MINNEAPOLIS — In June, late-game heroics from rookie Olivia Miles nearly helped the Lynx rally to a shootout win over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

Then, the Lynx didn’t have Napheesa Collier. On Saturday, in the Lynx’s 98-87 win over Las Vegas, it was a different story.

Collier dropped 22 points, five rebounds and three assists to help the league-leading Lynx become the first team to officially clinch a spot in the postseason.

But perhaps more importantly, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year helped hold A’ja Wilson to 5-for-17 shooting for 16 points, plus eight rebounds — a relatively quiet night for the four-time MVP celebrating her 30th birthday.

The Lynx were up 92-85, with the Aces fresh off a Dana Evans 3-pointer and trying to put together a late fourth-quarter rally, when Wilson picked off Miles at the top of the arc.

Collier recovered to stuff Wilson in the paint, and finished on the other end of the floor.

Second try was the charm for Miles, who drove past Wilson for a layup with 47 seconds to play.

Miles put up 26 points (10 for 21), seven assists and four rebounds to help the Lynx (26-7) extend its hold on the No. 1 seed over the Aces (22-10). She also added to her personal highlight reel with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near halfcourt to end the first quarter.

For the Lynx, Saturday’s win was a bounce back from Thursday’s loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, after which Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve lambasted her team’s defense — which had, by all metrics, slipped since the start of July.

Las Vegas started Saturday shooting 61.1% in the first quarter, but the Lynx held the Aces to back-to-back sub-40% quarters afterward.

Up 49-45 at half, the Lynx built out a 73-65 lead heading into the fourth after Miles found Collier for back-to-back three-pointers.

Collier sank a career-high five 3-pointers to lead the Lynx’s 15-for-28 performance from beyond the arc.

All five Lynx starters finished in double figures.

The Lynx also outscored the Aces 38-24 in the paint after the Sparks had a 46-28 edge inside on Thursday.

“When we fall short as badly as we did in the last game, there’s certainly a lot of discussions internally and with the team on what’s necessary,” Reeve said pregame.

Defensively “we talk about buy-in and how special it is,” Reeve said. “I want to see us take a step. Can we magically be who we want to be defensively today? No, but we’re going to take our first step.”

Jackie Young led by Aces with 23 points.

Ten of the Lynx’s final 12 regular-season games, including Saturday’s, are against playoff teams. The Lynx have a quick turnaround before hosting the Dallas Wings Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

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