AP Recap

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Napheesa Collier made a go-ahead 18-footer with 1:24 left on the way to 24 points, and the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx rallied from a 17-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Golden State Valkyries 75-74 on Wednesday night and move on in the WNBA playoffs.
Collier shot 10 for 16 and followed up her 20-point performance in Game 1 with a 14-point second half to bring her team back — and give the Lynx another chance to keep chasing that championship they just missed last year.
The Valkyries had one final chance with four seconds remaining following a shot-clock violation, and Cecilia Zandalasini couldn’t convert a jumper.
Kayla McBride made a go-ahead scoop shot for Minnesota with 2:48 to go after DiJonai Carrington connected on a 3-pointer from the left corner with 3:18 remaining to pull Minnesota within 70-69. McBride wound up with 18 points.
Veronica Burton had 13 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals as the expansion Valkyries nearly extended their special season. Monique Billings scored 15 points off the bench.
Carrington banked in a 3-pointer with 8:30 left that got the Lynx within 63-56 and McBride’s jumper made it a five-point game at the 7:19 mark before Golden State called timeout. The Valkyries immediately committed a shot-clock violation and McBride scored again.
The Valkyries, cheered by their raucous sellout crowd of 18,543, were in control for much of the game — unlike their 101-72 Game 1 defeat Sunday.
Billings rebounded her own miss just before the third-quarter buzzer, scored and converted a three-point play to put Golden State ahead 63-49 going into the final 10 minutes. But Minnesota kept creeping back.
After the final buzzer, fans chanted “GSV!” to celebrate a season in which <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/valkyries-playoffs-expansion-team-74b0020aa69c724036e4294d8eed93fc" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">Golden State made WNBA history</a> by becoming the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.
And the Valkyries were unfazed playing in an unfamiliar venue for their first postseason home game. That “Balhalla” home-court advantage had to relocate nearly 50 miles south to the NHL San Jose Sharks’ SAP Center because the Laver Cup tennis showcase had booked Chase Center before Golden State had even been granted an expansion team.
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski was one of the biggest supporters, sitting courtside with owner Joe Lacob and Warriors President Brandon Schneider.
Golden State lost all four regular-season meetings, three by double figures, so this one will both sting and show these women how close they are. Starting center Temi Fagbenle was a late scratch Wednesday because of right knee pain.
Valkyries <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/natalie-nakase-valkyries-coach-of-year-998e958098170761eaa0307fddd93d0b" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">coach Natalie Nakase was recognized</a> before the game as WNBA Coach of the Year and Burton the league’s most improved player.

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Game Recap: Minnesota Lynx vs. Golden State Valkyries (First Round, Game 2)

First Round Game Recap

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Game Recap: Lynx vs. Valkyries (9/17/25)

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Napheesa Collier with 24 Points vs. Golden State Valkyries

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Top Plays of the Day, 09/17/2025

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Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx - Game Highlights

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 20 points to lead five players in double figures and the Minnesota Lynx breezed to a 101-72 victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round WNBA series.
Collier hit 7 of 11 shots with a 3-pointer and all five of her free throws, adding six rebounds.
Natisha Hiedeman made two 3-pointers and scored 18 for the Lynx, while Kayla McBride added 17. Jessica Shepard had 12 points and eight rebounds and Courtney Williams pitched in with 11 points and four steals.
Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini both scored 14 to lead Golden State. Burton added seven assists and three steals but also had seven of the Valkyries’ 16 turnovers. Janelle Salaün had 13 points and eight rebounds and Temi Fágbénlé scored 12 before fouling out.
Burton hit two 3-pointers for Golden State in an 11-4 run to start the game and the Valkyries led 28-21 after one quarter.
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<div id="93avfqg34d8" class="fs-feed-ad" data-freestar-ad="__336x280 __336x280" data-google-query-id="CPiJ8pW22Y8DFSkHTwgdvMIFlw">McBride had two baskets in a 12-3 run to begin the second period and Minnesota moved in front 33-31. McBride had 14 points by halftime and Collier scored 11 for a 47-39 lead.</div>
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Alanna Smith hit a 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the third quarter for a 52-42 advantage and Minnesota led by double digits the rest of the way. DiJonai Carrington sank two 3-pointers and Williams hit one in the final 70 seconds as the Lynx took a 79-58 lead into the final period.
The Valkyries are still looking for their first win over the Lynx in their first year in the league after losing all four regular-season matchups — three by double digits.
Minnesota’s 34-10 record led the league. Golden State will host Game 2 on Wednesday.
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Game Recap: Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx (First Round, Game 1)

