The Golden State Valkyries will take on the Minnesota Lynx Sunday, days after the team suffered back-to-back losses against the New York Liberty. The game will be a test of what the Valkyries learned against the Liberty (the team lost 95-67 during the first test and 82-77 during the second) — but this time around, there's one player who will likely determine the course of the game: Minnesota Lynx star Napheea Collier.
At present it's unclear if Collier, who ended up on the Lynx's injury report earlier this week, will play in the match against Golden State. If she sits it out, the Valkyries have a shot at breaking through the tough Lynx defense. If she doesn't, the Valkyries will have a steep uphill battle to climb.
How Napheesa Collier impacts a game
It's no secret that Collier is one of the strongest defensive weapons in the entire WNBA. She's also averaging 26.8 points per game right now, something no one else is pulling off.
Collier was drafted as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Lynx and has played for the team ever since. In her years for the team she's has racked up a lot of titles: Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA All-Star, All-WNBA First Team, and she's a two-time Olympic gold medalist (she was part of the women's team that won at the Tokyo Olympics and the Paris Olympics).
The Lynx are off to a zinger of a season start, with a 5-0 record that's only matched by the Liberty, their arch-rivals and last year's WNBA Champions.
The Valkyries could spot an opportunity
If Collier is out and the Valkyries are hitting shots, Golden State could seize upon the opportunity presented by her absence. Of course, Collier isn't the only elite player on the Lynx, but the season is young and the team is still coming together, which makes them slightly more vulnerable than they're likely to be later this season.
The Valkyries very nearly pulled off an upset against the Liberty last week, something a lot of New York fans likely didn't expect, and something that put the rest of the league on notice. If the team can play that kind of basketball against the Lynx, they'll have a shot at upstaging one of the mightiest squads in the WNBA right now — something that would make a huge statement and would serve as a reminder that Golden State is here to win.