Napheesa Collier left the court to an ovation and a lengthy hug from her coach. If her teammates had given her that kind of support Wednesday night, the moment might have been more sweet than bitter.
The Lynx's 2023 season began abysmally and ended as a relative success, but what it proved to be most of all, after all of the ups and downs, was confusing. The Lynx won a lot of games for a team that doesn't have enough good players.
And they barely used one of their most-talented — Aerial Powers, who probably had an Uber driver waiting at the front of Target Center when the game, and the Lynx's season, ended.
The Lynx have quality role players, and a couple of nice complementary players. When it comes to difference-making, championship-contending, cornerstone players, they currently have one: Collier.
On Wednesday, Collier was brilliant, leading the Lynx with 31 points and five rebounds despite a sore back. She'll have to remember that, when carrying this franchise, she'll need to lift with her legs.
Connecticut defeated the Lynx, 90-75, to win the teams' first-round playoff series. Kayla McBride and Diamond Miller — Collier's most important sidekicks — combined for 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting.
The Lynx signed McBride as a quality complement to Collier, but in Game 3, following her brilliant performance in Game 2, she was far too quiet, continuing her trend of appearing and disappearing as if conjured by a hiccupping illusionist.
The Lynx can't count on transforming themselves through free agency. They can't count on being lucky enough to find another Collier, who has overachieved remarkably as a No. 6 pick.