The Minnesota Lynx have kept rolling at 14-4 even without Napheesa Collier, and that is the first thing that hangs over Lynx Vs Wings. Collier still has not resumed on-court activities after the ankle injury she suffered in 2025 against Alyssa Thomas, yet Minnesota keeps winning with one of the better defenses in the WNBA.
That is why this matchup matters now. Dallas comes in at 11-7, but the Wings have been giving up nearly 86 points a game, a number that would be troublesome for any team and is especially hard to absorb against a Lynx group that has remained one of the league’s stronger defensive outfits. Minnesota’s form has made the absence feel less like a stop sign than a test of depth.
The balance has been striking. Olivia Miles, the second overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, has averaged 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, giving Minnesota another scorer to lean on while Collier remains out. That is why the conversation around the Lynx has shifted away from the injury and toward how much production the rest of the roster can keep supplying.
Dallas, meanwhile, has spent much of the season fighting its own defensive breakdowns. The Wings have allowed 99, 110, 92, 91 and 66 points in their last five games, a stretch that shows both how wide the swings have been and how little margin they can afford against a team that has been winning by controlling possessions and limiting clean looks. The 66-point outing was the exception, but the broader trend still points in the wrong direction.
The Wings have tried to build around Paige Bueckers, the first pick from last year who turned into Rookie of the Year, and Azzi Fudd, whom they selected this season, but the roster still has to prove it can travel with a defense that holds up for four quarters. Minnesota, by contrast, has already shown it can keep its record moving while Collier waits to return. The next answer belongs on the floor: whether Dallas can slow a balanced Lynx team long enough to make the matchup close.
