MINNEAPOLIS — Following a tense WNBA Game 5 that saw the Minnesota Lynx narrowly defeated by the New York Liberty, head coach Cheryl Reeve did not hold back in her criticism of the officiating during the match, outright stating that the championship was “stolen” from her team. The intense game concluded with a score of 67-62 in favor of the Liberty after overtime, a result that was influenced by a controversial foul call late in the fourth quarter. This call led to Breanna Stewart being awarded two free throws, which remarkably tied the game with only 5.2 seconds remaining on the clock.

Reeve expressed frustration, commenting, “We know we could have done some things, right, but you shouldn’t have to overcome to that extent. This s—- ain’t that hard. Officiating is not that hard.” Her longevity and success in coaching, which includes guiding the Lynx to four WNBA titles and winning an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. National team in Paris, adds weight to her critiques of the officiating standards. Despite knowing her remarks might attract attention, she boldly challenged the scrutiny, declaring, “Bring it on, because that s—- was stolen from us.”

The disparity in free throws highlighted the issue, with the Liberty taking an alarming 25 attempts compared to the Lynx’s mere 8. Additionally, Minnesota was penalized with 21 fouls, while New York recorded 17, leading to a pivotal foul-out for Napheesa Collier, who had been instrumental as Defensive Player of the Year. Reeve specifically took issue with a foul called against Alanna Smith while Minnesota led 60-58; Stewart made a drive that resulted in the foul even though many felt there was insufficient contact. Despite Minnesota’s challenge, the original call stood after review.

Characterizing the officiating as “marginal at best,” Reeve lamented the situational unfairness that could arise in high-stakes games. She reflected on Minnesota’s previous experience, recalling how faulty officiating impacted their loss in the 2016 WNBA Finals, emphasizing, “This is for a championship, for both teams. Let them decide it. What contact is legal should be the same for both teams.”