The New York Liberty secured their first-ever WNBA championship in a thrilling series against the Minnesota Lynx, but the victory has been overshadowed by lingering dissatisfaction over the officiating. While the Liberty’s talent and the standout performances of their star players have been widely acknowledged, questions about the referees’ decisions during the Finals have sparked debate.
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve did not mince words in her post-game comments, suggesting that the officiating played a significant role in the outcome of the series.
“All the headlines will read, ‘Reeve calls foul. Bring it on,'” Reeve said in the post-game press conference. “Because this s**t was stolen from us.”
Horry’s reaction
The controversy caught the attention of former NBA player Robert Horry, who discussed the situation on a recent episode of the “Big Shot Bob Podcast.” The seven-time NBA champion appeared to empathize with Coach Reeve’s frustrations.
During the podcast, co-hosts Rob Jenner and Brandon Harper agreed that the officiating seemed inconsistent, particularly in the decisive moments of the game.
Horry specifically pointed out the struggles of Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who had an uncharacteristically tough night.
“Liberty should. They should’ve lost that game,” Horry said.
“[Ionescu went] 1 for 19… But even with that said, they still won.
“Think about what the Minnesota Lynx had to go through this [stuff] and how they just fought and fought and fought. Collier, who should be MVP, should have been MVP. You know, she just carried that team back. And I just feel bad for Lynx because they pretty much got, you know, pulp fictioned.”
The controversial play
The focal point of the controversy centers on a pivotal foul called against Lynx center Alanna Smith with just 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation.
Trailing 60-58, Liberty’s Breanna Stewart was sent to the free-throw line after the call. Despite having missed two crucial free throws earlier, Stewart calmly sank both shots to tie the game and force overtime.
The Lynx challenged the foul, but after video review, the officials upheld the decision and the Liberty won 67-62 in overtime.
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