Sat May 24 01:40:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Valkyries’ Thornton Primed for Breakout Game Against Sparks, Expert Predicts**

LOS ANGELES, CA – Riding high on a franchise-best one-game winning streak, the Golden State Valkyries head to Los Angeles tonight to face the Sparks. Despite the team’s recent success, veteran forward Kayla Thornton is looking to break out of a shooting slump, and expert Phil Naessens predicts tonight could be the night.

Naessens, a betting expert for Covers, believes Thornton, a 10-year WNBA veteran with a career 32% 3-point percentage, is due for a big game from beyond the arc. He highlights that while Thornton is currently shooting a meager 14% from three on seven attempts per game, the Sparks’ defense allows opponents ample opportunity from downtown, giving up 31 three-point attempts per game while allowing opponents to convert on 32% of their tries.

“Thornton has struggled to find her shot, but she has the green light in what will surely be a pace-up affair. She’ll get 25-30 minutes’ worth of wide-open looks from downtown and should knock down 3+ triples tonight,” Naessens stated in his Valkyries vs. Sparks predictions. He lists his best bet as “Kayla Thornton 3+ threes (+198 at FanDuel).”

Naessens also believes the Valkyries’ improved ball security and Thornton’s potential for multiple three-pointers in a fast-paced game give Golden State a good chance to cover the +11.5 spread and exceed the game’s over/under of 159.5 points.

The Sparks will be without Rae Burrell and Cameron Brink due to injury. The Valkyries have no injuries to report.

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