SEATTLE (AP) — Napheesa Collier had 24 points and 10 rebounds in her season debut, Kayla McBride added 20 points and the Minnesota Lynx headed into the WNBA All-Star break with the best record in the league after an 86-76 win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday afternoon.
Collier, who tore ligaments in her left ankle in a playoff game last September and had surgery on both ankles in the offseason, shot 9 for 20 with two 3-pointers in 24 minutes. The WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up in the MVP voting last season made three free throws after being fouled on a desperation 3-pointer as the shot clock was running out, just after Seattle had closed within 77-76 with 1:42 to play.
Collier then followed a Seattle miss with a turnaround jumper before the Lynx hit four more free throws to end the game on a 9-0 run.
Olivia Miles added 13 points and Natasha Howard had 11 for the Lynx (22-6). McBride came up just short of joining Diana Taurasi and A’ja Wilson with 23 points in eight straight games.
Dominque Malonga had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Storm (6-23), who have lost six straight and eight of nine. Flau’jae Johnson added 16 points, Natisha Hiedman had 12 and Awa Fam 10 points and 10 rebounds.
It was Fam who fouled Collier with 1:19 to play after Johnson had scored five points in 19 seconds to make it a one-point game.
Up next
Lynx: Home against Toronto on Tuesday.
Aces: Home against Indiana on Tuesday.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
The Associated Press
