ARLINGTON, TX — The Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx went head-to-head in their 2025 WNBA regular season opener on Friday night. Minnesota ultimately emerged victorious, earning a 99-84 victory. Napheesa Collier led Minnesota throughout the affair, scoring 34 points and recording four assists and four rebounds.

Collier was almost unstoppable in the pick-and-roll. Her ability to power through defenders was on full display, while Collier also shot the ball well. For new Wings head coach Chris Koclanes, it presented him with his first real challenge in his first WNBA regular season contest.

“There's a reason she's an MVP candidate,” Koclanes said of Collier after the game. “She's just tough in so many different ways. I thought she got off to a somewhat slow start and then all of the sudden you look up and she's got what she has. Does it with her motor… She just scores in a variety of ways. Just is an elite player.”

Koclanes added that he is excited for a rematch next week, as the Wings and Lynx will battle in Minnesota on Wednesday.

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At the half, Collier led all scorers with 14 points. The Wings were fighting hard against a team that reached the WNBA Finals in 2024, but Dallas still had plenty of work to do. Minnesota pulled away in the third quarter and did not look back. Collier took complete control and the Wings simply had no answer.

Dallas' effort was respectable. Collier is one of the best players in the WNBA and the Lynx are fresh off a WNBA Finals appearance. The Wings should be able to learn a lot from their first game of the 2025 regular season.

“She was comfortable, she was in space,” Wings defensive leader DiJonai Carrington said of Collier. “She was able to kind of cut off the ball, she's a smart, savvy player. And Courtney (Williams) is a great passer so they play well together. So we have to not allow them to be that comfortable and just be better more consistently.”

Dallas' next game is scheduled for Monday night at home against the Seattle Storm. Following the matchup, the Wings will head on the road for their first road game of the season in Minnesota on Wednesday.