The Lynx vs wings matchup starts with a gap in form: Minnesota arrived at 14-4, while Dallas was 11-7 and giving up almost 86 points per game. Minnesota also had to keep moving without Napheesa Collier, who had not resumed on-court activities after an ankle injury.
That makes this more than a regular-season meeting. The Lynx were winning without Collier, even though she is treated as their best player and an MVP-level force, so the load has shifted to a deeper group that has stayed near the top of the standings.
Collier Absence, Lynx Depth
Collier's status is the biggest variable on Minnesota's side. She suffered the ankle injury against Alyssa Thomas in 2025, and her absence has not stopped the Lynx from opening 14-4. That record fits a team built to survive short stretches without its top scorer, but it also leaves a blunt question hanging over the roster: how long can that structure hold if she does not return?
Olivia Miles has helped keep the offense moving. The second overall pick averaged 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, giving Minnesota another creator to lean on while Collier stays out. The Lynx also carried forward their defensive standard from last season, when they were one of the best defensive teams in basketball, and they remained one of the better defensive teams this year.
Dallas Wings Defense
Dallas comes in with a winning record, but the defensive numbers are the concern. Teams were averaging almost 86 points per game against the Wings, and the recent game log explains why: they allowed 99, 110, 92, 91 and 66 points in their last five games. That kind of swing leaves little margin against a team that can score and defend like Minnesota.
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd are part of the Wings' current build, after Bueckers went first last year and became Rookie of the Year and Fudd was the pick this season. For Dallas, the matchup turns on whether those pieces can keep pace with a Lynx team that has already protected its record without Collier. If the defense does not tighten, the same scoring pattern that pushed opponents near 86 points a night will keep leaving Dallas exposed.