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Game Recap: Valkyries vs. Lynx (9/14/25)

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Napheesa Collier with 20 Points vs. Golden State Valkyries

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Minnesota Lynx Top Plays vs. Golden State Valkyries

Latest

Napheesa Collier

NOTABLE
<ul>
<li>All-WNBA Second Team (2020)</li>
<li>WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2020)</li>
<li>WNBA Rookie of the Year (2019)</li>
<li>WNBA All-Rookie Team (2019)</li>
<li>WNBA All-Star Game (2019, 2021)</li>
<li>Western Conference Player of the Week (2019:1, 2020:1)</li>
<li>WNBA Rookie of the Month (July 2019)</li>
<li>Olympic Gold Medalist (2021)</li>
</ul>
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CAREER TRANSACTIONS
Selected by Minnesota in the 1st round (6th overall) of the 2019 WNBA Draft on Apr. 10… Signed to a three-year contract on Apr. 24, 2019.
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2021 SEASON
Had a delayed start to her third WNBA season, missing the Lynx&#8217; first three games while wrapping up her season in France… Started all 29 contests after arriving and ended up leading the league in minutes per game (34.6) for the third consecutive year… Averaged a team-high 16.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.31 spg and 1.28 bpg; she ranked among the league&#8217;s top 20 in all five categories: scoring (13th), rebounding (14th), assists (19th), steals (11th) and blocks (9th)… Shot a career-low 44.1% from the floor, 25.3% (21-for-83) from beyond the arc and a career-best 86.0% (good for 15th in the WNBA) from the line… Led the Lynx with 22 points and seven assists Sept. 12 vs. Indiana; she also swiped a career-high four steals… Collected five point/rebound double-doubles; she tied her career best with 14 rebounds Aug. 31 vs. New York, part of her seventh career 20/10 outing… Had a career-high five blocks Aug. 15 vs. New York… Pumped in a career-high 27 points July 11 at L.A., one of seven times she led… Scored her 1000th career point and hauled in her 500th career rebound June 30 at Phoenix… Tallied 23 points and registered career highs in minutes (44:17), assists (eight) and FTs made and attempted (11-for-13) June 25 vs. Las Vegas… Scored 23 of her 27 points in the 1st half vs. Chicago on June 15 and led all scorers with 26 points June 4 vs. Atlanta – including the game-winning FTs with :01.5 left.
&nbsp;
WNBA CAREER CAPSULE
2020: Again started every game for Minnesota in her second season in the WNBA… Averaged 16.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg (good for 3rd in the league), 3.3 apg, 1.82 spg and 1.27 bpg in 34.2 mpg, finishing two assists shy of leading the Lynx in every category on a total basis… Shot 52.3% from the floor, 40.8% (20-for-49) from three-point range and 82.9% from the FT line… Overall, she ranked 12th in the WNBA in scoring, 19th in assists, 9th in FG accuracy, 15th in three-point accuracy, 3rd in steals, 6th in blocks and 1st in minutes played for the second straight season… Had 21 points and 11 rebounds Sept. 8 vs. Washington, her fifth career 20/10 effort; the minute total (39:20) was a career high… Notched season highs in FTs made (nine), assists (six) and steals (four) Aug. 21 vs. Phoenix… Named Western Conference Player of the Week on Aug. 17… Scored a season-high 26 points Aug. 15 vs. New York, one of three times she led Minnesota across the board (pts/reb/ast)… Contributed 21 points and a career-high 14 rebounds Aug. 13 vs. Las Vegas, one of seven double-doubles on the season… Tied her career high with four steals vs. Indiana on Aug. 7 and blocked a season-best four shots Aug. 1 vs. Connecticut… 2019: Wrapped up her debut season in the WNBA as the fifth rookie in Lynx history to start every game (Anosike, Augustus, Moore, Ohlde)… Contributed 13.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.91 spg and 0.94 bpg while leading the league in minutes played (33.3 mpg)… Logged 1131 minutes overall, eclipsing Seimone Augustus&#8217; franchise rookie record of 1127 and marking the 4th-highest rookie total in WNBA history (Breanna Stewart 1179, Odyssey Sims 1169, Tamika Catchings 1167)… Ranked 16th in FG accuracy (49.0%), 21st in three-point accuracy (36.1%, 30-for-83) and 31st in FT accuracy (79.2%, 80-for-101); she also finished 4th in the league in steals, 15th in blocks, 15th in rebounds, 21st in scoring and 26th in assists… Scored in double figures in each of her final 15 starts, notching four of her five double-doubles in that span; she averaged 15.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg in those 15 games, hitting 53.8% from the field and 42.9% (15-for-35) from long range… Named Western Conference Player of the Week for Aug. 19-25, becoming the second Lynx rookie to earn the weekly honor (Augustus, June 5, 2006)… Tallied 23 points Aug. 25 vs. Las Vegas, adding a season-best three blocks… Led the Lynx across the board (22 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) Aug. 6 in Atlanta, becoming the fourth player in team history to register a 20/10/5 effort (Moore 9, Fowles 3, Brunson)… Named the WNBA&#8217;s Rookie of the Month for July… Played in the All-Star Game on July 27 in Las Vegas… Scored a season-high 27 points May 25 vs. Chicago, the second-highest total ever for any player in her WNBA debut; Candace Parker poured in 34 points at Phoenix on May 17, 2008… The 27 points are also an all-time best for a player&#8217;s first game in a Lynx uniform.
&nbsp;
PLAYOFFS
2020: Collected 16.5 ppg (50.0%), 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.50 bpg in four playoff starts… Tallied 25 points and a franchise playoff-record six blocks Sept. 22 vs. Seattle and netted 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. the Storm on Sept. 27… 2019: Totaled 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals (in 38:28) at Seattle on Sept. 11.
 
