Lynx get big night from Napheesa Collier to spoil Paige Bueckers' debut

The Minnesota Lynx spoiled Paige Bueckers' WNBA debut Friday night, using a combined 59 points from MVP favorite Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams to roll over the Dallas Wings by a score of 99-84. 

Collier scored 34 points while Williams netted 25 for the Lynx, who are aiming to go back to the WNBA Finals after falling in the championship series in controversial fashion to the New York Liberty last season. 

Bueckers, who starred at Hopkins High School in the Twin Cities and won a state championship during her senior year before a sensational college career at UConn, finished her first WNBA regular-season game with 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists. 

Bueckers made just three of 10 shots and the Wings were outscored by 19 points during her 30 minutes on the floor. 

Collier hit 12 of 21 shots and was a plus-28 in 32 minutes. Williams was a plus-25 and hit 10 of 15 shots. 

The game was tied at the half and the Wings only trailed 62-58 with under five minutes to go in the third quarter before the Lynx exploded to finish the quarter on an 18-8 run. Dallas never got back within single digits and trailed by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter. 

Jessica Shepard added 15 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota, while Diamond Miller added 13 points in 20 minutes off the bench. 

Bueckers and the Wings will play in Minnesota next Wednesday.