After having a tough game last time, Napheesa Collier was determined to improve.
The Lynx’s standout player scored 26 points, leading Minnesota to a 90-81 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night, giving them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series.
“Everyone has an off night and I try to contribute in other ways to help the team,” said Collier, who managed only nine points with a 3-of-14 shooting performance in Game 2.
She has worked hard all season on both offense and defense, and the league’s runner-up for MVP believed that her poor shooting in the previous game was just a fluke.
As Connecticut tried to make a comeback late in the game, Collier made three key plays that shifted the momentum and secured the win.
With Minnesota ahead 81-73 and 3:03 remaining, she scored, then made a deflection on defense, and finished by assisting Alanna Smith for a 3-pointer that stretched the lead to 13 points.
“It’s crunch time, I knew I had to be aggressive especially in one-on-one coverage,” Collier said. “Then, you know, just being the same on the other side, we really had to be aggressive. They were playing with desperation at the end.”
Game 4 is set for Sunday in Connecticut, where the Lynx aim to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2017. That year marked the end of Minnesota’s four championships within seven years. If needed, Game 5 will take place in Minnesota on Tuesday night.
Collier scored 16 points in the first half on Friday night and was aggressive from the beginning. Minnesota led by seven after the first quarter and was up 48-36 at halftime, thanks to Collier making seven of her 10 shots in the first 20 minutes.
