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Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier once again made history during a hectic winner-take-all Game 5 against the New York Liberty. After Collier scored the most points within two games in a series, she continued adding accolades to an already dominant postseason run. She became the first player in league history to have over 20 steals and 20 blocks in a single postseason.
Collier showed her dominance throughout the regular season, taking home the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy. She averaged 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Also, Collier led the Lynx to the second-best defensive rating in the league (94.8). Her work on the offensive end is something that can't be unnoticed either. She averaged a near double-double with 20.4 points, and 9.7 rebounds while shooting 49.2% from the field.
Her combination of offensive and defensive acumen makes her a legitimate two-way player, and could arguably be the best in the league. The former No. 6 overall pick was dominant at UConn, but defensively, has taken her game to another level.
Napheesa Collier dominated defensively for the Lynx vs the Liberty
Going back to the defensive side, Collier had six blocks in a shocking Game 1 overtime win. She made life difficult for Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, especially with tying her, and other Liberty players, resulting in numerous jump balls throughout the series.
One of the crazy parts about the series was how Collier had 17 steals and nine blocks in the WNBA Finals alone. It shows her defensive presence and how she positions herself to come up with eye-popping defensive numbers. Her rotations, switching ability, and versatility proved crucial in the Lynx's Finals run.
While they didn't capture a fifth WNBA title, they still had quite the run. Collier alone had the best playoff stretch of her career. She averaged 2.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Meanwhile, the Lynx star was an extremely efficient scorer, shooting 52.5% from the field, 41.4% from three, and 84.7% from the free-throw line.
This was her second full season back since giving birth to her child in 2022. Although Collier had a solid 2023 campaign, she took a huge leap in nearly all categories, even in the playoffs. Even LeBron James called Collier ‘a beast' during the Lynx's series against the Connecticut Sun.
Minnesota didn't make its history by being the only franchise with five championships. Regardless, the future is extremely bright with Collier as the franchise player. Her defensive prowess, as well as improved scoring every year can elevate the Lynx into a true dynasty.
