The WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx have wrapped up a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final against Indiana on July 1, but first they look to continue their momentum as they pay a visit to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday.
The Lynx (12-1) hope to return WNBA top scorer Napheesa Collier to the lineup after she missed a game and a half with a back injury.
Collier was hurt early in Tuesday’s 76-62 win over Las Vegas, finishing with a season-low seven points. She sat out Saturday’s 82-66 win over Los Angeles.
Collier is averaging a league-high 24.4 points per game, but her starting spot was filled by Maria Kliundikova. Making her second career start, Kliundikova tallied 12 points and eight rebounds (both season highs) in the win.
“We were sort of unsure what was going to happen,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said of the move to replace Collier. “We spent a couple days looking at various options … and then you get the players involved, and so they sort of put us over the top in a direction. They’re very comfortable with (Kliundikova).”
Kayla McBride picked up most of the scoring slack from Collier as she tallied a season-high 29 points, shooting 9-for-13 and 5-for-7 from 3-point range. The Lynx shot 53.6 percent overall but did have 21 turnovers without Collier.
“(Collier) should be back, probably on a plane tomorrow,” Reeve said on Saturday. “So we should expect her (back). … That’s what we think is going to happen.”
The rookie-driven Mystics (6-8) come into the game off a 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.
Instrumental in the victory were first-year standouts Sonia Citron (27 points on 9-for-13 shooting, 11 rebounds) and Kiki Iriafen (19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals).
Leading scorer Brittney Sykes was held to eight points, but the young stars helped deliver the win as Citron’s tiebreaking 3-pointer with 12 seconds left was the difference.
“We have two special players here,” Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said of his rookie stars. “It comes down to more than talent. It’s the professionalism.”
Washington is currently one-half game behind Indiana and Las Vegas for the No. 8 spot in the league.
–Field Level Media
