Reeve BLASTS referees after Collier injury in Lynx loss

Cheryl Reeve Rants Against Referees After Lynx Loss

Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve held nothing back after her team’s 84-76 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the playoff series. Reeve strongly criticized the referees’ performance, calling it “bad practice” for a WNBA semi-final game. The tension reached its peak in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, when the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and secured the victory with a layup. Collier, after contact with Thomas, fell to the ground in pain, apparently suffering an ankle injury. Despite the obvious foul, the referees signaled nothing. Collier, visibly affected, had to be helped to reach the bench. Reeve subsequently suggested that the injury could be a fracture, although he did not offer further details. The team has not yet provided an update on Collier’s status for Game 4.

If this is what the league wants, that’s fine, but I want to ask for a change of leadership at the league level with regard to refereeing. The refereeing team we had tonight, for the leadership to consider those three people worthy of the semifinals, is a damn bad practice.

Cheryl Reeve

Reeve’s frustration led to her being ejected from the game. After Thomas’ steal and basket, Reeve ran to berate one of the referees, which earned her a second technical foul and ejection. Natisha Hiedeman and two assistant coaches tried to restrain Reeve, while associate coach Eric Thibault also received a technical for protesting. Collier, who was out of the game for the last 21 seconds, finished the game with 17 points. The match was full of lead changes, with 15 in total, but the Lynx only scored nine points in the last quarter, which allowed the Mercury to take control of the game. Phoenix stars Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper combined to score 65 points of the Mercury’s 84.

In his post-game statements, Reeve expressed disbelief at the lack of free throws for Collier during the game. In addition, he criticized the referees’ leniency, stating that play should not continue despite the obvious fouls. Before leaving the press conference, Reeve launched a final criticism: “They are horrible.” Reeve joins other coaches who have expressed their concern about the refereeing in these playoffs. Before Game 3, Reeve had mentioned the lack of fouls called in the Lynx-Mercury series, where in Game 1 only 10 free throws were combined, the lowest amount in the history of the league’s playoffs. Reeve emphasized that, although he did not want a “foul fest”, any action that limited freedom of movement or was an obvious infraction should be sanctioned. The Lynx have a day to prepare for Sunday’s crucial Game 4.