Napheesa Collier wasted no time making her presence felt. Back on the court after a three-week layoff with an ankle sprain, the Minnesota Lynx star dropped 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds in a 97-84 win over the Indiana Fever.
Collier powers Minnesota back on top after ankle injury
Collier admitted she had to shake off a little rust, but her teammates were thrilled. Courtney Williams, who dished out 10 assists, laughed that she could finally take fewer shots. “It feels good to have Phee back,” she said.
The Target Center crowd erupted as Collier was announced in the starting lineup, and she quickly set the tone. Minnesota erased a 10-point first-quarter deficit and seized control with an 11-0 run before halftime. Collier’s turnaround jumper gave the Lynx the lead for good, and they never looked back.
Coach Cheryl Reeve summed it up: “She’s that darn good. Having her out there makes it easier for everyone else.”
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Lynx eyeing playoff dominance
Minnesota managed a 5-2 stretch without Collier, even adding DiJonai Carrington at the deadline to keep things steady. But with their MVP candidate back, the Lynx look like the clear team to beat.
Now 30-7, Minnesota sits with the best record in the league and has already locked up a playoff berth. With a six-game lead over Atlanta and just seven games left, Collier’s return makes their championship push even stronger.
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