The Minnesota Lynx will be without Napheesa Collier for at least two weeks after the MVP frontrunner suffered a right ankle sprain during Saturday’s historic 111-58 win over the Las Vegas Aces, the largest road victory in WNBA history.
An MRI confirmed the sprain following evaluations by team physician Dr. Elena Jelsing at Mayo Clinic Square, the team announced Monday.
Collier’s injury occurred with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter when she landed awkwardly after attempting to secure an offensive rebound. She was helped off the court by teammates and did not return.
Lynx Prioritizing Long-Term Health as Playoffs Approach
Despite holding a commanding 5.5-game lead atop the standings, the Lynx now face a critical stretch without their best player.
Collier, averaging a league-high 23.8 points along with 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks, has been the driving force behind Minnesota’s league-best 24-5 record.
Collier avoided a more severe injury, but the Lynx are expected to be cautious, re-evaluating her status over the coming weeks. With 15 games left in the regular season, the team’s focus will be balancing their pursuit of the No. 1 seed with ensuring Collier is at full strength for the playoffs.
“I don’t think like that,” head coach Cheryl Reeve said when asked about Collier being in the game with a 43-point lead. “She had a sub there and wasn’t going to play in the fourth quarter. Sometimes these things happen. It’s unfortunate, and hopefully she’ll be OK.”
Teammate Kayla McBride added that Collier was in “good spirits” after the injury but acknowledged the emotional blow to the team.
“Obviously, you hate to see anybody go down, but especially your MVP,” McBride said. “We just wish the best for her. We just want her to be healthy.”
MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Races Tighten
Collier’s absence now adds intrigue to both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year races. While her dominant numbers have made her the clear favorite for MVP, an extended absence could open the door for contenders like Alyssa Thomas and Sabrina Ionescu.
No WNBA MVP has ever missed more than five games in a season, but with the league’s expanded schedule, Collier’s projected seven missed games (if out for three weeks) would still fall within historical norms for award eligibility.
Defensively, Collier’s quest to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year becomes more complicated. A’ja Wilson is now considered the favorite on multiple oddsmakers.
The Lynx will begin life without Collier on Tuesday against the Seattle Storm. Based on the initial two-week timeline, she is expected to miss at least four games, though Minnesota’s upcoming schedule features little margin for error, including three games against the New York Liberty.
