MINNEAPOLIS — Diana Taurasi's possible retirement has been a topic throughout the 2024 WNBA season.
And with the Phoenix Mercury suffering a 102-95 loss in Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday at Target Center, the possibility could become the headline heading into Game 2 on Wednesday.
If anyone understands Taurasi's impact, it's Napheesa Collier, who, like Taurasi, won a national title during a stellar career at UConn. The respect between the two is evident, but this is basketball and Collier sees Taurasi and the Mercury as nothing more than an obstacle standing in her team's way to a championship.
“It feels like it's her retirement tour,” Collier said. “I don't know. She's been pretty quiet about it. Obviously, she's a great player for UConn, a GOAT of the league, so I feel fortunate that I got to play with her on Team USA and against her. Hopefully, we can put a cap on her career on Wednesday.”
This may be the end for Taurasi, but it appears to be just the beginning for Collier, who put together a spectacular stat line that included a career-high 38 points in a tenacious win over the Mercury, whom the Lynx have defeated in five of their last six playoff meetings.
On the same day Collier finished second to A'ja Wilson in the WNBA MVP race (but for a single third-place vote, Collier would have finished second unanimously), she argued that the Las Vegas Aces star might be the only player on the planet who can stop her from doing whatever she wants on the court.
There were soft fakes and layups. There were clutch 3-pointers and close-to-the-rim shots. There were key defensive stops, too. The Mercury seemed to be flipping straws at times to see who would get the assignment to guard her. But nothing really worked.
With the ball in her hands, Collier was a destructive force on Sunday. According to the Lynx, she is the first player in WNBA history to finish with 38 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and a block in a playoff game.
“The good thing about [Collier] “It's so much more than just scoring,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. “That's why she's so special. That's why she's the first in league history to do so many things, because she's a player who gets on the scoreboard. It's so much more than just scoring.”
Taurasi (21 points, 5 of 10 from 3) and Natasha Cloud (33 points) tried to steal Game 1 after the Mercury entered halftime facing a 14-point deficit.
With 2:06 left in the game, Cloud's layup gave the Mercury a 92-91 lead before they outscored them 11-3 the rest of the way. When Cloud walked into the locker room after the game, she yelled, “One more… one more… one more” to signal both the desperation and the opportunity that lay ahead in Game 2.
Taurasi's future is in their minds.
Perhaps on her own, too. Taurasi was announced as a participant at the postgame news conference before being replaced at the last second, meaning she might not speak until Wednesday, if at all. The potential fallout from that game, however, is clear.
“It's not something we've talked about as a group,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “Obviously, we know there's a chance it's time. I think we all want to have a run, not just for us, but mostly for her. I mean, it's going to be her decision after the season. I think she's made that pretty clear. But we love having her around. And you could see tonight that she can still play.”
But Collier and his teammates have their own ambitions.
On the court, Collier isn't a lively player and doesn't have a huge social media following compared to other WNBA stars. She also tends to be stoic after games. That attitude likely factors into how she's generally perceived as quiet and unassuming. But Collier, throughout the season, has also earned another label: WNBA superstar.
“I think it comes from playing my best every game, winning games and always having my teammates,” she said Sunday. “They always put me in good positions. You don't get the accolades and all that stuff without winning games and that's done as a team. So yeah, it feels good to win.” [No. 2 in the MVP race]. Really, congratulations to [Wilson]”She had an amazing year. I think she deserves the MVP award. Obviously, I'm going to go get it next year and do my best again. But it was a lot of fun.”
On Wednesday, Taurasi could play the final game of one of the greatest streaks in basketball history, but the former MVP and three-time WNBA champion competed Sunday as if she had no interest in finishing her career in Minneapolis.
However, in the second game, Collier & Co. might not give him the option.
“Let's go for it [championship] “And that's our goal,” Collier said.
