Napheesa Collier leads Lynx to comeback victory against Sun

On Friday night, in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Lynx faced off against the Connecticut Sun in a closely contested match. The Lynx began the game trailing, with the Sun holding a significant lead of 15 points at one point. However, a pivotal moment occurred midway through the fourth quarter when the Lynx launched an impressive comeback. They managed to hold the Sun scoreless for more than four and a half minutes after Tina Charles had given Connecticut a 68-53 lead with just over five minutes left in the game. Napheesa Collier sparked the Lynx's rally with a series of crucial plays, including hitting a jumper and completing a couple of free throws that tied the game at 68-68 with 1 minute and 38 seconds remaining. Following this critical tie, the Lynx continued their aggressive play, forcing a shot-clock violation against the Sun. Natisha Hiedeman then scored a straight-away three-pointer, bringing Minnesota ahead for the first time, capping an impressive 18-0 run. This offensive surge by the Lynx concluded with them scoring 23 points against only 2 points from the Sun in the last five minutes of the game. It was a significant turnaround that showcased Minnesota's resilience and determination. In addition to Collier’s standout performance of 33 points and 11 rebounds, Jessica Shepard contributed 13 points to the Lynx's final total. The Connecticut Sun, struggling to find their rhythm, had Marina Mabrey as their leading scorer with 22 points, supplemented by her eight rebounds and six assists. Other notable contributions from the Sun included Haley Peters with 12 points and Saniya Rivers with 11 points. Despite their strong start in the game, Connecticut could only manage 10-for-39 shooting in the second half and committed 13 turnovers that ultimately impeded their performance. After the match, the Sun's season record fell to 0-3, while the Lynx improved their standing to a perfect 4-0. Both teams are now looking ahead to their next challenges, with the Sun preparing to take on the Atlanta Dream shortly after this defeat, while the Lynx will travel to Seattle for their next game against the Storm. This nail-biting game reflected the competitive spirit of women’s basketball in the league. The Lynx's strong finish and the impressive individual performance from Collier could potentially set the tone for their upcoming games as they look to maintain their winning streak, and for the Sun, it serves as a lesson to strengthen their end-game strategies to avoid falling into similar scenarios again.