Napheesa Collier’s Game-Changing Performance
Napheesa Collier’s 28 points and eight rebounds propelled the Minnesota Lynx to an 85-81 victory over the Dallas Wings, marking their second win against Dallas in just five days. The game on Wednesday night was particularly significant as it marked Paige Bueckers’s homecoming, the first overall draft pick, though the Lynx spoiled her return.
Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams each scored 13 points for the Lynx (3-0), who are maintaining their strong performance from last season when they reached the WNBA Finals. There, they suffered a narrow defeat against the New York Liberty in a decisive Game 5 that went into overtime.
Paige Bueckers Back at Home
Bueckers, who grew up rooting for the Lynx and previously won a state championship at Target Center with Hopkins High School before her successful college career at Connecticut, scored 12 points, provided 10 assists, and made three steals. In her first three WNBA games, Bueckers has a shooting record of 13 for 35 from the field, including her home debut against the Lynx on Friday.
Arike Ogunbowale was the top scorer for the Wings (0-3) with 21 points, shooting 8 for 20 from the field and making 5 of 13 three-point attempts. She equaled Diana Taurasi’s record as the fastest player to reach 500 career 3-pointers, achieving this in 198 games.
The Start of a Perfect Season
The Lynx, who started the season with victories over Dallas (99-84) and Los Angeles (89-75), encountered stronger competition in their home opener. After falling behind 15-5, they answered with a 12-0 run and maintained control for most of the game until a late scoring drought enabled the Wings to narrow the gap.
Minnesota went almost four minutes without scoring until Williams made a baseline jumper with 2:47 left, extending their lead to 78-73.
Ogunbowale’s three-pointer with 39 seconds remaining reduced the Wings’ deficit to two points. However, Williams secured an offensive rebound, keeping the possession alive, which led to Collier being fouled. Collier then made both free throws, finishing the game 12 for 12 from the free-throw line.
