"Cheryl Reeve Criticizes Officials After WNBA Finals Loss: 'We Were Robbed'"

 "Cheryl Reeve Criticizes Officials After WNBA Finals Loss: 'We Were Robbed'"

Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve expressed her frustration openly during the post game news conference following Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday. In a hard-fought contest, the New York Liberty secured a 67-62 overtime victory, earning their first-ever franchise championship.

Reeve, clearly upset with the outcome, addressed the media candidly. "I know the headlines will say, 'Reeve cries foul,'" she remarked. "Bring it on. Bring it on — because this game was stolen from us."

Reeve was livid about the free-throw disparity in Game 5. New York was charged with 17 fouls, while Minnesota was whistled for 21. Despite the similar foul count, the Liberty were awarded 25 free throws, whereas the Lynx only had eight opportunities at the line.

With Minnesota leading 60-58 and 6.3 seconds left in regulation, New York inbounded the ball to Breanna Stewart, who launched an off-balance shot. It seemed off target, but the referee blew the whistle, calling a foul on Alanna Smith. Reeve and her coaching staff were outraged and immediately challenged the decision. However, the challenge was unsuccessful, and Stewart calmly sank both free throws, sending the game into overtime.

Coach Reeve expressed frustration over the officiating in the series, calling it "incredibly disappointing." She particularly criticized a controversial call, stating, "It's a shame that officiating had such a hand in a series like this." Reeve emphasized the need for changes to the challenge system, suggesting that a third party should review such decisions during the game.

Referring to a specific call, Reeve remarked, "That was not a foul. The call should have been reversed on that challenge." She added that if the team had submitted the clip to the league, they would have likely ruled it as "marginal contact, no foul. Guaranteed."

Officiating has been a focal point throughout much of the series, with both coaches—Cheryl Reeve of Minnesota and Sandy Brondello of New York—voicing concerns over the inconsistent calls. After Reeve expressed her frustrations following Game 3, Minnesota was awarded 20 free throws in Game 4, while New York only had nine opportunities from the line.

In response, Brondello raised her own complaints about the officiating after Game 4.

Coach Brondello expressed her frustration following a recent game, referencing a disparity in foul calls that left her team at a disadvantage. "I know Cheryl mentioned this last time, but today, we didn’t get any calls," Brondello remarked. She questioned whether addressing the issue in a press conference would change anything, emphasizing the inconsistency. "They were getting ticky-tack fouls, but when we went down and got hit, there was nothing. All we want is fairness," she continued. Known for her calm demeanor, Brondello’s frustration was evident. "I'm one of the nicest coaches in this league, but this really angers me," she concluded.

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve expressed her frustration with the officiating after Sunday’s game, saying, "Officiating, it's not that hard… Three of the games in this series, we're talking about the same damn thing."

Reeve was particularly upset about the lack of fouls called in favor of Minnesota’s star forward, Napheesa Collier. Across the five-game series, Collier only had 14 free-throw attempts, including none in the decisive Game 5. In contrast, New York’s star forward Breanna Stewart went to the line 31 times. This disparity in free throw opportunities highlighted the coach’s concerns about inconsistent officiating.

Collier delivered an impressive 22-point performance on Sunday, making 11 of her 23 field goal attempts. However, when questioned about her lower scoring output in the second half, she cited officiating as a factor.

"Probably because I was getting held a little bit," Collier remarked. "It was a little hard to make shots."

In response to Coach Reeve’s suggestion that the title had been “stolen” due to officiating, Brondello chuckled and countered, "I thought the officials were fair." Read more