 
INTERNATIONAL 
2021: Member of Team USA&#8217;s gold-medal-winning entry at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo… 2019: Won gold at the FIBA AmeriCup tournament in San Juan, P.R., averaging 6.0 ppg and 6.3 rpg in six appearances… 2018: Listed as one of 16 finalists for the FIBA World Cup team, averaging 5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 2.6 apg in five exhibition outings… 2015: Won a gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Russia, earning All-Star Five honors after averaging 12.7 ppg (54.2%), 9.3 rpg, 2.0 apg and 2.43 spg in seven appearances.
 
OVERSEAS
2020-21: Played for French club Montpellier, averaging 14.7 ppg and 7.9 rpg in 14 LFB contests.
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COLLEGE
Helped Connecticut advance to the NCAA Final Four in each of her four seasons on campus, highlighted by the 2016 national championship that capped a 38-0 campaign… Overall, the Huskies won 145 of 150 games during her career (36-1 in 2016-17, 36-1in 2017-18, 35-3 in 2018-19)… Finished her career ranked 3rd in school history in points scored (2401), 4th in rebounds (1219), 7th in blocks (251) and 3rd in FG accuracy (61.3%)… Chosen as the 2019 winner of the Katrina McClain Award, given to the nation&#8217;s best power forward… Garnered First Team All-America accolades from the A.P., USBWA and Wooden Award as a senior, following a season that saw her average 20.8 ppg (61.2%), 10.8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.47 spg and 1.68 bpg in 38 starts… Registered 25 double-doubles, including five games with 30+ points and 10+ rebounds… Totaled a season-high 37 points vs. East Carolina in the opening round of the AAC Tournament on Mar. 9 and snared a career-best 17 rebounds Dec. 19 at Oklahoma… Averaged 16.1 ppg (58.3%), a team-high 7.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.62 spg and 1.70 bpg in 38 games as a junior… Collected 25 points and a career-high nine assists vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) on Mar. 17, 2018… Earned First Team All-America honors from the A.P., USBWA and WBCA in her sophomore season after netting 20.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.73 spg and 2.08 bpg in 37 outings… Ranked 3rd in the nation in FG accuracy at 67.8% &#8212; the 4th-best single-season percentage in Connecticut history – and shot a career-best 43.1% (22-for-51) from three-point range and 81.8% from the FT line… Scored a career-high 39 points at South Florida on Feb. 27, 2017 and grabbed a season-best 16 rebounds at SMU on Jan. 14, 2017… Played in all 38 games as a freshman in 2015-16; she averaged 6.8 ppg (53.3%) and 5.2 rpg in 17.2 mpg… Chipped in six points and five rebounds in Connecticut&#8217;s title-game win over Syracuse on Apr. 5, 2016.
&nbsp;
PERSONAL
Nicknamed “Phee” … Daughter of Sarah and Gamal Collier … has two siblings, Kai and Wanza … Father played rugby at Buckingham University on England … Name the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Gatorade Missouri Player of the year.
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