Lynx’s Napheesa Collier Puts on MVP Performance in Return From Injury vs. Fever

Napheesa Collier missed over three weeks with a sprained ankle, but it was hard to tell she’d been gone at all as the Lynx forward made her return against the Fever on Sunday. Collier, who had not played since Aug. 2, led both teams in scoring and rebounds, tallying 32 points, nine rebounds and two assists in the 97–84 win over Indiana.

“It definitely felt good,” Collier said of her return after the game. “I feel like I had to knock a little bit of the rust off, Courtney could have had 11 assists. More than anything it felt good to be back with the team. It feels like you’re on the outside when you’re not playing. They’re playing, I’m having such FOMO, it feels so good to be on the court with them again.”

“Happy to have her back and obviously she was ready to play,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said following the victory. “Having her play makes it easier for everybody else to settle back into our roles and things we like to do.”

After Sunday’s win, Collier and the Lynx have just seven games left in the regular season. The Lynx hold the best record in the WNBA at 30-7, and will look to return to the WNBA Finals this year. Collier will go after her first WNBA title, and the fifth in franchise history.

Along with leading the WNBA’s top team on their pursuit of a championship, Collier leads the league in scoring this season—averaging 23.5 points per game—and has been the favorite to win her first WNBA MVP award throughout the season. Though A’ja Wilson improved her case while Collier was out, the Lynx star remains the leader in the race. Sunday’s performance should only help her regain her momentum over the final stretch of the season.

More WNBA on Sports Illustrated