There was legitimate concern when Napheesa Collier exited the Lynx’s blowout win against the Aces on August 2 with a twisted ankle.
At the moment of the injury, the Lynx were in a comfortable position at the top of the standings with a 25-5 record. Still, the injury dampened the Lynx’s historic 111-58 road victory in Las Vegas and clouded the near future without their MVP front-runner.
Any optimism faded when the initial injury report stated that Collier would not be re-evaluated for at least two weeks. With the playoffs nearing, the Lynx would prefer to have Collier back as soon as possible, but there is no need for them to rush her back.
Fortunately for Minnesota, the foundation of their offensive system relies on ball and player movement, as well as team involvement, which fosters an ideal playing environment for players to step into larger roles. It is a core reason why the Lynx lead the WNBA in offensive rating.
Collier, Courtney Williams, and Kayla McBride’s star power within the system ultimately fuels the offense. However, the core offensive structure allows other role players to flourish, as long as they buy into it.
Collier’s impact on winning is so significant that when she sits, it has an extended ripple effect to the end of the bench. It’s not ideal for Colier to be sidelined, but numerous positives have resulted from the opportunities her injury has created.
Jessica Shepard, Natisha Hiedeman, and Maria Kliundikova have seen the biggest increase in playing time and opportunity.
Shepard and Kliundikova have thrived in a larger role because they are two of the three bigs on the roster. Shepard took over Collier’s starting role, which isn’t surprising, given she started 39 of the 85 WNBA games she’s played in before this season.
The Lynx have the luxury of being able to bring Shepard off the bench. She’s not as impactful as Collier, but few teams have a third big with Shepard’s talent and production. She would have genuine opportunities to start on other WNBA teams.
Shepard has been able to make the same impact as she has all season in her new starting role. She’s finishing well around the rim, making extra passes off short roll opportunities, and continuing to move the ball on offense.
Kliundikova has been the biggest surprise.
Before this season, Kliundikova had not appeared in the WNBA since 2019. She was with the Los Angeles Sparks in training camp, but ultimately did not receive a roster spot. It was not until eight games into the season that the Lynx signed Kliundikova to a contract, filling an open roster spot after they released Marième Badiane.
The Lynx already had a strong core of bigs with Collier, Alanna Smith, and Shepard. Therefore, Kliundikova was more depth at the time of the signing. However, her confidence has grown as the season has continued.
Kliundikova has had a meaningful two-way impact for the Lynx off the bench, and her best play has come in the five games without Collier.
She excels at impacting the game in multiple ways. Kliundikova effectively uses her height to deter shots at the rim on defense, is mobile enough to cover ground, and can stretch defenses with a respectable three-point shot. Kliundikova’s offensive playstyle is not a perfect match with Cheryl Reeve’s system, but Kliundikova has found her niche.
Whether it’s setting screens for others to open up separation, rolling hard to the rim, or grabbing offensive rebounds to extend possessions, Kliundikova has been a reliable contributor.
Scoring was one of the biggest areas of need when Collier was sidelined.
Collier is averaging a league-high 23.6 points per game this year. Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride can fill the scoring void to the best of their abilities, but they cannot do it alone. However, Minnesota’s next best option, Natisha Hiedeman, has been able to be the spark plug that it has needed.
In the five games without Collier, Hiedeman is averaging 9.2 points on 57.6% shooting from the field and 55.6% from three-point range, with a true shooting percentage of 66.2%.
Hiedeman’s scoring creativity off the dribble has jolted Minnesota’s offense. Much of what the Lynx do offensively is a result of their effective offensive schematics. Still, Hiedeman strikes a balance between playing within the structure and adding her own flair. It’s similar to the scoring style in which Collier excels.
Hiedeman’s scoring threat has allowed the Lynx to be more creative with their closing lineups and toggle the guards around more often. Hiedeman has brought a necessary impact to the guard room, because there have been some inconsistencies with Williams and McBride during Collier’s absence.
Williams has been the leading scorer in the five games played without Collier (through August 19). Williams has averaged 18.2 points per game and 4.6 assists per game, shooting 44.3% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range, with a true shooting percentage of 49.7%.
Williams’ ability to maintain the same efficiency while seeing more attention from the opposing defense has single-handedly won the Lynx games over this stretch.
However, McBride has cooled off. She’s averaging 13.6 points on 30.8% from the field, 28.6% from three-point range, with a 51.8% true shooting percentage.
Ultimately, the Lynx need Collier to return as soon as possible to have a more consistent offense. Williams has impressive averages. Still, her offensive impact, which relies on mid-range shot-making, is too volatile. McBride could just be in the middle of a slump after her incredible shooting performance in the game against the Aces, where Collier got injured. Regardless, she will benefit the most from Collier’s return.
Collier should be back soon. The Lynx have upgraded her to doubtful instead of out on the injury report. However, the Lynx may have just found something with their bench trio of Jessica Shepard, Maria Kliundikova, and Natisha Hiedeman.
Injuries are not ideal. Still, with the proper coaching, the opportunities for others to earn more minutes can open up more functionality for the roster and flexibility moving forward.
With a coach as strict as Cheryl Reeve, it’s challenging for bench players to earn trust in limited minutes. Although when the opportunity is guaranteed, the next players up can provide a vision of how they can be used once Collier returns.
The Lynx need Collier back, but a 4-1 stretch, as well as impressive play from the back end of the roster, should still be seen as a positive string of games for Minnesota.
