Napheesa Collier scores 38 points, Lynx keeps Taurasi and Mercury in check

MINNEAPOLIS – The possible retirement of Diana Taurasis has been a topic throughout the 2024 WNBA season.

And with their Phoenix Mercury coming off a 102-95 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of their first-round matchup on Sunday at Target Center, that possibility could make headlines ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday.

If anyone understands Taurasi's impact, it's Napheesa Collier, who – like Taurasi – won a national title during her stellar career at UConn. The respect between the two is clear, but this is basketball, and Collier sees Taurasi and the Mercury as nothing more than an obstacle in her team's path to a championship.

“It seems like it's her farewell tour,” Collier said. “I don't know. She's been pretty low-key. She's obviously a UConn great, a GOAT of the league, so I'm glad I got to play with her on Team USA and against her. Hopefully we can finish her career on Wednesday.”

For Taurasi, this may be the end, but for Collier, it feels like it's just the beginning. Collier put up some spectacular statistics, including a career-high 38 points in a dogged win over the Mercury, who have beaten the Lynx in five of their last six playoff meetings.

On the same day that Collier finished second to A'ja Wilson in the race for WNBA Most Valuable Player – had there not been a single vote for third place, Collier would have been a unanimous second – she argued that the Las Vegas Aces star might be the only player in the world who could stop her from doing what she wants on the court.

There were pump fakes and smooth layups. There were crucial three-pointers and finishes at the basket. She also made important defensive stops. The Mercury seemed to roll the dice at times as to who would get the job of guarding them. But nothing really worked.

With the basketball in her hands, Collier was a destructive force on Sunday. According to the Lynx, she is the first player in WNBA history to record 38 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and a block in a playoff game.

“The great thing about (Collier) is that it's so much more than just scoring goals,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “That's why it's so special. That's why she's the first in league history to do so many things, because she nails the play-by-play. It goes way beyond scoring goals.”

Taurasi (21 points, 5 of 10 three-pointers) and Natasha Cloud (33 points) tried to steal Game 1 after the Mercury went into halftime trailing by 14 points.

Cloud's layup with 2:06 left in the game gave the Mercury a 92-91 lead before they lost the rest of the game 11-3. As Cloud entered the locker room after the game, she yelled, “One more… one more… one more,” signaling both desperation and opportunity in Game 2.

They think about the future of Taurasi.

Maybe alone. Taurasi was announced as a participant in the post-match press conference before being replaced at the last second, meaning she may not speak until Wednesday, if at all. But the potential fallout from this game is clear.

“It's not something we've really talked about as a group,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “Obviously, we know there's a chance that that's it. I think everybody wants to have a run, not just for us, but especially for her. I mean, it's going to be her decision after the season. I think she's made that pretty clear. But we love having her with us. And you can see it tonight, she can still play.”

But Collier and her teammates have their own ambitions.

On the court, Collier is not a lively player. And compared to some other WNBA stars, she doesn't have a huge social media following. Even after games, she is often stoic. This demeanor likely influences the way she is perceived, which is mostly as quiet and unassuming. But Collier has also earned another description all season: WNBA superstar.

“I think it just comes from playing as hard as you can every game, winning games and always coming back to my teammates,” she said Sunday. “They always put me in great positions. You don't get the awards and all those things without winning games, and you do that as a team. So, yeah, it feels good to get (No. 2 in the MVP race). Really, kudos to (Wilson). She had an incredible year. I think she deserves to be MVP. Obviously, I'll step in for her next year and do my best again. But it was really fun.”

On Wednesday, Taurasi could be playing the final game of one of the greatest series in basketball history. But the former MVP and three-time WNBA champion competed on Sunday as if she had no interest in ending her career in Minneapolis.

In Game 2, however, Collier & Co. may not give her a choice.

“We are aiming for the championship and that is what our goals are focused on,” Collier said.