Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has sounded off loads of instances in her 15-year WNBA teaching profession.
However Friday’s Sport 3 press convention following the Lynx’s 84-76 loss to the Mercury marked one among her most memorable podium appearances but.
Reeve, who was ejected with 24 seconds to play within the recreation, angrily referred to as out the league’s officiating after Lynx star Napheesa Collier limped out of the sport with an ankle damage.
“If this is what our league wants, okay. Then, I want to call for a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating,” Reeve mentioned. “It’s bad for the game.”
Reeve identified that Collier was referred to as for 5 fouls regardless of not going to the road as soon as, and mentioned that backup heart Maria Kliundokova was “getting cracked” on the boards with no fouls being referred to as.
However the play Reeve was most upset by was the one which in the end ended Collier’s night time — and doubtlessly, her postseason.
With 24 seconds to play, Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Collier and completed a quick break layup on the opposite finish to increase the Mercury’s result in 6 factors.
Collier crumbled to the ground in ache, her eyes nearly instantly welling with tears. A replay confirmed she appeared to have sprained her ankle, as Thomas’s leg made direct contact with Collier’s after the deflection and prompted an ungainly fall.
Reeve instantly exploded, working as much as the referees’ faces and yelling profanities. A number of assistant coaches and gamers tried to carry her again, however with restricted success.
Minutes after being ejected, Reeve didn’t take any questions on the postgame podium. As a substitute, she took the chance to criticize officers.
“When you let the physicality happen, people get hurt, they fight — and this is the look that our league wants, for some reason.”
Reeve particularly criticized Friday night time’s officers: “The officiating crew that we had tonight — for the leadership to deem those three people semi-finals playoff worthy, is fucking malpractice.”
“They’re fucking awful,” she added.
Reeve additionally shared that Collier seemingly has a fracture, although the Lynx haven’t shared an official replace. The veteran coach additionally famous that comparable complaints have arisen within the different WNBA semi-finals collection between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces.
“You’re hearing other coaches, you’re hearing [Aces head coach] Becky [Hammon] talk about it,” Reeve mentioned.
After Sport 2 — an Aces win — Hammon referred to as out officiating as effectively, noting: “This level of physicality would not fly in the NBA.”
The Lynx, contemporary off a historic common season, at the moment are one loss away from elimination. Looming within the background is whether or not Collier will take the ground once more this postseason.
