August 2, 2025. That was the last time Napheesa Collier took the court for the Minnesota Lynx after suffering an ankle injury against the Las Vegas Aces. Seven games off might not sound like much, but the last two games before her return had fans on edge. “She’s playing… wait,…maybe she is…? No she’s not, ” summed up the rollercoaster of emotions among the fans as her injury status flipped right before tip-off. So, when she finally made her much-awaited comeback against the Fever, coach Cheryl Reeve couldn’t stop singing her praises!

Napheesa Collier was on fire at the Target Center, putting on a full-on show for the Lynx. She scored 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field and knocked down 2 of 3 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out two assists. “I had to knock some of the rust off,” Collier joked after the game, playfully noting that Courtney Williams might have had more assists if not for her early misses. With a strong second quarter setting the tone, Collier’s dominance powered Minnesota to a 97-84 win over the Fever.

“She’s that darn good,” Coach Reeve said, beaming in the post-game press conference about the return of her superstar. She emphasized how much Collier’s comeback helped the team: “Happy to have her back and obviously she was ready to play. Having her on the court makes it easier for everybody else, helps us settle back into our roles and the things we like to do. So it was really nice having her back.”

Minnesota went 5-2 during the stretch Collier was out injured. Players like Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams stepped up big time, and new signing DiJonai Carrington proved to be a much-needed trade to shore up their perimeter defense as well. The Lynx also added Jaylyn Sherrod and Camryn Taylor to boost versatility and squad depth. Still, it’s Collier’s return that has had the biggest impact.

With Collier back in the lineup, the dynamic shifts to normal once again for the Lynx. Throughout her absence, players like Courtney Williams had to take on different roles, often shouldering more of the scoring load than usual. But now, with Collier providing her presence inside, players can return to focusing on what they do best. Williams highlighted this herself after the game, saying, “Awh man it’s relief, I told her before the game I’m sick of taking 18-20 shots, I’m ready to get back to 10-12, you see tonight, I’m good at 11 so it feel good to have Phee back for sure.”

On Sunday, the Lynx trailed the Fever by as much as 10 points in the first quarter but slowly battled back. In the final two minutes of the second quarter, they went on an 11-0 run to seize the lead, and in the center of it all was Collier herself. With 77 seconds left in the first half, Collier hit a turnaround jump shot to give Minnesota its first lead since the opening seconds. After halftime, the Lynx maintained their momentum and never let up.

This marked the Fever’s 6th loss in their last 8 games and their 18th overall this season, bringing their record to 19-18. They currently sit 7th in the standings, with playoff hopes slowly fading. Of course, you can’t put the blame on Coach White for their struggles. With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the last 15 games and Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, and Sydney Colson out for the season, no coach could realistically prepare for such an injury crisis. While the Fever patiently await Caitlin Clark’s return, who could very well be the missing piece to help them close out games, something that was painfully obvious in both losses to the Lynx this week, Courtney Williams has just gone and put a target on their back.

Courtney Williams makes a big declaration on behalf of Cheryl Reeve and co

After a limited 13-minute appearance at the Target Center against the Fever, Courtney Williams bounced back impressively in the reverse fixture at home. In 27 minutes of action, she recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, adding two rebounds, a steal, and a block. Williams shot 5-of-11 from the field, including an efficient 3-of-5 from three-point range, showing just how effective she can be when playing her natural game.

Sunday was memorable not just for Collier’s return after seven games out– it was also special for Williams. She broke the single-season franchise record for assists, reaching 230 and counting. But it was after this game that Williams firmly put a target on the Cheryl Reeve and co’s back. In the post-game press conference via Kendra Andrews, Williams, with her usual bold confidence, declared, “We’re a problem. We’ve been a problem, but now we’re really a problem.” 

To be fair, the Lynx have always been a problem. Cheryl Reeve’s team is the only side to have already secured a playoff berth with a 30-7 record. But with this warning to the other 12 teams, Minnesota will be firmly on everyone’s radar. Not that they weren’t already, but beating them now carries an extra incentive for the opposition. That’s what Courtney Williams is all about—she thrives on challenges. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Lynx go on to win the championship with a fully fit squad after this bold declaration.