As the number of postseason records broken — and Phoenix Mercury defenders scored on — continued to ascend, seemingly by the minute, the WNBA’s history books would come to define Napheesa Collier’s artistry through one number above all else: 42. Illustrating the many reasons for why concluded 2024 as the Most Valuable Player runner-up, Collier approached the closeout game challenge with a rare, seldom-seen blend of relentless and efficiency. Sometimes, buckets arrived through well-timed drives, catching Phoenix’s resistance unprepared; at others, Collier turned to faceups and spot-up jumpers, burying shot-after-shot, even with white jerseys crowding her vision. After finding offensive success against seven different Phoenix defenders during Game 1’s 38-point masterclass, the Minnesota Lynx superstar discovered that more was to be had in Game 2. Meeting the eye of six different defenders on September 25, 2024, Collier’s recipe called for 42 points (on 14-of-20 shooting), tying the WNBA’s single-game postseason record, alongside five rebounds, four assists, one steal, two blocks, and two 3-pointers. For Collier, also named as the Defensive Player of the Year four evenings later, the showing left her atop the history books for the most combined points (80) over a two-game playoff stretch. · Sep 26, 2024