Napheesa Collier Called Game; Sun Forgot the Game Was 40 Minutes!!

The Connecticut Sun blew a 15-point lead with five minutes left — and no, that’s not a typo. That’s a full-on meltdown.

Then Napheesa Collier decided to go nuclear. She flipped the switch like John Wick stepping into the Continental lobby with a grudge and a loaded clip. The Minnesota Lynx? They pulled off an immaculate a 23–2 finishing run so violent it felt less like a comeback and more like a broad-daylight robbery.

Final score? 76–70, Lynx.

And if you only watched the first 35 minutes, you’re entitled to a refund. Maybe emotional damages, too.

Let’s talk about the carnage.

Napheesa Collier: Certified Hooper, Vibes Arsonist

The final verdict: Napheesa Collier is Her with a capital H.

The lead contender for MVP, Collier finished with 33 points, 11 boards, and 3 blocks, and not one of them was subtle. All night long, Collier was surgical and savage.

Connecticut had no business losing this game. None. Zero. Zilch. But then again, they were playing Phee. This game was wrapped. Bagged. Tagged. Ready to be filed under: “A signature win against a championship contender, our first dub of the season, let’s go get mimosas.”

The Sun were up 68–53 with 5:20 left. Connecticut fans at home probably started doing the little head bob thing. Napheesa said: “Not on my watch.” Collier hit a jumper, got a stop, knocked down free throws, and dragged Minnesota back from the abyss like Thanos did for Gamora.

Then Natisha Hiedeman (revenge game alert) drilled a cold-blooded three with ice in her veins to take the lead, and once the Lynx took the lead, they never looked back.

A 23-2 run in the last five minutes? That’s not basketball. That’s a hostage situation.

 

“We gave them a lot of layups and gave up offensive runs,” Meziane said postgame, eyes wide like he saw a ghost. “It’s not a win, but it’s a good game for us to continue to build.”

The Sun turned into a puddle when it mattered. They committed 21 turnovers and scored TWO POINTS over the final five minutes. You could’ve put mannequins on the court and gotten the same result.

Rachid Meziane was honest postgame.

“This game was a little bit like our game against Washington. We control the tempo… and sometimes our focus disappears a little bit.”

Meanwhile Collier their franchise with that season 4 Succession energy…

“You are not serious people.”

This game was only a reminder when Phee is on the court with anyone, “I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me.”

The Sun Had It… Until They Didn’t

Look, as bad as it might seem, it’s not all bad. There were real bright spots for Connecticut. Actual hoop reasons to not hit the panic button just yet.

Marina Mabrey was in her bag. Mabrey finished the game with 22 points, 8 boards, 6 dimes, and drilling threes like she was running a live-fire drill.

Meanwhile, rookie Saniya Rivers looked like the best athlete on the court for stretches.

Three triples. Arms everywhere. Defensive energy like a glitch in the matrix. She plays like a Red Bull commercial that learned to close out.

“She was present defensively,” Meziane said. “She sinks 3 balls… she can do more. Bring more. She’s a good player.”

Marina Mabrey co-signed that in bold font:

“Amazing on defense, amazing athlete, amazing on offense. She hasn’t even scratched the surface.”

File that under “Real Hoopers Know.”

Additionally, there are other pieces that played well. Haley Peters is steady and had a solid performance of 12 points and 6 rebounds. Also, Olivia Nelson-Ododa quietly had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

But the vibes get wobbly late.

Mabrey said this about Connecticut’s late game execution

“Overall it hurt us with all of our TO’s…a really good team that was in the finals, that can’t happen…in the 2nd half, they came alive and did some really good stuff…We showed our inexperience a little bit, I’m really proud we were there in the game this time.”

Minnesota: 4–0 and Frisky As Hell

They didn’t just win. They snatched it.

Collier’s on an MVP arc, Jessica Shepard is out here finessing in the paint, and Hiedeman is handing out daggers like candy.

Even with Courtney Williams going 0-for-11, the Lynx found a way to grind this out with defense, tempo, and a whole lot of “we are not losing this damn game.”

Also? This team’s bench is sneaky good. Alissa Pili & Diamond Miller gave them solid minutes. If Kayla McBride gets back in the mix, we’re looking at a championship contender.

This Lynx team? It’s not a fluke.

All of it runs through Collier, who is putting together the kind of season that ends with an MVP speech and an endorsement deal for something classy, like electric bikes or oat milk.

The Lynx are undefeated. The Sun are winless. One team knows who they are. The other is still figuring it out. And Napheesa Collier? She might be the baddest woman in the league right now.

Light the beam? Nah. She lit the Sun.

TL;DR

• Napheesa Collier is the real-life version of that boss fight you can’t win without a cheat code.

• The Sun got stuck in a blender and watched the timer run out.

• Saniya Rivers is a meteor.

• The Lynx are 4–0 and they might just be hermothy.

• And Connecticut? You’ve got five days to find your fourth quarter heart before somebody else yanks it out and eats it on camera.