Reeve revealed Collier might have sustained a fracture while ripping the league.
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve had something to say after her team's Game 3 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, and it's probably going to cost her.
An 84-76 defeat saw Reeve ejected in the final minute after running onto the court to berate the officials, on a play that left Lynx star Napheesa Collier needing to be helped off the court. Mercury star Alyssa Thomas made contact with Collier's knee on a steal and caused her ankle to roll as well, adding injury to a game-sealing breakaway lay-up.
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Reeve was so livid she had to be restrained by multiple coaches and players as she attempted to charge back toward the refs.
That fury didn't subside in the immediate aftermath of the game.
Instead, Reeve entered the room for her post-game news conference, unloaded on the officials and the WNBA for two minutes, then left without taking questions. In the process, she revealed that Collier had potentially sustained a fracture from her run-in with Thomas, with a shoulder issue earlier in the game too.
Reeve's two cents:
"This is the look that our league wants, for some reason. We were trying to play through it, we tried not to make excuses. One of the best players in the league shot zero free throws. Zero, and she had five fouls. Zero free throws. Got her shoulder pulled out and finished the game with her leg being taken out, and probably has a fracture. And so this is what our league wants. OK. But I want to call for a change in leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating. It's bad for the game.
The officiating crew that we had for tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worthy is f***ing malpractice. I can take an L with the best of them. I don't think we should have to play through more than what they did. We've got players — [Maria Kliundikova's] on the glass and gets f***ing cracked, and there's no call. And all of them decided 'It wasn't my call, I don't know, I didn't see it that way.' They're f***ing awful.
A fine is almost certainly headed Reeve's way from the WNBA, though she did manage to avoid one after another high-profile incident last postseason. This kind of critique isn't new for her, thoughshe obviously isn't the only person who has taken issue with the WNBA's officiating as the league's profile continues to rise.
However Reeve and the Lynx feel now, they have two days to regroup and try to save their season, with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday in Phoenix. If Collier isn't healthy by then, it's going to be dire situation for the owners of the best record in the WNBA.
Category: General Sports
