When Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier came up limping last week with an apparent non-contact leg injury, the team’s fans and coaches alike held their breath. The 2024 All-Star, Olympian and MVP candidate had at that point led Minnesota to a 14-5 record, and while the Lynx have considerable depth and are built to withstand the grind of a 40-game regular season, a long-term injury to Collier would severely hamper their championship aspirations, if not ruin them entirely.
Fortunately, Collier’s injury was not as bad as initially feared, and the Lynx have been able to mostly sustain their success without her. Collier was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis—something she’s used to dealing with, according to Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve—and though the Lynx didn’t give a specific timetable for her return, she’s been listed as “doubtful” on their pregame injury reports before eventually being ruled out, which suggests that the team is taking things on a day-to-day basis.
In Collier’s…
