WNBA Suspends Lynx Head Coach For Playoff Game After All-Time Meltdown

The Minnesota Lynx concluded the regular season as the top team in the WNBA standings but are now facing a critical challenge in the league semifinals, having to compete without their head coach for Game 4 due to a suspension.

During Game 3 of the semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve became enraged and vehemently criticized an official for not calling a foul on a play where Napheesa Collier lost possession of the ball to Alyssa Thomas after their knees collided, causing Collier to fall. However, the incident was not deemed a foul, as Thomas had cleanly knocked the ball away without making illegal contact, a view supported by assessments from NBA officials.

Following the game, Reeve continued her tirade against the officiating in her postgame press conference, explicitly calling for a change in leadership at the league level and labeling the officiating as "f—ing malpractice." In response, the WNBA suspended Reeve for Game 4, a decision that was widely anticipated given the severity of her outburst.

As a result of the suspension, Reeve will be unable to coach in the pivotal Game 4 and will instead watch the game from her hotel room, underscoring the consequences of her actions during a crucial playoff moment for the team.