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Playing without MVP-caliber forward Napheesa Collier, the Minnesota Lynx barely avoided an upset by the Washington Mystics on Saturday, ending a two-game skid with a 74-67 victory in Minneapolis. The West-leading Lynx (15-6) are set to face the Los Angeles Sparks Tuesday night. In Collier's absence, guard Courtney Williams has emerged as a crucial leader both on and off the court.
Williams led the Lynx with 17 points against the Mystics, and added seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Her impact was felt not only in her performance but also in her leadership during timeouts.
“That was huge for us with Phee (Napheesa Collier) out,” said teammate Bridget Carleton, who scored 10 of her 13 points in the second half, as reported by Field Level Media, via Reuters. “Phee is usually the voice, but Courtney can step into that role.”
Napheesa Collier is sidelined with foot injury
Collier is sidelined with plantar fasciitis in her left foot, ranking fourth in the league in points (20) and rebounds (10.2) per game, third in steals (2.2) and notching 3.7 assists per game. She was named MVP of the Commissioner's Cup final, which the Lynx won over New York on June 25. Earlier in June, she was also named to her second 5-on-5 Olympic team for the U.S. Her return before the team's four-week Olympic break remains uncertain.
Despite her absence, the Lynx managed to rally from a seven-point deficit in the third quarter against the Mystics. Kayla McBride scored 17 points, while Dorka Juhasz, filling in for Collier, added two points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
“We've got to depend on our defense. We emphasize that so much … and that's what we did. We all knew we had to give just a little bit more,” Williams said.
Lynx will need strong performances vs. Sparks
The Lynx will need similar performances as they visit struggling Los Angeles, who have lost nine of their last 10 games and currently hold a 5-16 record. The Sparks are coming off an 84-78 home loss Sunday to the Phoenix Mercury. Despite tying the game late, the Sparks missed their final four shots, all three-point attempts.
Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 25 points and nine rebounds against the Mercury, while Rickea Jackson added 22 points. However, coach Curt Miller expressed frustration with the team's overall performance.
“The execution, the spacing, the timing, the physicality … those all weren't good enough,” he said. “In that situation, you gotta have closers, and tonight, our team out there looked a little hesitant on who really wanted the ball.”
Collier's injury, which occurred July 4 during a game against the Connecticut Sun, has been a recurring issue since her college days at UConn. Lynx and U.S. Olympic team coach Cheryl Reeve is cautious about Collier’s condition, especially with the upcoming Olympics.
“It's certainly on our minds,” Reeve said previously. “There's no way I'm going to sit here and say we aren't considering that. The situation she's in, it's best for us to just kind of take it day by day.”
