Minnesota Lynx head coach, Cheryl Reeve is in hot waters after her star forward Napheesa Collier injured her ankle late in the third quarter of a 111-58 big win over Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday. Much talk has fired up about Reeve’s call to keep her top player on the court in a game that was nearly done.
The injury came as Collier seemed to twist her right ankle after colliding with teammate Alanna Smith. The Lynx were up by 43 points at that time. Collier went out of the game and did not return. She had 18 points, five assists, and three rebounds in just over 26 minutes.
Reeve breaks her silence
With media going at her after the game, Reeve stood by her move.
It’s the third quarter of a game on someone else’s floor. I don’t think the game is over. She had a sub there, and she wasn’t going to play in the fourth quarter. Sometimes these things happen
She knew how everyone would react:
“People are gonna rail on me,” she added.
Yet, the experienced coach stuck to her stance, noting that looking back makes in-the-moment acts seem off. Reeve has got claps for how she handles players before, but now fans worry how she looks out for big stars in uneven games.
Collier’s future is unclear
Collier, who leads the WNBA with scores at 23.8 per game, is seen as a top pick for the MVP. It is not clear how bad her injury is, though she was walking by herself after the game. The Lynx will check her more soon, with a choice on her traveling for Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Storm still to come.
If she is out for a long time, it would hit hard on Minnesota’s hopes for the title. They are the top team now with a 24-5 record.
Team and fans also react
Guard Kayla McBride pointed out how important Collier is for the team.
It’s especially tough when your MVP goes down. We just wish the best for her-on our team, she means everything
On the web, fans quickly showed anger at Reeve’s choice to play Collier so late, calling it “reckless” and “unnecessary.” Some backed Reeve, pointing to Collier’s lead role and how unpredictable sports injuries can be.
Current debate on player safety
This event has sparked a wider talk about player’s safety and decision-making in one-sided matches. While coaches need to keep a good flow and fight, the fear of injuries is always there, more so when a team’s future depends on one player’s well-being. If Reeve’s choice is right might rely on what comes out of Collier’s health checks.
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