The Minnesota Lynx will look quite a bit different when they take the floor against the host Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.
All-Star forward and WNBA Most Valuable Player candidate Napheesa Collier will not play for Minnesota (24-5) after spraining her right ankle in the team’s most recent game. She is expected to be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, DiJonai Carrington could be in uniform to make her Lynx debut. Minnesota acquired the veteran from the Dallas Wings on Sunday in exchange for Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round draft pick.
Carrington averaged 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists for Dallas this season.
The Lynx’s new look could challenge Seattle (16-13), which is coming off back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Sparks and Indiana Fever. The two setbacks came by a combined six points, and the Storm are eager to avoid a three-game skid.
One reason for optimism in Seattle is the recent emergence of rookie center Dominique Malonga, who is averaging 10 points in her past three contests. She could provide the Storm with a presence in the middle against a Lynx team that wants to drive the paint.
“She is growing in a lot of ways,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. “She’s growing in games from learning about how to guard and defend and be physical, to learning where she can pick her positions to score and give us energy offensively.”
Minus Collier, Minnesota’s next leading scorer is Kayla McBride at 14.8 points per game. Courtney Williams is also scoring in double digits with 13.7 points per contest.
Seattle’s top scorer is Nneka Ogwumike with 18.0 points per game. Three others are scoring in double digits, including Skylar Diggins (16.8), Gabby Williams (12.8) and Erica Wheeler (11.0).
This is the third of four meetings between the teams during the regular season.
Minnesota won the first matchup 82-77 on its home court May 27. Courtney Williams scored 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting for the Lynx, and Gabby Williams led Seattle with 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
Seattle got revenge on its home court when it beat the Lynx 94-84 on June 11. Ogwumike tallied a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Collier paced Minnesota with 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists.
The Lynx are coming off a 53-point win over the Las Vegas Aces — a lopsided victory that was spoiled by Collier’s ankle injury.
“It’s a balance, I am excited for the way our team played and the way we showed up (against Las Vegas),” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “And I’m obviously concerned about Napheesa Collier. … I can be both happy for our team and worry.”
–Field Level Media
