Patrick Reusse: Lynx have only themselves to blame for Game 3 loss

MINNEAPOLIS — Alyssa Thomas stole the basketball with a nice poke away from the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier with 21 seconds left in Friday night’s Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals in Phoenix. There was a collision of knees after that and down went Collier to the court after badly rolling her left ankle.

This steal was going to solve the issue in favor of the home-standing Mercury, thanks to some pathetic work on the defensive boards by the Lynx that allowed the home team to maintain a lead and possession in the final minute.

It was 80-76 when the steal took place, and from the distance of the Lynx bench to above the circle at the other end — along with Collier sprawled in pain … well, those folks down there were convinced that Thomas had mugged their star, Napheesa (who was far from great on this night).

Even by her lofty standards, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve went nuts, trying to storm the officials. She already had a technical in the first half, and this display was so over-the-top that she might not be on the sideline for Game 4 when it’s played Sunday night.

If fighting to get through other coaches — and guard Natisha Hiedeman— to get after the officials doesn’t get a coach suspended … well, the WNBA will confirm it’s a screwed-up mess.

Yes, Reeve is the senior coach in the WNBA by more than a decade, and she did have the privilege of rolling out balls to the players as coach of a gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Paris Olympics … but this behavior would have brought a tear of pride to the eye of Robert Montgomery Knight, were he still around.

The final was 84-76 for the Mercury, with Collier disappearing in the fourth quarter (four points) before she disappeared up the tunnel. Maybe it was just those collided knees with Thomas; maybe it was the bend of the ankle shown on the telecast. Stay tuned.

And maybe Reeve will be allowed to coach Sunday’s game, although from a sitting position.

Outstanding coach, most everyone agrees. And all-time horrible loser — as proven in the Game 5 loss to the New York Liberty in last fall’s epic WNBA Finals, and in 2016, with the Game 5 loss to the L.A. Sparks in another spectacular series.

Then again, anyone who has spent a quarter-century watching the third-rate officiating that plagues the WNBA (and women’s basketball, in general) might have too many sleepless nights due to nightmares.

Also: Coach/boss Reeve probably was grouchy coming in, following her top-seeded team producing one of the most shocking losses in the franchise’s 27 seasons in Game 2 on Tuesday at Target Center. And now her team was stumbling uphill for much of the first three quarters.

Then, for a few minutes late in the third, the tall and short of the Lynx roster seemed wake up their teammates.

Masha Kliundikova, the 27-year-old, 6-foot-4 Russian, shut down the home team’s inside action, and Hiedeman, 5-foot-8 and the “other” guard with pink-colored hair, put together a burst that allowed the Lynx to squeeze ahead 65-61.

Kliundikova missed a few 2-foot putbacks but then hit a jumper and a runner. Hiedeman made some plays. It seemed as though momentum might be swinging. And, poof, then came a nine-point Mercury run.

Satou Sabally was the best player on the floor, with 11 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter. And Thomas, who was with Connecticut when it lost to the Lynx in the 2024 semifinals, was excellent — 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists.

The Lynx probably need Collier to play and do so effectively Sunday, and Reeve to calm down and coach, or that championship ring isn’t going to be the reward after a 34-10 regular season.

The WNBA did not upgrade its playoff semifinal series to a best-of-five until 2022. The Lynx were in one of those for the first time last season, as the No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 Connecticut. The Sun won the opener to the surprise of the Target Center crowd.

The series was 1-1 going to Connecticut, with the Lynx needing that crucial Game 3 to ease the pressure and assure the series would get back to Minneapolis. Collier scored 26, Courtney Williams went 7 for 10 from the field for 16 points, and the Lynx won 90-81.

Which allowed them to lose Game 4 on the road and get back home for Game 5.

Collier had 27 points, Williams added 24 and the Lynx advanced to the Finals for the first time in seven years with an 88-77 victory in Game 5.

The Sun took this so well that they fired coach Stephanie White, tore up the roster, had the second-worst record (11-33) in the regular season and now face the prospect of moving to Boston, if the NBA/WNBA get their way.

The morale of the story: Those Game 3s in a best-of-five series seem to carry a lot of weight.

The last of the Lynx’s four championships includes the greatest comeback from a Game 3 playoff loss in franchise history. That was 2017. Target Center was being remodeled, and the playoff games were moved to Williams Arena.

The Lynx lost the opener at home, 85-84, to that outstanding Sparks collection. They survived Game 2, 70-68, at Lindsay Whalen’s favorite arena. And when they went to L.A. and lost Game 3, 75-64, it was looking like curtains — another Finals loss to the team that had beaten them in the full five games in 2016.

Backed up to what was then the Staples Center wall, Sylvia Fowles scored 22, Rebekkah Brunson had 18, Maya Moore contributed 15 and Whalen had eight assists. The Lynx won 80-69 to earn a return trip to the Barn, where they won the title, 85-76, over a tremendous opponent.

So there is proof in Lynx history that a Game 3 loss in a tied series can be overcome. It’s just that it would’ve been much safer (and more sane for the coach) not to have to do it that way.

____