Napheesa Collier is back.
The WNBA’s MVP favorite is active for Sunday’s Minnesota Lynx game against the Indiana Fever after being sidelined for seven games with a sprained right ankle.
Collier suffered the injury during an Aug. 2 win over the Las Vegas Aces and has not played since. The Lynx have weathered her absence with a 5-2 stint since her injury to maintain the WNBA’s best record. They won two out of three games against the reigning champion New York Liberty during a three-game series in Collier’s absence.
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At 29-7, the Lynx enter Sunday’s game against the Fever with a 5.5-game lead over the Atlanta Dream for the top seed in the playoffs. Collier’s return strengthen’s Minnesota’s grip on the No. 1 seed with eight games remaining in the regular season.
It also provides Collier with plenty of run-up before the start of the postseason as the Lynx seed to return to the WNBA Finals for a second straight season in search of the franchise’s fifth league title.
A five-time All-Star, Collier was in the midst of her best season when she sustained the injury. In 26 games this season, Collier has averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53.7% from the floor and 36.8% from 3. She was the overwhelming MVP favorite at the time of her injury.
She remains the betting favorite for the award despite her layoff, but A’ja Wilson has caught fire to make it a two-player race as the Aces star seeks her fourth career MVP since 2020.