Yes, the Minnesota Lynx and Cheryl Reeve seem to have lost their signature composure. Last game, they let a 20-point lead slip rather easily, but Napheesa Collier only blamed themselves for the loss. “Phoenix did a good job of coming out aggressive [after halftime],” Collier had said, “but I think we beat ourselves.” But now in Game 3, Cheryl Reeve officially lost it after Alyssa Thomas injured her MVP candidate, Napheesa Collier.

The Lynx trailed by 4 with half a minute left on the clock. Napheessa Collier was looking for an opening at the three-point line, but Alyssa Thomas had other ideas. In the tussle, Thomas stripped the ball, and Collier tumbled awkwardly, twisting her left ankle. Watching her star player hit the floor in pain, Cheryl Reeve decided she had clearly seen enough.

After Thomas converted the fast break, Reeve stormed onto the court, placing herself between Mercury forward Satou Sabally and Lynx forward Maria Kliundikova as they prepared to inbound. Fuming, she threw non-stop words at the referee’s face. Natisha Hiedeman had to jump in to hold her back, along with the rest of her support staff.  She had already received a technical foul, and this was her second, leading to an immediate ejection.  Associate head coach Eric Thibault also received a technical following Reeve’s ejection. 

While all this drama unfolded, Collier walked off to the locker room, crying. 

This takes us back to 2012. Reeve was frustrated with the referees in the finals against the Indiana Fever, much like this one. Reeve ripped off her jacket and fired it at an assistant in a third-quarter fury after a no-call on a Lynx fastbreak earned her a technical and a fine later on. She slammed that jacket so hard that a trainer had to evaluate her shoulder. While she was not ejected then, the same isn’t true 13 years later.

This drama capped off a rather disappointing evening for the Minnesota Lynx, who have their title hopes fading by the day. 

Minnesota Lynx No Longer The Title Favourites

Even before the 2025 season started, the Minnesota Lynx were considered a finals lock-in. They had the squad to pull it off and the motivation after their 2024 finals loss to the New York Liberty. In their own words, it was a ‘revenge tour’. “You feel that loss for a long time,” Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman said. 

Their performances reflected that. They soon became the best offensive and defensive team in the league, while finishing with a 34-10 record. It continued in the playoffs as they brushed aside newcomers Golden State Valkyries in 2 games. Cut to today, they are holding onto a thread, with one game on the horizon that could end their run. 

Game 2 already had a clear warning for the Minnesota Lynx. They had a 20-point lead at one time, but they blanked in the final quarter.  Mercury capitalised on the game while taking the momentum with them. Game 3 was a lot different as the Mercury came out to dominate.

For the first time all season, Mercury’s big 3 of Satou Sabally, Thomas, and Kahleah Copper scored 20+ points. Sabally was especially dominant in the 4th quarter, scoring 15 points alone. In addition to their attack, the Mercury defense stifled Minnesota and Napheesa Collier. They dominated the paint, finishing the game with a lopsided scoreline of 42-28 in that area.

Looking forward to the series, Minnesota is no longer in the driver’s seat. Collier’s likely out with a suspected fracture, a blow coach Reeve speculated in her post-game tirade. It’s not looking good for the Lynx. While they did manage to hold their own without Collier (5-2 record)in the regular season, this is the playoffs, a whole different ball game. Mercury is pushing for the title, and they will be going hard once again in Game 4.