In a heated WNBA semifinal showdown that pushed the series to the brink, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has been suspended for one game following her dramatic ejection during Friday’s 84-76 defeat to the Phoenix Mercury on September 26, 2025. The league announced the suspension Saturday morning, citing “conduct detrimental to the game” after Reeve’s profanity-laced tirade against the officials.
The incident erupted with 21.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter, as the Mercury clung to a six-point lead. Reeve, already simmering from earlier calls, exploded over a non-call on a steal by Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas from Lynx star Napheesa Collier near midcourt. Thomas raced coast-to-coast for a layup, but Collier slapped the court in agony, appearing to twist her ankle – a moment Reeve deemed a blatant foul. Charging onto the court, Reeve unleashed a barrage of expletives, earning her second technical foul and ejection. Assistants and guard Natisha Hiedeman physically restrained her as she was dragged away, shouting demands for “league-level change in officiating.”
This marks the latest flashpoint in Reeve’s ongoing feud with WNBA referees, echoing her 2024 Finals rant where she accused officials of “stealing” the title from Minnesota against the New York Liberty. Postgame, Reeve doubled down in a fiery presser: “This isn’t basketball; it’s a disgrace. The players deserve better than these clowns calling the shots.” Associate head coach Eric Thibault drew a technical in solidarity.
On the court, Phoenix’s defense stifled the Lynx, limiting them to nine points in the final frame. Kahleah Copper torched Minnesota for 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while Satou Sabally added clutch scoring. Natisha Hiedeman’s third-quarter explosion gave Minnesota a brief 67-63 edge, but turnovers and free-throw disparities – Phoenix 22 attempts to Minnesota’s 11 – sealed the upset. The Mercury, now up 2-1, can clinch a Finals berth in Game 4 Monday at home. A hobbled Collier (22.9 PPG regular season) exited early, her status uncertain.
Reeve’s absence looms large for the defending Western Conference champs, who blew a 20-point lead in Game 2’s overtime loss. Thibault will helm the sideline, but the Lynx’s fire – fueled by Reeve’s intensity – now faces a test. “We’ll rally,” Collier vowed. “This series isn’t over.” Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts, ever stoic, shrugged off the drama: “We just play.”
As the WNBA’s playoff intensity escalates, Reeve’s suspension underscores the fine line between passion and penalty, leaving fans buzzing about accountability in women’s hoops.
