Napheesa Collier has the Lynx surging at the right time

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Analysis

Film Room: Jana El Alfy is not a typical post player

Last week’s Weekly

Despite limited playing time, Nika Muhl enjoying life as a pro

Napheesa Collier has the Lynx surging as the playoffs near

Minnesota was picked to finish among the bottom half of the league in nearly all preseason WNBA rankings. Now, depending on the results in the last week of the regular season, the Lynx are set to enter the playoffs as the second or third seed.

Since the Olympic break, Minnesota has won 10 of 11. Collier has been huge, leading the team in points (20.4 per game), rebounds (9.8) and steals (1.9) and ranking second on the Lynx in assits (3.5) and blocks (1.3). Collier is the only player in the league this season averaging at least 20 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists per contest.

Collier also ranks third in win share, behind the last two league MVPs (fellow former Husky Breanna Stewart and Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson). She’s a lock to be a first team all-WNBA selection and likely to finish the the top-3 of MVP voting this season. Her case for Defensive Player of the Year is also compelling.

On the back of her stellar effort, Minnesota, which finished with a sub-.500 record last season, is poised to make a deep playoff run.

Collier is not the only former Husky eyeing a WNBA championship as the postseason approaches. Dorka Juhasz is a teammate of Collier’s on the Lynx. Breanna Stewart and the Liberty are expected to return to the WNBA finals, entering the playoffs as the favorites to win it all. The Connecticut Sun, including Olivia Nelson-Ododa, and the Las Vegas Aces, including Kiah Stokes and Tiffany Hayes, are also contenders.

At least 10 former UConn stars will compete in the postseason as the Seattle Storm (Nika Muhl, Gabby Williams), Indiana Fever (Katie Lou Samuelson) and Phoenix Mercury (Diana Taurasi) have secured spots in the WNBA playoffs.

The Chicago Sky (Moriah Jefferson), Atlanta Dream (Tina Charles) and Washington Mystics (Aaliyah Edwards, Stefanie Dolson) will all compete for the final postseason spot over the last week of the regular season, which concludes next Thursday.

The WNBA playoffs will tip-off on September 22nd, three days after the regular season finale.

Best of social media

Aubrey Griffin threw out the first pitch at the Hartford Yard Goats game:

The summer of Paige continues, fashion week edition:

Paige and Azzi were also courtside at the New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces game on Sunday, alongside Steph Curry and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles.

Paige did confirm that she made it to class on Monday, via her Instagram story.

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