Sunday evening’s going to be the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Cecilia Zandalasini! After a standout season with the Minnesota Lynx, the Italian sharpshooter is taking her talents to the Bay Area as one of the Golden State Valkyries’ key expansion picks. She’s known for her elite three-point shooting and international experience. And within a few hours, she’s all set to bring that same fire to a brand new franchise. Now, she’ll be trading in Lynx blue for the Valkyries’ gold and black and going up against her former squad.

And what perfect stage for this reunion than tonight’s headline matchup in San Francisco? The Lynx are bringing the heat to Golden State tonight! Fresh off that tight 74-71 win over Phoenix despite the absence of their star forward, Napheesa Collier. Minnesota is now jumping right into a must-see Commissioner’s Cup battle. No rest, just straight into the next big test. The Lynx are entering the game undefeated at 6-0, while the Valkyries hold a 2-3 record. But will their star player be joining them?

Is Napheesa Collier Playing Tonight?

The Minnesota Lynx might have to face the Golden State Valkyries tonight without their superstar. Napheesa Collier’s presence remains “questionable” with a knee issue. It’s the same status she had before Friday’s game against Phoenix, per Meghan L. Hall of USA Today. And there has been no update since, leaving her availability uncertain as tonight’s battle approaches.

And that’s a major concern for the Lynx. Because the Lynx star Collier has been unstoppable this season. She powered Minnesota’s 5-0 start with 28.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 steals, and 1 block per game. She’s the engine behind their Western Conference dominance. If she sits? It’s a coin flip, literally. Moreover, the “questionable” tag means there’s about a 50% chance she plays. For now, she’s not on the official injury report, but that could change at any moment.

After the game against the Mercury, Cheryl Reeve offered a view into the status. “Nothing happened in (Tuesday’s game against Seattle). It’s more precautionary,” she said. “It’s something she’s been dealing with since 2023.” While the knee soreness hasn’t been of notable trouble previously, she has had other injuries holding her back. But let us tell you, she knows how to bounce back.

On July 4, 2024, plantar fasciitis flared up late in a game against Connecticut. Right as she was in the MVP conversation.

The injury cost her games before the Paris Olympics, but she fought back in time to help Team USA grab gold. Her August 15, 2024 return to the Lynx was electric. She scored 17 points, 12 rebounds in a 79-68 win over Washington, which sparked their playoff push all the way to the WNBA Finals. Even this past March 2025, she rolled her left ankle in the Unrivaled League, but still managed to claim the league’s first-ever MVP award.

Given the history and Reeve’s assurance, there’s still lingering hope that the Lynx fans can cling onto, and expect their power forward to return. However, will the Lynx be able to sustain their record tonight if Collier were to miss?

Who plays and who’s out for Lynx vs the Valkyries?

Apart from Napheesa Collier, neither of the teams have anyone on their injury reports just yet. So both the starting lineups come in full strength.

The Minnesota Lynx:

• Jessica Shepard
• Bridget Carleton
• Alanna Smith
• Kayla McBride
• Courtney Williams

If somehow, Napheesa Collier stuns the audience by managing to make her way back to the court, Bridget Carleton is most likely to be benched or lose minutes.

The Golden State Valkyries:

• Kayla Thornton
• Stephanie Talbot
• Janelle Salaun
• Temi Fagbenle
• Veronica Burton

We can ever expect Julie Vanloo to slide into the starting five over Burton. While the rest of the Valkyries’ lineup will stay intact. Off the bench, we can expect Cecilia Zandalasini, Monique Billings, and maybe Carla Leite to get meaningful minutes. They’ll be crucial in keeping the energy high. No major shakeups, just adjustments.

The Valkyries are predicted to have a 24.8% chance of winning against the undefeated Lynx. Because, even when Collier went down, Kayla McBride dropped 20 points against the Mercury, and Alanna Smith brought the heat with 19 points and four blocks. And let’s not forget Natisha Hiedeman’s clutch gene. She sealed the win with a game-winning three in the final seconds. But tonight’s Commissioner’s Cup clash could be a real test.

The Valkyries are hungry. They haven’t played at home since beating the Washington Mystics 76-74 on May 21. And at 2-3 in their debut season, this expansion squad isn’t here to just play; they are here to prove something. And what better way to do it than by taking down a surging Lynx team? So it might be essential for the Lynx to have all of its foot soldiers lined up.