DENVER — Valkyries fans had better set their alarm clocks for Thursday morning.
Count Warriors coach Steve Kerr among them.
“I’ll be having breakfast about that time,” Kerr said. “I’ll be watching.”
The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream will tip off Game 6 of the WNBA Finals bright and early Thursday morning, a decision that drew its fair share of criticism.
Kerr never had to tip off any of his Finals games during a workday, but he believes the league found the best solution in a tough set of circumstances.
“It’s better than having it at the YMCA that night in front of 75 people,” Kerr quipped Monday before the Warriors took on the Nuggets in Denver. “They’re doing what they’ve got to do.”
Although the Valkyries have played in front of a sold-out crowd at the 18,064-capacity Chase Center for every one of their home games since their launch last season, the Dream regularly play at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, which seats about 3,500.
The teams were able to play inside the NBA-sized State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 after the Dream worked with the Hawks to adjust their schedule to accommodate the WNBA Finals.
However, it took until Monday for the WNBA to find a solution for the conflicting dates for Game 6. The league risked one of its highest-profile games being played in front of a measly crowd because State Farm Arena was already booked for the Hawks-Cavaliers game that night.
The WNBA reportedly considered moving the schedule of its Finals games to keep them in primetime but ultimately came to an agreement with the Hawks to play a double-header, moving their game back to 8:30 local to squeeze in a 12:30 p.m. tipoff for Game 6 of the Finals.
The Valkyries are attempting to win a title in their second season as an expansion team, and the Warriors have taken a vested interest in their WNBA counterparts. Brandin Podziemski developed a reputation as a superfan during their first season, and Kerr was spotted sitting courtside earlier this series alongside principal owner of both Golden State teams, Joe Lacob.
While Kerr has left the Xs and Os to the Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase and her staff, that hasn’t stopped him from staying in touch throughout their playoff run.
“We text,” he said. “Just offering support and she responds. But we’re not going into detail on strategy. She’s got her staff.”
