"It was easy not to think about that" - Napheesa Collier downplays MVP snub after Lynx dominant win over Mercury in playoffs

The Minnesota Lynx and Napheesa Collier faced the Phoenix Mercury on the same day that the WNBA star lost the MVP award to A'ja Wilson. Collier entered Game 1 of the semifinal with the disappointing news, but came out smiling after the crucial win.

Although it was expected to be a close fight between two superstars, the result showed Wilson taking the top spot with overwhelming votes. Wilson, who won her historic 4th MVP, received a total of 51 first-place votes, against Collier's 18.

After Game 1 win over Phoenix, WNBA reporter Noa Dalzell asked Napheesa Collier about losing the MVP race to A'ja Wilson. The Lynx star said that she was focused on winning the championship.

"The team is way bigger than me," Collier said. "Whatever my personal goals are, I'm here for the team, and right now, we're focused on a championship. So, it was easy not to think about that."

Collier started the season as the MVP favorite and kept the Lynx as the top seed through the season. However, her MVP odds took a big hit after she missed 11 games due to injury. Moreover, A'ja Wilson took the Aces from an 8th seed to the 2nd seed and led them to 16 consecutive wins in the season.

Napheesa Collier is the best player on the best team in the league. She still has the chance to win the prestigious WNBA Finals MVP award if she can guide her team to the title. The Lynx under Collier are yet to lose a game in these playoffs.

Napheesa Collier's stat in Lynx vs Mercury semifinal Game 1

The Minnesota Lynx defeated the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA semifinal after trailing for most of the game. The Mercury outscored the Lynx in the first two quarters, but Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride kept Minnesota in the game.

The No. 1 seed opened their game after the halftime break and held Phoenix to just 22 points in 3rd and 4th quarters combined. The Lynx cut the lead and tied the score before entering the fourth quarter and eventually winning the game by 82-69.

Collier scored 18 points in 34 minutes. She shot 50.0% (8 of 16) from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point line. She also added a game-high 9 rebounds and 2 assists, as Courtney Williams took over the game with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals in just 33 minutes.

In 3 postseason games, Collier has averaged 20.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 33 minutes.

Edited by Nandjee Ranjan