As Lynx head into playoffs, star Napheesa Collier says, 'Everyone wrote us off, saying it was a building year'

There are only two games left in the regular season, but still so many playoff possibilities. So, naturally, the Lynx are locked in only on Friday's game in Chicago, right?

Well ... yes and no.

Talk to coach Cheryl Reeve and it's only Chicago, a key game against a team battling for the WNBA's final playoff spot. Win in Chicago.

"What's all we're trying to do,'' she said.

The players? They are aware of what everyone else is up to.

"We do think about that,'' All-Star forward Napheesa Collier said. "And that's the reason why, for the last several games, we've been thinking that this feels like playoffs. Because we're fighting for a spot. Where you are in the standings is important. We can only control ourselves. So it's focusing on ourselves, in that sense. But it's knowing we have to lock in to put ourselves in the best position.''

The Lynx (19-19) are fifth in the standings, a game behind No. 4 Dallas (20-18) and a game ahead of both Atlanta and Washington (18-20). Of those three, the Lynx only hold head-to-head tie breakers against Washington.

All four teams have two games remaining. And that means it's possible for the Lynx to finish anywhere from fourth to seventh.

They would finish fourth — and begin the playoffs at home — with wins against Chicago and at Indiana on Sunday if Dallas loses its games against Seattle and at Atlanta. A fifth-place finish would be ensured with two wins no matter what else happens.

But the Lynx could also drop in the standings. A seventh-place finish would occur if Washington were to win out against Atlanta and New York, and if Minnesota were to finish tied with or behind Atlanta, which finishes with games against Washington and Dallas. If the Lynx win in Chicago and Washington were to beat Atlanta on Friday, the Lynx could finish no lower than sixth.

Last season the WNBA's longest streak of making the playoffs ended when the Lynx, who had gone 11 straight years, failed to qualify.

Sunday's victory over Phoenix clinched a playoff spot for Minnesota, which became the second team in WNBA history to qualify for the playoffs after an 0-6 start.

"I really believe in this team,'' Kayla McBride said. "In the beginning they had us 10^th, ninth, eighth, whatever. And here we are sitting in fifth, potentially fourth. I like where we are as a group. I like our chances."

Said Collier: "Everyone wrote us off, saying it was a building year, this and that. And we had a rough start. But never once did we think we were going to stay there. We knew we were destined for more than that. To see the way this team has grown this year, I'm really proud of that."

But now, the final two games. The Lynx have been playing without post player Jessica Shepard (ankle) the past three games and will again be without her Friday. The Lynx will have had two practices to get ready for the final push, but Minnesota will be playing a Sky team that enters the game tied with Los Angeles for the final playoff spot.

"We'll see if we can go down to Chicago and win a really hard game,'' Reeve said. "They have a lot to play for.''