A championship can slip away in a matter of minutes, and the Golden State Valkyries had a sneak peek at how quickly that can happen. After taking a 3-2 lead in the WNBA Finals, they saw a potential series-deciding Game 6 go Atlanta’s way, and with the first Game 7 in WNBA history underway, head coach Natalie Nakase’s message to her locker room before the players took to the court was unambiguous.

“It’s a win-or-die mentality,” Nakase said during a pregame interview when asked what her message to her team was. The interview took place on USA Network and was later posted to its X page.

“We want to leave everything on the floor, and so play like your life depends on it… Come out aggressive defensively. Follow our defensive game plan, be physical, dictate all their actions, and make sure all their shooters are just out of rhythm. Make sure they’re uncomfortable.”

The Valkyries have already shown they can make life difficult for Atlanta. They held the Dream to 62 points in Game 4 and a season-low 55 points in Game 5, and used that momentum to take control of the series. However, despite their relentless pressure and physical defense in previous matchups, Atlanta quickly turned the tide in Game 6.

The Dream scored 32 points in the opening quarter of that game, the most the Valkyries have allowed in franchise history, while shooting 73.3% from the field and building a 17-point lead. For Nakase, that was a moment of self-reflection, and she wanted to make sure they were ready for whatever the Dream could throw at them.

“What did I not say, what did I not get to my team of the sense of urgency that we knew they were going to play?” Nakase said of the Dream. “We knew they were going to play desperate. We knew they were going to play like their life depends on it. For us not to match that is disappointing and frustrating. So, yeah, I need to make sure my team is prepared.”

One statistical trend has followed the winner of each game: points off turnovers. Nakase made sure to emphasize the statistic in her pre-game interview, especially since Atlanta led Golden State 18-12 in the category in the last contest. The Dream also found their shooting touch in Game 6 after struggling all series. They made 13 of their 30 three-point attempts, with Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combining for 44 points while hitting nine threes.

Now, as Golden State looks to win its first championship in only its second season, Nakase’s message captures the scale of the moment: the team needs to leave everything on the floor, or the opportunity to be etched into league history might disappear with no reprieve.