A clutch game-winner! That’s what Napheesa Collier delivered, sealing a dramatic victory for the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 against the New York Liberty. After five intense minutes of overtime, Collier’s shot was the difference-maker. But let’s not forget how the game even got there. With just seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Lynx’s second-lead scorer made a crucial four-point play that kept the Lynx alive. Even Collier herself is in awe of that incredible moment, crediting her teammate for making the overtime magic possible.

The day after the thrilling conclusion of Game 1, Napheesa Collier sat down for a chat with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. Following a discussion on her game-winning short, Collier was asked about her thoughts and mindset on the insanity of the final minutes of the game.

The 28-year-old forward responded, “It was wild. I mean just the back and forth the roller coaster like you said, just going from down 20 um in the beginning to down 15 with like five minutes left. That’s a lot to, that’s a lot of points. I mean you always say you have a lot of time left, but it’s a lot to overcome.”

The Lynx pulled off the largest comeback in history after trailing by 18 points against the Liberty. Well, Collier also shared the spotlight, giving a shout out to Courtney Williams for her clutch plays in the final minute of the fourth quarter. “So just seeing how Courtney like just stepped it up in that mode, she went in. Obviously, the four-point play that she had was huge, like it was just insane. I’ve never seen anything like that before,” mentioned the Lynx forward.

 Williams truly was the savior for the Lynx, scoring four crucial points in the final five seconds, sealing their incredible comeback against Breanna Stewart and Co.

Courtney Williams’ clutch moment to reminisce

The game certainly didn’t start the way the Lynx had hoped, as they quickly found themselves down by 13 points by the end of the first quarter. But they made it clear they weren’t ready to throw in the towel. Over the next three quarters, the Lynx steadily chipped away at the Liberty’s lead, outscoring them and inching closer to an epic comeback. After all that back-and-forth, it finally came down to the wire with just a few seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Just under seven seconds left in the final quarter, the Lynx found themselves down by three points, and that’s when Williams stepped up. After the team snagged an offensive rebound, she took a three-pointer that just missed the mark. Time was running out, but Alanna Smith was there to grab the rebound and pass it back to Williams, who was waiting at the arc.

This time, she fired from deep—and swished it right through the net! To top it off, she was fouled by Sabrina Ionescu during the shot, earning herself a free throw. She successfully converted it, giving Lynx a point lead with 4 seconds of game left. But the excitement wasn’t over yet. In the final second, Breanna Stewart earned a trip to the free-throw line after a shooting foul by Collier. Stewart calmly sank her shot, tying the game and sending it into an intense overtime showdown. Collier would seal the win in the final second there.

Williams led the charge with a game-high 23 points, while Collier added an impressive 21 to her stat line. The dynamic duo will be back in action this Sunday for Game 2.