The No. 2 Minnesota Lynx held off the No. 7 Phoenix Mercury in the Game 1 of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs on Sunday, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series behind the play of their team MVP Napheesa Collier.
The WNBA Playoffs are officially here, and boy were the Minnesota Lynx ready.
The second-seeded Lynx opened up the 2024 postseason by hosting the seventh-seeded Phoenix Mercury at Target Center in Game 1 of the best-of-three first round. With homecourt advantage in the series and hosting the first two games, Minnesota put on a show at Target Center and looked ready to take it to Phoenix from the opening tip-off.
Behind a red-hot start early, the Lynx pulled out a 102-95 win over the Mercury on Sunday evening, taking a commanding 1-0 series while now just one game away from completed a sweep of the opening round series.
Hot Start
The Lynx got out to a hot start right out of the gate, going on a run early in the opening quarter to get the Target Center crowd very much into the game and put the game out of reach.
The Lynx are on fire, closing out the 1Q with a 13-point lead
Kayla McBride converts on the AND-1!
PHX-MIN | #WNBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/XXrdJCN1BE
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 22, 2024
Leading by as much as 23 points in the first half, Minnesota did exactly what has fed into its success at the end of the regular season, that being distributing the ball, shooting well from the field, featuring a balanced attack and also being led by the one and only Napheesa Collier.
“We are so unselfish. We have so many scorers,” Collier said after the game. “That’s what makes our offense so good.”
The Lynx moved the ball well in the game, notably assisting on 17 of their 19 first-half field goals, while dishing out 30 assists as a team. They also hurt the Mercury from anywhere on the court offensively, with all eight players who entered the game for Minnesota reaching the scoring column.
Oh, and when Collier is playing the way she was in Game 1, Minnesota becomes even tougher to stop.
Second Half Comeback
Even with leading by as much as 23 points, Minnesota had a hard time holding off Phoenix in the second half, in part due to the Mercury shooting lights out from three over the final two quarters.
Phoenix climbed out of its large deficit and even led by one point with just under two minutes left to play, ending the game with 14 threes with Diana Taurasi (five) and Natasha Cloud (four) combining for nine of those threes.
Though the Mercury made things interesting, the Lynx were able to retake the lead late — capped by Bridget Carleton three with about 30 seconds left — to hold strong at home and come away with the win. In part due to the play of their team MVP.
“They were just playing with so much pace and aggression,” Collier said post-game. “Everyone is so good and can win any game.”
Phenomenal Phee
Collier wasn’t just her normal self Sunday, she was even better. Fresh off of getting MVP love by the Associated Press ahead of the game, Collier carried that energy into Game 1 and took the contest over from the get-go.
Collier sparked Minnesota’s large run in the opening quarter and led it to a 20-plus point lead at one point, scoring 13 points in the first quarter and 10 in the second frame to head into halftime with a game-leading 23 points.
That was just through one half.
Napheesa Collier scored 23 points in the first half for the Lynx, already marking the fourth-most points she’s scored in a WNBA playoff game.
Today’s opening half is the First Team All-WNBA member’s highest-scoring half in her playoff career. pic.twitter.com/loh4SjMqQ7
— Jack Borman (@jrborman13) September 22, 2024
At the end of the game, Collier led all players in the game in scoring and shots made, posting a new career-high 38 points along with six rebounds and four assists.
“I felt good. My teammates put me in good positions,” Collier said about her performance. “Just taking what’s there.”
Napheesa Collier has surpassed the 30-point mark twice in the postseason in her career:
– Sept. 20, 2023 vs. Connecticut (31 points)
– Tonight vs. Phoenix— Mitchell Hansen (@M_Hansen13) September 22, 2024
Behind Collier, Kayla McBride stepped up big for her team when Phoenix attempted to make a second-half comeback attempt, ending the game with 20 points with three threes. Bridget Carleton stepped up late and posted 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, followed by Myisha Hines-Allen with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench and Courtney Williams with a well-rounded outing with nine points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals.
Reeve and Collier Honored
Before the WNBA Playoffs began Sunday, The Associated Press announced its award winners for the 2024 season, with two Lynx represented on the list of honorees.
The AP announced Cheryl Reeve as its Coach of the Year, while Napheesa Collier was tabbed as its Defensive Player of the Year.
Along with earning AP Defensive Player of the Year, Collier was named as one of five players on the AP All-WNBA First Team and earned 66 of the 67 votes for league MVP behind unanimous winner A’ja Wilson.
Minnesota #Lynx forward Napheesa Collier finishes second in #WNBA MVP voting, receiving 66 out of 67 votes for second.
A’ja Wilson is the second player ever to win the MVP award unanimously.
The voting breakdown, which also includes Collier’s teammate Kayla McBride with a vote: pic.twitter.com/0iSIcoFykP
— Mitchell Hansen (@M_Hansen13) September 22, 2024
Up Next
The Lynx and Mercury will get a few days of rest before returning to the court in Game 2 on Wednesday in Minneapolis. Minnesota, up 1-0 in the series, will have a chance to sweep the series and avoid it shifting to Phoenix in a winner-take-all Game 3.
Wednesday’s Game 2 will be the second game in a two-game doubleheader, with Minnesota and Phoenix tipping off Wednesday 9/25 at 8:30PM CT from Target Center. Just like Game 1, Game 2 will also be broadcast on ESPN.