Despite being the favorites to win the title, the Minnesota Lynx were unable to defeat the Phoenix Mercury and were eliminated from the playoffs in Game 4, without the help of Napheesa Collier or the guidance of their coach, Cheryl Reeve.
During Game 3, with 30 seconds left in the game, Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Collier and, while the Phoenix star secured the victory with a basket, the Lynx point guard fell to the ground and was ruled out for Game 4. Now, Phee has revealed the severity of her injury.
Collier breaks her silence
This play between Alyssa and Napheesa provoked a reaction and anger from the Lynx coach, who stormed onto the court furious with the referees. She called the lack of a foul “f***ing malpractice” and insisted on a change in leadership in the league. This resulted in her ejection from the game, Game 4, and a $15,000 fine.
For her part, Collier was ruled out of the Lynx’s last playoff game due to her injury, which she recently confirmed was not a fracture as initially speculated, but rather a torn tendon:
“I couldn’t have played [if we made the Finals],” Collier admitted during her exit interviews. “It was almost the exact same injury as my other ankle, actually. I had a couple of torn ligaments and a torn shin muscle, but no broken bones, which is good.”
Phee also drew attention by targeting the league’s front office and officiating, something that has been echoing since the start of the regular season.
“Let me be clear: This conversation is not about winning or losing. It’s about something much bigger,” Phee began, adding: “The real threat to our league isn’t money, it isn’t ratings, or even missed calls or physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office.”
Furthermore, Phee didn’t sugarcoat the situation and expressed his annoyance with the league’s front office: “We have the best league in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But we have the worst leadership in the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Playoff finalists have been decided: Phoenix Mercury will face Las Vegas Aces in Game 1, after defeating Indiana Fever 107-98 in Game 5.
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