Collier states MVP case with rare 50-40-90 year

Napheesa Collier stated her MVP case Thursday night, becoming just the second player in WNBA history to finish a regular season with a 50-40-90 shooting split after the Minnesota Lynx‘s 72-53 win over the Golden State Valkyries in Minneapolis.

Collier, who finished the regular season shooting 53.1% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range and 90.6% from the free throw line, joins Elena Delle Donne (2019) as the only WNBA players to have such a season. Collier is the first player to accomplish the feat while averaging over 20 points (she averaged 22.9 points).

“It’s only been done once before, and that player was the MVP,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “Phee deserves that recognition. The numbers don’t lie. … It’s done from start to finish. 50/40/90 is historic. I don’t know how long it will be before it happens again. Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the WNBA. She deserves MVP.”

Reeve set the goal for Collier at the start of the season. A self-proclaimed goal-oriented person, Collier wanted something to strive for after she finished second in MVP voting last season behind A’ja Wilson.

Collier entered Thursday’s game knowing how many 3s she needed — and the minimum percentage — to achieve the milestone. She went 3-for-4 from 3 against the Valkyries.

“When I accomplish those, it feels good. I kind of cut it close for the last game of the season,” Collier said while laughing.

To reach this goal, Collier, who is efficient at the line and inside the arc, focused on her 3-point shooting. Reeve pushed Collier to attempt more 3-pointers per game, setting a minimum requirement for the five-time All-Star. Reeve said that change helped Collier reach a new level.

“She’s already great. Two years in a row, she’s a top player in the league,” Reeve said. “I think [the 3-point shooting] was a special unlocking to becoming really unguardable. … Napheesa Collier is the most unguardable player in the league.”

Added Natisha Hiedeman: “She’s the GOAT. Without her, we are not the Minnesota Lynx.”

Collier now leads the Lynx into the postseason, where they look to reach the WNBA Finals in back-to-back years and this time, they hope, win their fifth title in franchise history.

The Lynx’s win Thursday means the Valkyries are the No. 8 seed and Minnesota’s opponent in the first round. Minnesota went 4-0 against Golden State during the regular season.

“We are a better team than [than last year],” Collier said. “We have that year of experience, and experience always makes better teams. We know what it takes to get there. We got there to the very last possible game of the season last year. … It made us better, it made us hungrier, and it’s something we are thinking about going into the playoffs this year.”