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When Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier came up limping last week with an apparent non-contact leg injury, the team’s fans and coaches alike held their breath. The 2024 All-Star, Olympian and MVP candidate had at that point led Minnesota to a 14-5 record, and while the Lynx have considerable depth and are built to withstand the grind of a 40-game regular season, a long-term injury to Collier would severely hamper their championship aspirations, if not ruin them entirely.

Fortunately, Collier’s injury was not as bad as initially feared, and the Lynx have been able to mostly sustain their success without her. Collier was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis—something she’s used to dealing with, according to Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve—and though the Lynx didn’t give a specific timetable for her return, she’s been listed as “doubtful” on their pregame injury reports before eventually being ruled out, which suggests that the team is taking things on a day-to-day basis.

In Collier’s absence, the Lynx have earned wins over the Washington Mystics (74-67) and the Los Angeles Sparks (82-67), continuing to showcase the depth and selflessness that has made them one of the WNBA’s best teams. In those two games, Minnesota totaled 43 assists on 59 made shots (an assist rate of 72.9 percent) and knocked down 19 3-pointers.

“It bodes well for us to continue to have this mindset of not caring who gets the credit. When your number’s called, be ready,” Reeve commented after her team’s win against Los Angeles. “That’s what we’ve got to keep hanging our hat on.”

In a way, Minnesota’s most recent performances reflect that mindset even better than any of its previous games did. Down their star player, the Lynx didn’t get away from their identity, leaning into team basketball on both ends of the court to compensate for Collier’s absence. Their margin for error may have been slimmer, but everyone in Reeve’s rotation stayed in their respective roles, and that was more than enough to get back in the win column.

No Lynx exemplified starring in their role more than Bridget Carleton. Traditionally a lower-usage player, Carleton has shot the ball more frequently this season with fellow wing Diamond Miller recovering from a knee procedure, and she showed just how deadly of a shooter she can be in Minnesota’s recent wins. Carleton hit three 3-pointers en route to 13 points against Washington and followed that up with a near-flawless effort against Los Angeles, when she scored 16 points while shooting 6-for-7 from the field (4-for-4 from distance).

Reeve was also quick to praise the play of second-year center Dorka Juhász, who has shown the multiple ways she can affect a game. Juhász shot the ball just three times against Washington but led the Lynx in rebounding with 11 boards in 23 minutes; against Los Angeles, she took on more of a scoring role, netting 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting while defending both on the interior and on the perimeter.

It’s performances like these that highlight the Lynx’ true strengths: depth and versatility at multiple positions. With luck, Collier will be healthy again soon; Minnesota has three games remaining before the Olympic break, and Reeve—who also coaches the US National Team—may elect to rest Collier until WNBA play resumes in August. Until then, the Lynx must continue to stay afloat, and it may end up making them a more cohesive team in the long run.