Keeping Napheesa Collier out of foul trouble a priority for Lynx in playoff chase

With an unusual eight days between games — thanks in large part to the Commissioner's Cup game this week — the Lynx had time for a couple of days off and multiple practices.

The goals: Tweak offensive schemes, something that came after exhaustive video review. Get ready to play the final quarter of the season (10 games) knowing that starting point guard Lindsay Allen will be out awhile because of a broken left thumb.

Oh, and make sure star Napheesa Collier finds a way to stay on the court and out of foul trouble.

At 14-16 the Lynx are tied with Washington for sixth place in the standings, but they hold the tiebreaker over the Mystics. They are a half-game behind fifth-place Atlanta and two games behind No. 4 Dallas.

The Lynx play Washington and Atlanta once each and have a home-and-home with Dallas among their final 10 games. Their season resumes Friday at Seattle in the first of back-to-back games against the Storm, who play at Target Center on Sunday.

Seattle has won just nine games this season but has won five of its past seven.

"They're playing their best basketball of the season,'' Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

All the more need for Collier, who has battled foul trouble recently. Her foul rate of 2.6 per game is just under her career 2.8 average, but in the past two games she battled foul trouble, keeping her under 30 minutes played in consecutive games for the first time this season.

It didn't hurt the team at Chicago, when Collier was at her most efficient, scoring 29 points while playing just 27 minutes and taking 18 shots. But in a loss at last-place Indiana, Collier played 25 minutes and failed to score in double figures for just the second time this year.

Reeve cited a couple of problems. First, Collier needs to be more aware of the crew officiating the games.

"We give our players the analytics of the officials, so they understand the crew,'' Reeve said. "They have to understand how the game is going to be officiated. So shame on you if you put yourself in that situation.''

Also, Collier has found herself out of position a bit of late, and perhaps paying for taking chances. Reeve cited a play against Indiana where the Lynx failed to secure an offensive rebound and Collier was called for a foul in the battle for the ball.

"We have to be smarter, not be late in our rotations,'' Reeve said.

Collier's response to all this?

"I really do need to be better with my fouling,'' she said. "I have to be smarter with what I'm doing on defense, because obviously I want to stay on the court. Some of them I feel weren't fouls, but every player feels that way. But I can only control what I do, so I have to be smarter.''

Collier is getting her share of calls at the other end. She is sixth in the WNBA in free throws attempted (143) and seventh in free throws made (119).

But she would like to avoid being called for fouls at the other end and dealing with the frustration of watching games from the bench.

"Easier said than done,'' Collier said.