Napheesa Collier had 24 points and 10 rebounds in her season debut, Kayla McBride added 20 points and the Minnesota Lynx headed into the WNBA All-Star break with the best record in the league after an 86-76 win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday afternoon.
"We didn't want to focus on Phe being out there," says Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. "We just wanted to play like we've been playing and Phee will find her way in and fit in. And that's exactly what she did. She found her spot, she's just a really good basketball player. And second half, we did a little bit more, putting her in actions as she got a little more comfortable. Probably, I think above anything I could have expected. Interesting that number 24 scores 24 on her return. So, I like that a lot."
Collier, who tore ligaments in her left ankle in a playoff game last September and had surgery on both ankles in the offseason, shot 9 for 20 with two 3-pointers in 24 minutes. The WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up in the MVP voting last season made three free throws after being fouled on a desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock was running out, just after Seattle had closed within 77-76 with 1:42 to play.
Collier then followed a Seattle miss with a turnaround jumper before the Lynx hit four more free throws to end the game on a 9-0 run.
"Obviously, it's just like a year of pent-up excitement," Collier said after the game. "So, I think there's a little bit of settling in, but my teammates always have me, they always have my back. They're encouraging me throughout this whole process, today included. So I knew that they had me no matter what. I was just happy to be out on the court with them again."
Olivia Miles added 13 points and Natasha Howard had 11 for the Lynx (22-6). McBride came up just short of joining Diana Taurasi and A'ja Wilson with 23 points in eight straight games.
Dominque Malonga had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Storm (6-23), who have lost six straight and eight of nine. Flau'jae Johnson added 16 points, Natisha Hiedman had 12 and Awa Fam 10 points and 10 rebounds.
It was Fam who fouled Collier with 1:19 to play after Johnson had scored five points in 19 seconds to make it a one-point game.
For Reeve, the best record in the league at the break is great, but she knows the real season starts in the second half and into the playoffs. She knows Collier will be key for any deep postseason run.
"She was good. She was good, and I liked that we had to be in hard moments and she had to make plays at tough times," Reeve added. "That all bodes well in our sort of evolution and having her back and building this thing. You know, we get back from All-Star break, and get into August, and really find out what we have."
Up next
Lynx: Home against Toronto on Tuesday.
