It came quicker than Hammon likely anticipated. Nakase’s expansion Valkyries didn’t merely defeat the Aces, the recent league standard in success. They ran them out of the blooming-violet sold-out Chase Center in one of the most eye-raising results of the young season that raises early questions about each team.

Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum ripped the referees over ticky-tack foul calls after a loss to the Golden State Valkyries in overtime on Monday night.