The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx will play on Wednesday. The primary storyline surrounding the game is the WNBA Finals rematch -- as Minnesota and New York played in the championship a season ago. Lynx star Napheesa Collier isn't thinking about that specific storyline, however, via Andrew Dukowitz.
"It doesn’t feel like a Finals rematch anymore honestly," Collier told reporters. "It's a new year for us and it’s been so long like it’s almost August. So it’s just the two top teams going against each other. We prepare for them like they're a really great team, which they are."
Collier was not taking anything away from the Liberty, as she called them a "great team." Rather, she points to the fact that it is already almost August. The Liberty and Lynx met in the 2024 WNBA Finals in October.
New York, of course, won the series. Perhaps there will be some underlying extra motivation for the Lynx given that fact. Collier is keeping the focus on this season, though.
The Lynx look like the potential championship favorite right now. Minnesota leads the WNBA with a 22-5 record. They are five games in front of the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference. Overall, the Liberty hold the second best record in the entire league. New York's 17-8 mark is good for a 2.5-game lead in the Eastern Conference over the Atlanta Dream.
New York and Minnesota are the best teams in the WNBA. It's difficult to argue against that claim. Both teams feature some of the best players in the league as well. Collier is on track to win the 2025 MVP.
The Lynx superstar is currently averaging 23.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.6 steals per outing. She is also shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc. Collier seems to impact the game in almost every positive way possible.
She has previously earned a Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Award. It wouldn't be surprising to see Collier receive serious consideration for the DPOY once again. She has yet to win the MVP, though she did finish second in voting a season ago.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Napheesa Collier will likely end up winning her first WNBA MVP Award in 2025. Her team, meanwhile, has a tremendous opportunity to bring home a championship.
At the moment, Minnesota is focused on Wednesday's game against New York.