Lynx Tied Atop WNBA at 17-6; Collier Return Imminent
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- Cheryl Reeve said Napheesa Collier's return from dual offseason ankle surgeries is imminent, with Collier back in practice but no season-debut date set.
- Minnesota Lynx (17-6) beat the New York Liberty 90-85 on Saturday, entering the weekend tied atop the WNBA standings with the Las Vegas Aces and with five games left before the July 25 All-Star Game in Chicago.
- Olivia Miles scored 23 points (5 rebounds, 4 assists) Saturday and became the fastest player in WNBA history to amass 350 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists, per ESPN Research; she was voted an All-Star starter and is an MVP candidate alongside teammate Natasha Howard (16 points).
- Kayla McBride hit a game-high 25 points on 5-for-11 from three to help the Lynx recover after Sabrina Ionescu's 19-point third quarter put New York ahead.
- Reeve set the WNBA record for most regular-season wins by a head coach after Minnesota's 86-80 win over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday.
- Collier finished second to A'ja Wilson in the WNBA MVP race in both 2024 and 2025; Reeve compared pairing her with Miles to Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore playing with a natural point guard, saying 'it's premature to anoint anyone other than [Collier] as the leader of this team.'
Why it matters: Reeve is signaling that Minnesota's ceiling rises when a healthy Collier pairs with Miles, whom she compared to the point guards who facilitated Augustus and Maya Moore — and the 17-6 Lynx already sit tied with the Aces atop the league. Reeve's public deference to 'Phee's team' also locks in the minutes hierarchy before Collier even steps on the floor, defusing any rookie-vs-vet tension during the comeback.
