Cheryl Reeve Ejected in Lynx Loss to Mercury

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was thrown out of the game during a heated moment in Friday night’s contest against the Phoenix Mercury, which ended in an 84-76 defeat.

Reeve received her second technical foul in the last minute, reacting strongly when Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas intercepted the ball from Lynx star Nafisa Collier and quickly drove the length of the court for a layup that sealed the game.

The long-standing WNBA coach was visibly upset, especially as Collier lay on the floor in pain. She had to be restrained by Lynx associate head coach Eric Thibaud and others as she confronted officials.

Rather than focusing on the game itself, Reeve expressed her frustrations in a two-minute rant about the consistency of officiating in the league, a recurring concern for players and coaches alike this season.

After the Lynx’s historic WNBA title, she shared her thoughts with coach Sandi Blondello in a moment reflecting on the current state of the league.

Reeve made a notable comment regarding the officiating: “If this is what the league wants, then fine, but I’d suggest a change in leadership at the league level. The crew we had tonight was simply not suitable.” She was particularly concerned about Collier, who she suggested might have a serious injury, although details were not fully available.

The loss puts Phoenix ahead 2-1 in the series.

Also expressing frustration was Las Vegas ace head coach Becky Hammon, who felt the level of physical play in her own series against the Indiana Fever had spiraled out of control. She pointed out the disparity in officiating, saying, “You can get away with much more at this level, but it shouldn’t be that way.”

Hammon’s assessment echoes the concerns raised by Reeve, highlighting a critical situation in WNBA playoffs.