Courtney Williams has never lacked confidence, but after Wednesday night’s win over the Dallas Wings, she had the performance to back it up.
The veteran guard played 33 minutes—her highest total in a Lynx uniform—and finished with 13 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in Minnesota’s 85-81 victory at Target Center. She was everywhere late, pulling down timely rebounds in the fourth quarter, including four in the final two minutes, as the Lynx fended off a determined Dallas run.
“I told Cheryl [Reeve] last season, I was like, I’m gonna give you everything I got and then you sub me out. But then it became this whole NBA subbing thing,” Williams said. “So this year, I came into the season like, ‘Cheryl, you can play me. I’m good.’ So now she’s playing me—and she sees I’m good.”
Courtney Williams’ Leadership Helps Late Push
After the Wings closed the gap to two points on an Arike Ogunbowale three-pointer with under a minute to play, Williams responded with a key rebound and assist that led to free throws from Napheesa Collier. The Lynx forward knocked down both to seal the game.
“She just does what needs to be done,” said head coach Cheryl Reeve. “Courtney gives us control in chaos—rebounding, making the extra pass, taking contact. She’s been huge for us so far.”
Minnesota played a tight rotation with seven players logging at least five minutes due to a late scratch and Williams’ ability to stay on the floor gave the team vital flexibility. It’s the kind of role she’s leaned into more in her tenth WNBA season.
“I just leaned into it,” Williams said. “For some reason, Cheryl thought I was in shape—and I am. Shoutout to me being more in shape this year than last year.”
Minnesota Lynx Depth Shows, Despite Tight Rotation
Collier led all scorers with 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting and went 12-of-12 from the free-throw line, adding eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Jessica Shepard grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, while Natisha Hiedeman added 10 points and eight assists. Alanna Smith chipped in 13 points and six rebounds.
“I think our team is really good at staying steady,” Collier said. “We’re not pointing fingers when mistakes happen. We just try to fix it on the next play. That’s one of our superpowers, honestly.”
Dallas (0-3) had strong showings from Ogunbowale—who reached 500 career three-pointers, tying Diana Taurasi as the fastest to the mark—and rookie Paige Bueckers, who tallied 12 points and 10 assists in her return to her home state. DiJonai Carrington and Myisha Hines-Allen added 11 points apiece, with Hines-Allen also tying for the team-high with seven rebounds.
Minnesota heads into Friday’s home matchup with the Connecticut Sun looking to stay perfect. With Williams embracing extended minutes and showing she can deliver in clutch moments, the Lynx are getting veteran contributions exactly when they need them.
“She told me she’s ready,” Reeve said with a smile. “She wasn’t kidding.”
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