Two days after clinching dwelling courtroom all through the 2025 WNBA playoffs, Minnesota Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier could have secured league MVP honors, too.
The five-time All-Star was remarkably environment friendly in a 96-71 win over the Dallas Wings on Monday, scoring 25 factors on 7-of-10 taking pictures, together with 4-of-4 from past the arc.
Her continued brilliance ought to take away any doubt about her candidacy to be named WNBA MVP.
Collier missed seven video games in August with a sprained proper ankle, opening the door for others, together with Las Vegas Aces heart A’ja Wilson and Phoenix Mercury ahead Alyssa Thomas, to enter the combination.
Nonetheless, Collier has been nice since returning on Aug. 24. In 4 video games, Collier is averaging 23 factors per sport whereas taking pictures 51.6%, together with 50% on three-point makes an attempt.
This season, Collier is averaging a career-high 23.5 factors per sport whereas showing in 30 of the Lynx’s 40 video games.
Jonquel Jones holds the file for many video games missed by an eventual MVP, lacking 5 video games in 2021 with the Connecticut Solar.
That was when the league had a 32-game common season. With the WNBA increasing to 44 video games, it is sensible for gamers to overlook extra video games however nonetheless have MVP-sized impacts.
Extra importantly than Collier’s seemingly particular person honor, her distinctive return from damage has solidified Minnesota because the workforce to beat when the playoffs start on Sept. 14.
The Lynx misplaced the WNBA Finals in 5 video games, 3-2, final season. Their 32 wins are essentially the most in franchise historical past, a formidable feat for a workforce with 4 WNBA champions.
A fifth might quickly observe, however not earlier than Collier earns her first MVP.
