Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve did not mince words following her team’s heartbreaking loss in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty. In a thrilling, hard-fought contest, the game took a controversial turn with just five seconds remaining in regulation when a foul was called on Lynx forward Alanna Smith.
The foul sent Liberty star Breanna Stewart to the free-throw line, where she tied the game and forced overtime. The Liberty would go on to win 67-62, capturing their first WNBA championship.
The foul call ignited immediate backlash from both fans and analysts. Many believed that not only was the call questionable, but some also argued that Stewart had traveled before the contact, making the call even more contentious.
The play became the focal point of post-game discussions, overshadowing what had been an intense and competitive series.
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After the game, an emotional Reeve expressed her frustration with the officiating, directing sharp criticism at the referees for what she felt was an unfair decision that ultimately cost her team the game—and possibly the championship.
“I know all the headlines will be ‘Reeve cries fouls.’ Bring it on. Right? Bring it on. Because this was stolen from us. Bring it on,” Reeve declared in the post-game press conference, clearly furious with the way the game ended. The Lynx head coach, who is no stranger to speaking her mind, did not hold back, asserting that the foul call robbed her team of a legitimate chance to win the title.
Reeve’s comments quickly gained traction online, with fans divided over the controversial play. Some supported her stance, agreeing that the referees made a critical error in the closing moments of the game. Others argued that officiating is part of the game and that the Lynx still had opportunities to close out the contest earlier.
NBA superstar LeBron James, who has been vocal about WNBA games and issues, also weighed in on the controversy. James, known for his own frustrations with officiating throughout his career, sided with Reeve, agreeing that the call was questionable. His support added more fuel to the debate, with many fans rallying behind Reeve’s criticism of the officiating.
Despite the outcry, the Liberty’s victory will stand, and the focus now shifts to how the Lynx will respond in the future. Reeve’s passionate defense of her players and her bold statements about the officiating are likely to keep the conversation about officiating in big games alive in the coming weeks.
However, for the Lynx, this bitter loss will be a hard pill to swallow, especially after coming so close to another championship.
As the dust settles, the WNBA will likely face questions about how to handle high-stakes officiating in championship games.
For now, Reeve’s powerful post-game comments will remain a defining moment of a Finals series that, for better or worse, ended in controversy.
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