By all accounts, the Minnesota Lynx’s 76–70 win over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night was one for the highlight reels. Down by 15 with just over five minutes remaining, the Lynx mounted a stunning 23–2 run to remain unbeaten at 4–0 — their best start since the 2017 championship season. But behind the final score lies a more complex narrative: one of a star player in MVP form, a team struggling with consistency, and a coach unsatisfied with anything less than championship-level basketball.
A Performance Worthy of MVP Consideration
Napheesa Collier was nothing short of spectacular. Her 33-point, 11-rebound effort not only bailed Minnesota out of a disjointed offensive night, but it also showcased her evolution into a bona fide franchise anchor. Ten of those points came during the final five minutes, when she took control on both ends of the floor — leading the fast break, disrupting passing lanes, and finishing through contact.
Collier now leads the WNBA in scoring at 29.5 points per game, boasting elite shooting splits (56% FG, 54% 3PT, 93.5% FT). She’s doing it while shouldering an increasingly lopsided share of the offense. On Friday, Courtney Williams went 0-for-11 from the field, and Bridget Carleton wasn’t much better at 2-for-11. Without Collier, the Lynx’s perfect record would almost certainly have blemishes.
Still, Collier remains grounded in her critique. “This is not what it looks like to be a championship team,” she said after the win. The message is clear: her performance may be MVP-caliber, but the team is far from where it needs to be.
Late-Game Heroics Mask Structural Flaws
While the comeback electrified the crowd at Target Center, head coach Cheryl Reeve was quick to temper the euphoria. “Of those 40 minutes, we played five of them defensively,” she said. “We had some solid stretches, but not enough to do the dictating.”
It’s not the first time this season the Lynx have stumbled out of the gate. Just two nights earlier, they fell behind 15–5 against Dallas before clawing back to win. But against Connecticut, the problems were more glaring. The Lynx trailed by 10 at halftime and didn’t show meaningful urgency until the final minutes. “We just didn’t have a way about us that demonstrated a sense of urgency and being hard to play against,” Reeve noted, citing a lack of pace and sharp execution.
This pattern — slow starts followed by furious finishes — may thrill fans in the short term, but it’s a dangerous habit for any team with championship aspirations.
Defense Wins the Day…Eventually
The real catalyst for the turnaround was defense. Minnesota forced 23 turnovers and held the Sun to just two points over the game’s final 5:20. Marina Mabrey, who had torched the Lynx with 10 first-half points and six assists, was held nearly silent in the closing stretch.
Jessica Shepard — who added 13 points and six rebounds off the bench — praised Collier’s all-around impact. “She’s the most consistent player in the league. Without her today, it’s a rough basketball game,” she said.
Minnesota’s defensive potential is undeniable. They ranked third in defensive rating last season and were a Finals contender. But unlike the 2017 championship team, this current squad still lacks the consistent, game-long intensity needed to dominate.
Rebounding, Hustle, and Clutch Shooting
The Lynx also won the battle on the boards (43–27) and had a 22–8 edge in fast break points, signs of their superior athleticism and transition awareness. Natasha Hiedeman’s go-ahead three-pointer with under two minutes left sealed the game, giving Minnesota its first lead and cementing the improbable comeback.
“We just had to chip away,” Hiedeman said. “We all just believe in each other… We knew it wasn’t over until the buzzer rang.”
It’s this sense of belief and unity that may be the team’s greatest intangible strength — the ability to respond under pressure, rather than unravel.
The Bigger Picture: Contenders or Pretenders?
At 4–0, the Lynx are now one of the league’s early surprises, but it's a record that demands context. Their wins have come against flawed or winless teams, and their victories have required significant second-half comebacks.
Reeve, a four-time WNBA champion coach, knows what a true contender looks like — and she doesn’t see it just yet. From criticizing the team’s defensive inconsistency to openly calling out poor officiating (“a terrible whistle” on Collier), her postgame remarks were less celebratory and more instructional.
And she’s right to raise the alarm. As strong as Collier has been, relying on her to clean up every slow start and lead every fourth-quarter charge isn’t sustainable over a full season — or a playoff series. The supporting cast must rise, and the team’s defensive effort needs to stretch across 40 minutes, not five.
What Comes Next
The Lynx face the Los Angeles Sparks next, an opportunity to reinforce lessons learned and perhaps string together a complete game. For now, Collier’s brilliance and the team’s grit are enough to keep winning — but the standard in Minnesota is higher.
To paraphrase Reeve: if those final five minutes were the light bulb moment, now it’s time to leave the switch on.
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