Text with Madeline Kenney as she follows the Liberty — she’s sharing behind-the-scenes info and insights with Sports+ subscribers.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Valkyries, led by coach Natalie Nakase, have exceeded this season’s expectations in every regard.

As a result, Nakase has rightfully earned recognition as a candidate for Coach of the Year in her first season for the way she took a team built from spare parts of other rosters and transformed it into a playoff contender.

Golden State weathered injuries to key stars, players leaving for EuroBasket and grueling schedule stretches.

The Valkyries’ ever-changing player availability has resulted in them using 16 different starting lineups.