The Golden State Valkyries will hit the road to face the struggling Chicago Sky on Friday night at Wintrust Arena. The Sky were expected to contend for a playoff spot this year while the Valkyries were expected to struggle. But the roles have been reversed and the Valkyries are in playoff contention while the Sky have had a dreadful season. Here, I break down this inter-conference matchup in the WNBA and give you my Valkyries vs Sky prediction.
Our Valkyries vs Sky Pick
- Pick: Golden State Valkyries -5
- Confidence: 3/5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Golden State Valkyries @ Chicago Sky
- Date & Time: August 15, 2025, 7:30 PM ET
- Venue: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, IL
- Broadcast: ION
Valkyries vs Sky Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| GSV -5 | GSV -225 / CHI +185 | 150 points |
Key Storylines
- Injury report: Valkyries are full strength with the exception of Kayla Thornton. Thornton is out for the season with a knee injury. Chicago is missing key pieces including guard Courtney Vandersloot and forward Angel Reese. Reese’s absence has severely limited Chicago’s ability to compete on the glass consistently.
- Valkyries momentum: The Valkyries enter this game on a three-game winning streak. Their last game was an 88-83 away win over Washington. They were led by Veronica Burton and her 30 points.
- Playoff push: Golden State remains firmly in the playoff hunt. They are in seventh place in the WNBA standings and will look to move closer to a playoff berth with a win here. The Sky are in 12th place in the standings and have almost been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- The Valkyries lead the season series 2-0. They’ve earned one of those wins at home and one on the road.
- Golden State is 7-10 on the road this season but won their last road game against Washington.
- Chicago is 5-11 at home in 2025.
- The Sky are 13-19 against the spread this year.
- Golden State is 20-12 against the spread. They have the most wins against the spread in the league this season.
Advanced Metrics & Trends
- Offensive vs Defensive Ratings: Golden State is 10th in the league in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating. The Sky are 12th out of 13 teams in both categories. Only the Connecticut Sun have been worse in those areas this year.
- Pace: Both teams play at a slower tempo. The Sky rank 10th in the league in pace and the Valkyries play at the slowest tempo in the WNBA.
Valkyries vs Sky Model Projection
Score Projection: Golden State 84 – Chicago 75
Win Probability: Golden State 65%, Chicago 35%
Final Thoughts
The Golden State Valkyries are better than the Chicago Sky on both ends of the floor. That is especially true with Angel Reese dealing with an injury for Chicago. Golden State should be able to get the win in this contest and they should be able to cover the point spread in the process.
