VIDEO: FLAGRANT, Mitchell ELBOWED in MOUTH | Indiana Fever WNBA women’s basketball
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WNBA Team Announces Big Roster News for Indiana Fever Game
The Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx play for a second time in three days in what will be a rematch of Friday’s contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse that saw the Lynx come out on top, 95-90.
The Fever battled hard in that one behind Kelsey Mitchell’s team-high 27 points, but they didn’t have enough in the tank to topple the league-best Lynx. Indiana is now set to face an ever tougher test after the Lynx made a big roster decision just before tip-off.
Napheesa Collier Back for Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx announced less than an hour before the game started that WNBA MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier is finally making her long-awaited return to action on Sunday. This comes after the 28-year-old was upgraded to probable for the game, before ultimately getting the green light to suit up.
Collier, who is averaging 23.5 points on 53.7% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, makes her highly anticipated comeback after missing the last seven games due to an ankle sprain.
The Lynx took a cautious approach in bringing their star player back in the mix, but she’s now finally recovered after being sidelined for an extended period.
Collier’s Return Is Huge for the Lynx
Collier returns to the lineup with the Lynx still in possession of the best record in the WNBA. They enter Sunday’s matchup at 29-7, which is 5.5 games ahead of the second-placed Atlanta Dream.
Minnesota went 5-2 in the seven games that Collier was forced to miss, which just goes to show how much of a force the Lynx are even without their best player on the floor.
Nevertheless, there’s no denying that Collier’s return is huge for the Lynx, especially with the regular season winding down. Not only does Minnesota want to secure the top seed heading into the playoffs, but they also want Collier to get back to top shape by the time the postseason kicks in.
The five-time All-Star’s return comes with seven games remaining in the regular season. This gives Collier ample time to get her conditioning back for the playoffs, as the Lynx look to make amends for last season’s WNBA Finals loss to the New York Liberty.
Fever Still Dealing With Major Injury Crisis
The Fever, on the other hand, are still in the midst of a real injury crisis. Caitlin Clark, who took part in Sunday’s shootaround and went through some non-contact drills, appears to be closing in on her long-awaited return from a lingering groin injury. However, there is no timetable for her return.
Sophie Cunningham recently joined Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson on the list of Fever guards who suffered season-ending injuries. Chloe Bibby has also been ruled out against the Lynx due to a left knee issue.
To be fair, it’s not all bad news for Indiana. Odyssey Sims was cleared to play despite dealing with a right groin issue, making her one of the last few remaining backcourt players for the extremely shorthanded Fever.
