Is Napheesa Collier playing tonight against Seattle Storm? Lynx star status explored for WNBA clash (August 5)

The Minnesota Lynx were dealt some terrible news about their best player. Napheesa Collier sustained a right ankle sprain, and she won't be available for Tuesday night's high-flying matchup with the Seattle Storm.

The MVP candidate is expected to be out of action for at least two weeks while she nurses the injury. Further testing showed that she avoided major injury. The team added in a statement that she will be reevaluated in the "coming weeks."

Collier sustained the injury late in the third quarter of her team's 111-58 blowout win over the Las Vegas Aces. She landed awkwardly on her right foot after trying to grab an offensive rebound. Collier stayed on the floor for a while and was in evident discomfort before ultimately leaving the floor on her own power. She had a game-high 43 points at the time.

Collier is currently the odds-on favorite to win WNBA MVP, leading the league in points per game (23.8) to go along with 7.7 rebounds a night.

Lynx coach has no regrets about Napheesa Collier's injury

This injury couldn't have happened at a worse time for the Lynx. Coach Cheryl Reeve's team holds a 5.5 lead over the New York Liberty and boasts a league-best 24-5 record, but there's no margin for error at this point.

Reeve drew criticism for keeping Collier and the starters on the court late in a blowout. Then again, she was unfazed by the narrative and all the "what ifs."

"I don't think about those things," Reeve said. "It's the third quarter of a game on someone else's floor, I don't think the game is over. I don't think like that. She had a sub there and she wasn't gonna play in the fourth quarter. Sometimes these things happen."

Still, she understands why the fans and some analysts might blame her for the situation.

"I get it, people are gonna rail on me, and that's part of sitting in the seat that I'm sitting in," she added. "But we did what we think is right, and sometimes these things happen. It's unfortunate and hopefully she'll be OK."

Collier has more than enough time to get back to full strength in time for the playoffs, so the Lynx may sit her out until she has fully recovered.