WNBA Semifinals - who you got?

[JstVisiting]

Reeve has to be suspended. You can’t let a coach do that and only sit 21 seconds.

 

[JellyBean]

Hats off to Phoenix. They beat my beloved Minnesota Lynx. We just don't have an answer for Phoenix. We will see what develops on Sunday. Coach Reeve is Coach Reeve.

 

[JstVisiting]

..They beat my beloved Minnesota Lynx. We just don't have an answer for Phoenix…

Styles make fights matchup. Seeing a little bit of it on the other side, where the Fever have shown the secret to defending A’ja Wilson is having an Aliyah Boston. Not enough help this year, but have to think with healthy teammates next year, it will be a problem.

Think Las Vegas definitely matches up much better with the Mercury than with Minnesota or even Indiana.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Coach Reeve is Coach Reeve.

I just saw the clip of her getting ejected at the end. I don't think I've ever seen her fired up like that before. Pretty much the entire coaching staff plus a player or two had to get involved to restrain her and get her off the court.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Also...maybe the million dollar coach knows what he's doing? I know don't count your chickens til they hatch, but he has the Lynx on the verge of elimination, and this was supposed to be their year. And he already took out the defending champs.

 

[JstVisiting]

Reeve says Collier “has a fracture” while blasting the league’s officiating and calling for wholesale changes. She’s right in general - it is terribly officiated, and fans of all teams have said as much throughout the year. But she’s wrong about the specific play, where Collier suffered a bad luck injury on incidental contact after a steal.

And she still needs to be suspended for her out of control actions on the court.

 

[bballnut90]

Reeve says Collier “has a fracture” while blasting the league’s officiating and calling for wholesale changes. She’s right in general - it is terribly officiated, and fans of all teams have said as much throughout the year. But she’s wrong about the specific play, where Collier suffered a bad luck injury on incidental contact after a steal.

And she still needs to be suspended for her out of control actions on the court.

Thomas is a physical player but that was a clean steal.

 

[JellyBean]

I just saw the clip of her getting ejected at the end. I don't think I've ever seen her fired up like that before. Pretty much the entire coaching staff plus a player or two had to get involved to restrain her and get her off the court.

Yeah, Coach was heated. She has had crash outs before, but this one was her most epic

 

[bballnut90]

Hopefully the injury to Collier is minimal. Feels like this seasoned was destined to be hers, but it has started slipping through her fingers.

I saw a UCONN fan post this last year, but I’m not sure anyone has had as much heartbreak in her career as Phee:
2017-undefeated season lost on Morgan William buzzer beater

2018-undefeated season lost on Arike buzzer beater

2019-lost in Final Four after having 9pt lead in 4th quarter

2024-lost in game 5 of finals on a controversial call

2025-was prohibitive MVP front runner, obtained an injury while up 43 points in the 2nd half which likely cost her the award. Team was heavy title favorites and might bow out in the semis.

 

[JellyBean]

Reeve says Collier “has a fracture” while blasting the league’s officiating and calling for wholesale changes. She’s right in general - it is terribly officiated, and fans of all teams have said as much throughout the year. But she’s wrong about the specific play, where Collier suffered a bad luck injury on incidental contact after a steal.

And she still needs to be suspended for her out of control actions on the court.

I did not know or hear about a fracture. I will have to watch the post-game interview.

 

[bbsamjj]

The playoffs are kind of the first time you are starting to see the Big 3 for Phoenix all click together. Last night was their best collective showing--scored 65 of the team's 84 points while shooting 23/43 from the field (and 16/18 from the FT line). Vets like Bonner and Whitcomb are going to make them a very tough out with all that experience.

 

[Basingstoke]

Thomas is a physical player but that was a clean steal.

I agree that, on the play in question, Thomas' steal was clean.
I would also say that the Mercury have been the better and more clutch team in this series.
But.....I would also say that Reeve's meltdown was understandable as a cumulative reaction to the mugging that her team withstood for 40 minutes (& was forced to try replicate in their own play) without significant policing by the refs.
The officiating is beyond horrible, and, IMO, results in a product more akin to rugby than basketball.
The Mercury deserved to win (to begin with, they made more clutch baskets), but benign neglect by the refs is really a gift to them as it rewards their style of play.
To me, Reeve's temporary insanity was understandable in the heat of that particular moment, even though Thomas made a clean play.

 

[bbsamjj]

Last night, the Mercury ourscored the Lynx 21-9 in the 4th quarter. Collier got just one FG attempt. In game 2, between Q4 and OT, the Mercury outscored the Lynx 35-21. Collier was just 2-6 in the 4th Q and OT combined.

Hopefully Napheesa is good to go for game 4; and if so, the Lynx need to keep her involved late in games.