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Lynx Make Final Decision on Napheesa Collier vs Dream

Napheesa Collier's status for Thursday's game against the Atlanta Dream was revealed shortly before tip-off

Will Despart

Jun 1, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles against the Golden State Valkyries during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Jun 1, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles against the Golden State Valkyries during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The first-place Minnesota Lynx will have to wait at least one more game for MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier to return from the significant ankle sprain that has sidelined her for the last five games. Collier was officially ruled out for Thursday's game against the Atlanta Dream less than an hour before tip-off despite the team upgrading her status to questionable on Wednesday.

The Lynx (28-6) are 4-1 in five games without Collier since she suffered the injury in a 53-point win over the Las Vegas Aces on Aug. 2. Collier also missed a game in May with a knee injury and two games in June with a back issue, but the Lynx went a combined 2-1 in those games and are 6-2 overall without the WNBA's leading scorer this season.

Collier's return is only urgent in the sense that the regular season is winding down and it would be good to get her back into a rhythm before the playoffs. Aside from that, the Lynx hold a 6.5-game advantage over the New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream, who are tied for the No. 2 seed. For context, the Liberty and Dream only hold a six-game advantage over the No. 10 seed Washington Mystics.

Managing The Schedule

Thursday's game against the Dream is the last of four straight games Minnesota will endure against the current No. 2 and No. 3 seeded teams in the WNBA playoffs. Due to puzzling inconsistencies in the league's scheduling, the Lynx faced the Liberty in three consecutive games since Aug. 10. Minnesota won two out of those three games and will look to make it three out of four in Atlanta.

If the regular season ended today, the Lynx would face the No. 8 seed, the Seattle Storm, in the first round of the WNBA playoffs, with a much more challenging task against either Las Vegas or Phoenix potentially looming in the semifinals. However, with just four games separating the No. 4 and No. 8 seeds, it's hard to imagine that draw won't be shaken up a bit in the final weeks of the regular season.

After Thursday's game, the Lynx will have nine (five home, four away) games remaining in the regular season.

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• Lynx Guard Natisha Hiedeman Reacts to Big Career News

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Will Despart
WILL DESPART

Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the NBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.

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