{"id":143467,"date":"2025-06-04T18:38:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T22:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=143467"},"modified":"2025-06-04T18:38:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T22:38:37","slug":"napheesa-collier-wins-award-lynx-league-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/04\/napheesa-collier-wins-award-lynx-league-record\/","title":{"rendered":"Lynx Star Wins Award as Team Closes in on League Record"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">The Minnesota Lynx have started this season on a mission, chasing a league record fifth title. After losing the decisive Game 5 in the WNBA Finals last October, it\u2019s clear Minnesota is ready to return. Already tied for the most successful franchise in league history, a fifth championship banner would put them in a class above the rest. So far, their journey has been unobstructed, a perfect 8-0 start to the season. So, how did they get here?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Lynx Star Napheesa Collier\u00a0Wins Award as Team Closes in on League Record<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><b>M-V-Phee?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">They are led by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/c\/collina01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Napheesa Collier<\/a>, a four-time All-Star and the 2024 MVP <a href=\"https:\/\/ak-static.cms.nba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/09\/2024-WNBA-MVP-Voting-Results.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">runner-up<\/a>. After <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/c\/clarkca02w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Caitlin Clark<\/a> went down earlier this season with an injury, Collier jumped to the top of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/28\/napheesa-collier-replaces-caitlin-clark-as-mvp-favorite\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">odds for MVP<\/a>. She leads the league in scoring at 25.1 <a href=\"https:\/\/stats.wnba.com\/leaders\/?Season=2025&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">points<\/a> per game, ranks fourth in <a href=\"https:\/\/stats.wnba.com\/leaders\/?Season=2025&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;StatCategory=STL\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">steals<\/a>, and ninth in <a href=\"https:\/\/stats.wnba.com\/leaders\/?Season=2025&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;StatCategory=BLK\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blocks<\/a>. Her combination of scoring skill and defensive prowess (she won Defensive Player of the Year last season) makes her a two-way talent that is only rivaled by fellow forward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/w\/wilsoa01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A\u2019ja Wilson<\/a>. Collier\u2019s domination, paired with Minnesota\u2019s perfect record, earned her the title of Western Conference Player of the Month. She has staked her claim as the best player in the world. It&#8217;s hard to see anyone who could challenge her.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udfc0 <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Kia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@Kia<\/a> Players of the Month \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n<p>Allisha Gray: Eastern Conference<br \/>21.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 4.6 APG (Team Record: 5-2)<\/p>\n<p>Napheesa Collier: Western Conference<br \/>26.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.0 APG (Team Record: 6-0)<a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/KiaPOTM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#KiaPOTM<\/a> | <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WelcometotheW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WelcometotheW<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ftM1leR5yQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ftM1leR5yQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WNBA\/status\/1930293713336709253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 4, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><b>Collier\u2019s Teammates Stepping Up<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Although \u2018Phee\u2019 is leading the charge, Minnesota\u2019s roster is full of overachievers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/s\/smithal01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alanna Smith<\/a> is having a breakout season, shooting a career high 50% from deep, and trailing only Wilson for most blocks per game. Veteran guard and emotional leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/w\/willico01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Courtney Williams<\/a> has been on fire, averaging a career-best 6.3 assists per game while chipping in nearly 14 points as well. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/wnba\/players\/m\/mcbrika01w.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kayla McBride<\/a>, the Lynx&#8217;s second-best player last season, missed the first four games this year due to personal reasons, but has returned with a vengeance. Her 16 points per game rank second on the team, and she has knocked down 52.4% of her triples. The team\u2019s chances to return to the WNBA Finals look promising. This time, they hope to take home the crown. It\u2019s been eight years since Minnesota won a ring, and this prestigious franchise doesn\u2019t want to wait any longer. You couldn\u2019t script a better first month of the season. But it\u2019s a long season, and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/08\/top-wnba-teams-2025-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">other contenders<\/a>\u00a0see this as their year too. Collier has to continue to lead from the front. If she can do that, the Lynx might just return to glory and set a new record for franchise titles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_143483\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-143483\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_self\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-143483\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26367313_168404824_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-143483\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 3, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) celebrates after making a shot with Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) against the Phoenix Mercury in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><b>Lynx Look to Break Own Record<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Two teams are currently undefeated, both of last season\u2019s finalists. Minnesota&#8217;s 8-0 start has been nearly matched by the New York Liberty, who have won all seven of their contests. Both have a chance at setting a <a href=\"https:\/\/bringmethenews.com\/minnesota-sports\/lynx-continue-perfect-start-with-dominant-win-over-mercury\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WNBA record<\/a> for wins to start a season, set in 2016 by the Lynx. That team won 13 straight games to kick off their title defense, but came up short in the playoffs. If Minnesota wants to equal or best its own record, it won\u2019t be easy. Amongst some games against inferior opponents sits a battle with Wilson and the Aces. That marquee matchup is going to be a big test for Minnesota. If they want to set themselves apart from the rest of the league, games against teams like Las Vegas will help them determine where they could improve even further.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Featured image: \u00a9 Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Minnesota Lynx have started this season on a mission, chasing a league record fifth title. After losing the decisive Game 5 in the WNBA Finals last October, it\u2019s clear Minnesota is ready to return. Already tied for the most successful franchise in league history, a fifth championship banner would put them in a class [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5485,"featured_media":143484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,3,49709],"tags":[1631,49063,49658],"class_list":["post-143467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-news","category-wnba","tag-aja-wilson","tag-caitlin-clark","tag-napheesa-collier"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5485"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143467"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":143487,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143467\/revisions\/143487"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=143467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}