MVP front-runner Napheesa Collier leads Lynx against Aces

Napheesa Collier is making a case for WNBA MVP honors with the way she is playing for the Minnesota Lynx this season.

Collier looks to keep her bid going strong when Minnesota (10-1) hosts the Las Vegas Aces (5-5) on Tuesday. The star forward leads the league with 26.1 points per game coming off a 32-point performance Saturday in the Lynx's 101-78 win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Teammate Courtney Williams, who scored 17 in the victory, believes Collier is MVP-worthy.

"I'm going to keep campaigning for her. The numbers don't lie," Williams told reporters after the game. "Our team is not as good if she doesn't show up the way she shows up every game."

Collier's effort against the Sparks marked her third game of at least 30 points this season for Minnesota, which owns the WNBA's best record and is hunting for its first title since 2017.

The MVP runner-up to A'ja Wilson a year ago, Collier averages 8.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.6 blocks while shooting 53.3 percent from the field, 44.4 percent on threes and 93.0 percent at the line.

Kayla McBride (15.4 ppg), Williams (12.4) and Alanna Smith (10.2) have also been key contributors for Minnesota, which put up 58 points over the first two quarters against Los Angeles for its highest-scoring half of the year.

"We see glimpses of what this team is capable of," Collier said. "We just really need to lock in on making sure we are doing that for 40 minutes because it's so good when we do."

The Aces are hoping to bounce back after losing 76-70 to the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday at home. They were once again playing without Wilson, who has missed two games while in concussion protocol. She's averaging 20.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest.

Perhaps things go differently against Phoenix if Wilson is on the floor. Aces head coach Becky Hammon said as much to reporters after the game.

"It's tough," Hammon said. "You know, we're missing 25 (points) and 12 (rebounds). So it's got to be by committee. I don't know if we quite got there by committee today. We've just got to get creative."

Chelsea Gray scored 20 for Las Vegas and also pulled down 10 rebounds. She was one of three in double figures as Jewell Loyd scored 17 and Jackie Young added 15.

Young, Gray and Loyd continue to be consistent scorers for the Aces. Young is putting up 19 points per game while Gray (15.1) and Loyd (11.1) sport double-digit scoring averages as well.

Las Vegas comes into the game against Minnesota with a 2-3 road record. The matchup between Minnesota and Las Vegas counts in the Commissioner's Cup standings. The Lynx are 4-1 and the Aces are 2-3.

If the Lynx win, then they'll represent the Western Conference in the Commissioner's Cup title game on July 1. Minnesota defeated the New York Liberty in last season's Commissioner's Cup championship game.

--Field Level Media