ARLINGTON, TEXAS – For most of the offseason, the bitter taste of Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals in her mouth, Courtney Williams spent her time working on her game. More, she said, than she ever has before.

The Lynx’s season-opening 99-84 victory over the Dallas Wings on Friday was a great start.

For both of them, to start a long season.

“It’s one game,” stressed Williams, after scoring 25 points, getting nine rebounds and hitting all eight of her second-half shots as the Lynx turned a close game into a rout. “In the locker room we said, ‘43 more.’ ”

Collier? “Celebrating the win? Always,” she said after scoring 34 points, including 18 in the decisive third quarter, the highest-scoring quarter of her career. “Getting the win is great. But we see places we need to improve.”

The arena at the University of Texas-Arlington was mostly full, totally loud. It was the WNBA debut for Minnesota native Paige Bueckers, the first overall pick in the league draft after leading UConn to a national championship.

But she wasn’t the best former Huskies player out there.