What happened to Napheesa Collier? Why did Lynx star not return vs. Suns?

The Minnesota Lynx were dealt a harsh blow as Napheesa Collier was ruled out of the remainder of Thursday night's skirmish versus the Connecticut Sun with a foot injury. The forward exited the game with her trainers after remaining on the bench for a brief period following her injury. She was in visible discomfort after cutting into the paint during an offensive possession late in the third period, and subsequently started limping.

The Lynx suffered offensively without Collier and the Suns capitalized, notching up a 78-73 win. Connecticut improved to 16-4, while Minnesota slipped to their sixth loss of the season.

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What happened to Napheesa Collier?

Soon after Napheesa Collier went down after the offensive possession, she was seen calling for a timeout as the team hustled in defense at the other end. Collier tried to make the court but struggled as the Suns propped up a layup.

During the fourth quarter, the Lynx announced Collier would be sidelined for the remainder of the game. The exact injury she suffered is yet to be ascertained, and there is no word on whether she will miss out on any of the upcoming games. Collier ended with nine points and six rebounds before exiting the court.

Napheesa Collier entered Thursday's clash with the Sun averaging 20.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. All of those stats are career-highs, except for scoring. She is one of the top five contenders for the MVP this season as she ranks fourth in the league in scoring, third in rebounding and third in steals.

The good news is that the Lynx have just five games before the All-Star and Olympic break, which gives Collier ample time to recover. She is set to represent Team USA in Paris later this month, and only time will tell if she can take the floor on the biggest stage.