Maria Kliundikova Stats Tonight: How did Lynx big perform in Napheesa Collier's absence? (June 21)

The Minnesota Lynx played against the LA Sparks on Saturday, with Maria Kliundikova filling in for Napheesa Collier in the starting lineup. Collier suffered a back injury in the Lynx's previous game and was ruled out before tip-off. How did Kliundikova perform versus the Sparks?

Kliundikova finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in 27 minutes. She played great in place of Collier, who is dealing with a back injury. She was fantastic on both ends of the floor, with the Lynx at +25 when she was on the court.

It appeared to be a close game in the first half, but Minnesota began pulling away in the third quarter and took over the fourth quarter to take the 82-66 win. The Lynx improved to 12-1 to start the season, establishing themselves as the best team in the WNBA following the New York Liberty's loss on Thursday.

Here are Maria Kliundikova's stats tonight.

How did Maria Kliundikova perform tonight?

Maria Kliundikova showed her defensive prowess in the first quarter, keeping the LA Sparks on their toes. Kliundikova scored seven points late in the second quarter, providing a spark for the Minnesota Lynx. They used that momentum to have a fantastic start to the third period.

Kliundikova finished things off with five points in the fourth quarter as the Lynx's dominant second half led to another victory. Kalya McBride led the way for the team, finishing with 29 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including five 3-point shots made.

Courtney Williams also played great, putting up 18 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals. The Lynx will take on the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, with the team hoping that Napheesa Collier will be healthy enough to play. Collier left the Lynx's 76-62 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday with a back injury.

Lynx signed Maria Kliundikova earlier this month

The Minnesota Lynx signed Maria Kliundikova back on June 6, announcing her addition to the team via an official release. Kliundikova was the 11th pick in the 2018 WNBA draft by the LA Sparks. She played two seasons in Hollywood before returning to Russia after getting released.

Kliundikova played the last five seasons with UMMC Ekaterinburg and was named the MVP of the Premier League Playoffs this season. She averaged 11.2 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 52.3% from the field and 84.1% from the charity stripe.

The 26-year-old lefty played alongside Lynx rookie Anastasiia Olairi Kosu in the past two seasons at UMMC Ekaterinburg.

Edited by Juan Paolo David