WNBA standout scorer Napheesa Collier returned to action on Friday night after missing two games due to a back injury, leading the first-place Minnesota Lynx to a 96-92 overtime victory over the Atlanta Dream in College Park, Georgia. Collier had been absent in the victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday and in the defeat against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. The player stated that she returned for Friday’s game ready to play as long as necessary for Minnesota (13-2). Collier played 40 of the 45 minutes, finishing with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. He was 8 of 18 from the field and a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line. The game went on longer than usual due to overtime and an eight-minute interruption in the second quarter after the lights flickered in the Gateway Center Arena due to an electrical storm.
Collier, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year last season and runner-up to A’ja Wilson for MVP, is averaging 24.5 points this season. In the Minnesota game against the Las Vegas Aces on June 17, she had to leave the game in the third quarter due to back problems. Minnesota still won that game to secure a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship. That game will be played on Tuesday in Minneapolis against the Indiana Fever. This is part of a five-game series in eight days for the Lynx, starting Sunday at home against the Connecticut Sun. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve praised Collier’s ability to return to action playing so well, especially against a team with as much inside presence as the Dream.If this were the postseason, I would have returned earlier. But I wanted to make sure I came back without any load management, without minute restrictions, 100% ready to play.
Napheesa Collier
It’s not necessarily an easy game to come back to, with the great players they have. Phee has always been a player who fills the stat sheet. Obviously, it was special for us.
Cheryl Reeve
