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Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase explained to reporters on Sunday that she experienced mild exhaustion when she collapsed during Game 3 against the Wings earlier in the week. Doctors cleared her for Sunday’s game, which the Valkyries won 71-60 against the Aces. Nakase intends to wear a heart monitor moving forward to better understand and manage her health, emphasizing her need to be more proactive rather than reactive regarding her well-being.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Game 3 of the First-Round WNBA Playoffs: Valkyries vs. Wings
- Final Score: Valkyries 77, Wings 73
- Key Players and Performances:
- Gabby Williams (Valkyires): Scored 19 points, hit a go-ahead shot with 1:17 left.
- Arike Ogunbowale (Wings): Scored 30 points but couldn't secure the win.
- Notable Events:
- Valkyries rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half.
- Coach Natalie Nakase collapsed on the court during the fourth quarter due to feeling lightheaded and exhausted. She continued coaching for the rest of the game and is expected to coach Game 1 of the semifinals against the Aces.
- Player Reactions:
- Paige Bueckers (Wings) was visibly emotional after losing, breaking down in tears during the press conference.
- Team Progression: The Wings had a significant turnaround from their previous season (27-17 this year compared to 10-34 last year), but fell short due to playoff struggles by key players like Bueckers.
Summary
The Valkyires' comeback victory in Game 3 secured their first playoff series win, setting up a semifinals matchup with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The incident involving Coach Nakase highlights the physical and emotional toll of postseason basketball. Despite strong performances by individual players like Williams and Ogunbowale, the Wings ultimately could not hold off the Valkyires' comeback attempt. Valkyires advance to the semifinals.
Written for “WNBA Playoffs Wings Vs Valkyries” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.
Natalie Nakase told reporters Sunday that she felt “a little exhaustion” when she collapsed while talking to an official during Game 3 of the Valkyries’ first-round series against the Wings on Friday.
asserted
she → tell → Friday
Nakase was cleared by doctors to coach Sunday’s series-opening 71-60 win against the Aces.
asserted
Nakase → clear → Aces
The Valkyries head coach said she would wear a heart monitor to get more information about her health.
asserted
she → say → health
I’m good,” she told reporters on Sunday.
asserted
she → ’m → Sunday
“I think I talked to you guys about that; I wanted to learn from my father.
asserted
I → think → father
He was an extremely hard-working man.
asserted
He → work → ?
I follow in his footsteps and I thrive in that.
asserted
I → follow → that
“He just said, ‘Do not let your career ever get involved in your mental health or your health gets complicated.’
asserted
health → say → health
So when that happened, it definitely was like a wake-up call for me.
asserted
it → happen → me
I got checked through doctors to see if everything looks good.
asserted
everything → check → doctors
Nakase collapsed with 1:40 left in the game when she was talking with an official near the team bench.
asserted
she → collapse → bench
All of a sudden, the 46-year-old coach dropped to the ground and had her head and hands on the court.
asserted
coach → drop → court
Medical personnel and other coaches quickly came to check on her.
asserted
personnel → come → her
Nakase remained on the bench for the remainder of the game but left the court with a member of her staff after the game ended.
asserted
game → remain → staff
Aces head coach Becky Hammon told reporters on Sunday that the incident was “scary” to see while also describing Nakase, who was an assistant under Hammon in Las Vegas, as “tough.”
asserted
who → tell → Vegas
The incident has Nakase putting emphasis on making sure her health is in a good place.
asserted
health → have → place
“You know what I’m gonna do that my dad didn’t do — and may he rest in peace — I’m gonna be proactive,” Nakase said.
uncertain
Nakase → know → peace
“I think information for me is important and so I’m going to look to wear a heart monitor, just for information, just to see.
asserted
I → think → information
You know, I have this Oura ring.
asserted
I → know → ring
I understand this job for me, I love it.
asserted
I → understand → it
Sometimes I love it too much to a point where I overwork and I just wanna make sure I’m being smart.”
asserted
I → love → point
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