Golden State Valkyries vs Minnesota Lynx Picks and Prediction for Monday August 24, 2026

The Golden State Valkyries travel to Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to face the Minnesota Lynx on Monday, August 24, 2026. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET, with USA Network and Victory+ MIN providing coverage. Golden State enters at 25-11 overall and 10-6 on the road, while Minnesota owns the WNBA's best record at 31-7 and is 14-5 at home. The Lynx are 6.5-point favorites, with Golden State +6.5, while the total is set at 160.5. Minnesota is -265 on the moneyline, with Golden State +215. The Lynx have won all three meetings this season, including a 77-66 victory just five days ago. Bettors looking for more basketball predictions can check out our free WNBA picks.

Golden State Looks to Reverse the Season Series

Golden State has put together an excellent season at 25-11, but the Valkyries enter Monday having dropped consecutive games. They lost 77-66 to Minnesota on August 19 before falling 73-70 in Chicago on August 21. Before those defeats, Golden State had won three straight, including victories of 78-70, 91-71 and 84-78.

The Valkyries average 82.5 points per game while allowing only 76.6. They shoot 42% from the field and average 32.6 rebounds, 19.0 assists, 3.8 blocks and 7.7 steals per contest. Golden State's defensive numbers are particularly impressive, and that ability to keep opponents from generating easy points has been an important part of its 25-win season.

Minnesota, however, has consistently presented problems for Golden State. The Valkyries have lost all three meetings this season, 87-84, 81-75 and 77-66. Golden State was competitive in the first two matchups, but the most recent meeting was considerably more decisive. That makes Monday's 6.5-point cushion important, particularly with Minnesota missing several pieces from its usual rotation.

Minnesota Riding a Six-Game Winning Streak

Minnesota enters Monday as the league's hottest team, riding a six-game winning streak and sitting atop the Western Conference at 31-7. The Lynx have won each of their last five listed games, beating Dallas 103-90, Portland 85-81, Las Vegas 92-87, Golden State 77-66 and Washington 94-84. They have scored at least 85 points in four of those five victories.

The Lynx average an impressive 92.2 points per game while allowing 83.4. Minnesota shoots 49% from the field and averages 34.4 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 4.6 blocks and 8.9 steals. The shooting differential is especially notable, with Minnesota holding a seven-percentage-point advantage over Golden State from the field.

There is one significant wrinkle for Monday. Minnesota's provided injury report lists multiple players as out, including its leading rebounder among the listed season leaders and other important rotation pieces. That matters when evaluating a spread that has moved from Minnesota -5.5 at opening to -6.5. Minnesota remains the stronger team statistically, but laying an increasingly expensive number against a 25-11 Golden State team is less attractive than simply picking the outright winner.

Golden State Valkyries vs Minnesota Lynx Picks and Prediction

Pick: Golden State Valkyries +6.5

Minnesota has dominated the season series in terms of wins, but Golden State +6.5 offers enough points to back the underdog. Two of the three meetings were decided by six points or fewer, and the Valkyries are 25-11 with a defense allowing just 76.6 points per game. Minnesota is also dealing with several absences for this matchup. The Lynx should still have an excellent opportunity to win outright, but there is a meaningful difference between asking Minnesota to win and asking it to cover 6.5 against the second-place team in the Western Conference. With the spread having moved away from the opener, the value is on Golden State.

Pick: Under 160.5

The Under 160.5 is the stronger total angle because these teams have already demonstrated how their styles interact. Their three meetings produced 171, 156 and 143 combined points, with each successive matchup becoming lower scoring. The August 19 meeting finished with only 143 points, while Golden State has subsequently played a 73-70 game. Minnesota's offensive numbers are excellent, but its absences could reduce some of that efficiency, while Golden State's best path to staying inside the number is turning this into another defensive contest. At 160.5, the Under gets the call.