a special group.” 

Golden State’s second-quarter surge against the Mercury showed exactly why Nakase feels that way. 

After a sluggish opening stretch, the Valkyries ripped off a 13-4 run to open the period, fueled in a way that reflects the identity of a Nakase team: defense creating offense and hot perimeter shooting. The 31-11 quarter in favor of Golden State offered a glimpse of this team’s ceiling. Gabby Williams, who was quiet in her return to Seattle, was everywhere — picking pockets, pushing the tempo, and connecting all the Valkyries’ weapons. She finished with four steals, repeatedly blowing up Phoenix actions before the Mercury could organize, along with 19 points (4-of-9 from 3-point range). 

In the frontcourt, Kayla Thornton did the heavy lifting against one of the league’s most physical teams, matching strength with Alyssa Thomas on the glass. She played the 4 throughout the closing quarter and finished as one of five Valkyries in double-digits with 19 points. Laeticia Amihere was another catalyst off the bench — 13 points, six boards, five assists for a notable plus-33. 

When Phoenix trimmed the margin in the third, the Valkyries answered by turning up the dial on their defensive intensity. The switches were quicker, the pressure (and chirping) intensified, and the transition game snapped back into rhythm. Salaün took over in the fourth, scoring 11 points in the final frame, including a clutch three-point play that included a trip to the line followed by a layup on the next possession that kept Golden State steadily pulling away. 

Can the Valkyries figure out how to start like they finish? Perhaps moving Salaün into the starting lineup could help.

Salaün didn’t lack aggression as a rookie — hesitation was never really part of her game — but she has improved the control and conviction behind her movements. She looks more composed, more decisive, and far more equipped to turn touches into sustained scoring bursts.

The volume, in a small sample size, is climbing, and the early returns suggest she’s more efficient, too. That kind of step forward matters: it gives the Valkyries a new force to build around.