The Golden State Valkyries will reach the playoffs during their inaugural season in the WNBA. However, they are in the midst of a tight playoff positioning race that could see them facing the league-best Minnesota Lynx in the first round.Golden State had the chance to lock the No. 6 seed with a win against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday. However, the Valkyries collapsed late and lost 74-73, resulting in increased ramifications for their regular-season finale. Napheesa Collier and Co. will host Golden State on Thursday at Target Center.Should the Valkyries lose, they will be the No. 8 seed, setting up an opening-round series against Minnesota. However, a Golden State win Thursday will lock up the sixth seed and a first-round matchup with either the Las Vegas Aces or the Atlanta Dream as the No. 3 seed.Golden State (23-20) has yet to win against Minnesota (33-10). The Lynx won 86-75 on June 1, 82-71 on July 5 and 78-72 on Saturday.Could the Valkyries win against the league-best Lynx?The league-best Minnesota Lynx is undefeated against the Golden State Valkyries. Minnesota has also lost just two games at home this season (19-2). However, the Lynx have already clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and have nothing to play for lately.In Tuesday's 83-72 loss against the Indiana Fever, Lynx star Napheesa Collier and reserve guard DiJonai Carrington both took the night off. They could also do the same on Thursday.While the Lynx may rest its key players, Golden State should still be wary of Minnesota's bench. Natisha Hiedeman led Saturday's 78-72 win over the Valkyries with 24 points off the bench.If the Valkyries win on Thursday, who will they face in the first round?As the No. 6 seed, the Golden State Valkyries' opponent will be determined at the end of the regular season on Thursday.Golden State will play the Atlanta Dream as the No. 3 seed, should the Las Vegas Aces win against the LA Sparks. If Las Vegas loses, it will take Golden State in the first round.Thursday's result between Minnesota and Golden State will also have seeding ramifications for the other teams in sixth to eighth: the Indiana Fever (24-20) and the Seattle Storm (23-21).With a Golden State loss, Indiana will be No. 6, while Seattle is No. 7. A Golden State win makes Indiana the seventh seed and Seattle will be eighth. In the latter scenario, league-best Minnesota's first-round opponent will be the Storm.