To finish a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in a best-of-three opening-round playoff collection, the Minnesota Lynx wanted a herculean effort from its lone Olympian, Napheesa Collier.
The sixth-year ahead from UConn delivered.
Collier’s career-high 38 factors in a seven-point Recreation 1 victory was adopted by resetting her private greatest: 42 factors in a decisive 13-point Recreation 2 win. Collier is the primary participant within the historical past of the WNBA to attain at the least 35 factors or extra in two consecutive playoff video games.
Take into consideration that—the historical past of the WNBA.
Collier did one thing so spectacular that it is by no means been completed earlier than by anybody. Not Sheryl Swoopes or Lisa Leslie. Not Diana Taurasi or Sue Chook. Not Lauren Jackson or Cynthia Cooper.
Collier stands alone on this unique membership.
She scored 80 factors within the Lynx’s wins over the Mercury, marking the membership’s first playoff collection win because the 2020 bubble. And he or she did it in an extremely environment friendly vogue, taking pictures 25-of-39 from the ground, a 64 % clip, whereas additionally making 25-of-28 free throws and 5-of-8 3-pointers. And in 77 mixed minutes of play, she had simply 4 turnovers to eight assists.
Collier is enjoying a number of the greatest basketball of her profession.
The query is: Is that sufficient to guide the Lynx to a WNBA title?
Think about that, if A’ja Wilson didn’t exist, Collier in all probability would’ve been the league MVP this season. Wilson gained the award unanimously—and deservedly so—however Collier completed second with 467 voting factors, a large margin in entrance of Breanna Stewart’s 295 factors in third place. And along with her wild scoring totals over the Mercury, Collier is seen by many as the highest defensive participant within the WNBA, as evidenced by the AP voting her Defensive Participant of the 12 months.
“I undoubtedly suppose that Phee ought to undoubtedly be getting type of extra consideration than she’s gotten,” Stewart, Collier’s teammate at UConn, advised the Washington Submit. “Particularly this 12 months, simply the best way that she’s persistently been on the high from begin to end. Folks want to understand her sport.”
Along with her 20.4 factors per sport, which is fifth-best within the WNBA, Collier is averaging profession highs in rebounds (9.7), assists (3.4) and blocks (1.4) per sport. There’s an argument to be made that the 6-foot-1 ahead from Missouri is seeing the sport higher than she ever has.
And again to protection for a second, Collier is second within the WNBA in defensive win shares (2.9) and defensive ranking (89.2), each of that are career-bests for her.
With Collier main the best way, Minnesota went 30-10 within the common season, posting its greatest win share since 2017 when it went 27-7. Need to guess how that season ended for the Lynx? They gained the Finals, marking their fourth championship underneath the steerage of Cheryl Reeve.
Since that period of Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson ended, the Lynx have been trying to find a brand new face-of-the-franchise. It wasn’t apparent on the time in 2019 that Collier would grow to be that after they chosen her with the sixth general decide of the draft, but it surely’s crystal clear now that she is. Along with successful a gold medal this summer time on a Reeve-coached Group USA squad, Collier was named to her fourth all-star group and is a lock to make her second straight All-WNBA First Group.
Collier has additionally already led the Lynx to capturing some {hardware}. Earlier this season, the Lynx went 4-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play after which, behind 21 factors, six assists and 6 rebounds from Collier, beat the New York Liberty 94-89 for the trophy, whereas Collier was named the mid-season event’s MVP.
“She’s like an amoeba,” Reeve mentioned of Collier. “In the event that they’re going to let her be within the paint, then she’s going to seek out herself within the paint. She will display; she will be able to roll. She understands tips on how to play in motion, be on the perimeter, and shoot the basketball. She’s taking pictures the three effectively. She simply finds alternative ways to influence the sport based mostly on what’s dictated.”
The Liberty are the No. 1 general seed in these WNBA Playoffs, however—counting the Commissioner’s Cup title sport—the Lynx went 3-1 towards them within the common season. The Lynx additionally went 3-1 towards the two-time reigning champs, the Las Vegas Aces.
Seemingly, the most important hurdle remaining for Collier and the Lynx is their opponent within the semifinals, the Connecticut Solar. The Lynx went 1-2 towards the Solar within the common season, however these video games had been determined by a median of two.6 factors and Collier performed simply 24 minutes in a July 4 loss to Connecticut.
With a powerful supporting forged round Collier of fellow all-star Kayla McBride, mixed with Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams and Myisha Hines-Allen, the sky appears to be the restrict for the Lynx. If they will get previous the Solar within the semifinals, including to Reeve’s assortment of championships appears more and more doable.
