Lynx star Napheesa Collier appeared on the team’s injury report for their upcoming game against the Fever on Sunday.

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles against the New York Liberty in the second quarter at Target Center.
It’s been seven games now that Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier has missed since she suffered an ankle injury back on Aug 2. The Lynx have managed to go 5-2 in her absence and have held on to the No. 1 overall seed in the WNBA standings. However, the MVP candidate might be close to a return to the court beginning with the Lynx’s game against the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

Napheesa Collier was officially listed as probable on the Fever injury report for the team’s rematch against the Fever, as per Chloe Peterson of the Indy Star. The Lynx’s last win was a narrow, 95-91 victory against the Fever, a team that has had their fair share of injury problems as well.

Collier first suffered the injury against the Las Vegas Aces, a game in which the Lynx had been comfortably ahead when she went down in the third quarter. Following the game, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve defended her decision to have Collier still in at that point in the game.

But the Lynx’s worst fears were quelled as Collier did not suffer a season-ending injury, and now she’s set to rejoin the team for the final stretch of the regular season.

Collier has been one of the favorites for the MVP Award for quite some now, and the Lynx’s winning record without her should not hinder her chances at all. She’s appeared in 26 games this season at a little over 32 minutes per game. She’s been averaging a career-high 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocked shots with splits of 53.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 90.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Lynx came into this season with championship aspirations after a heartbreaking defeat last year in the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty, a series that went the full five games. If the Lynx hope to win the franchise’s fifth title this year, they’ll need Collier back and ready to go for the stretch run.