The Minnesota Lynx’s bid for a deep run in the WNBA semifinals hit a serious setback Friday night, as they lost Game 3 to the Phoenix Mercury 84-76 at PHX Arena, giving Phoenix a 2-1 series lead. The contest, brimming with relentless physicality and clutch performances, boiled over in the final seconds with an ejection for Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and a painful injury to star Napheesa Collier.

Collier, the 2025 WNBA MVP runner-up, finished with 17 points but did not score in the fourth quarter, attempting only one shot in the period. Her night ended with an ankle roll and knee contact following a steal by Mercury star Alyssa Thomas with 21.8 seconds left. Thomas converted the breakaway layup, giving Phoenix a six-point lead that effectively sealed the game.

Collier was helped off the court limping and visibly upset, while Reeve stormed onto the floor to confront the officiating crew, receiving her second technical foul and subsequent ejection. Reeve had previously picked up her first technical in the second quarter.

After the game, Reeve spoke to the media for about two minutes, focusing mostly on her views about the referees while also offering an early assessment of Collier’s condition.

“When you let the physicality happen, people get hurt, there's fights. This is the look that our league wants for some reason,” Reeve said. “We were trying to play through it. We try not to make excuses. One of the best players in the league shot zero free throw. Zero. And she had five fouls. Zero free throws. Had her shoulder pulled out and finished the game with her leg being taken out, and probably has a fracture. If this is what our league wants, OK. But I want to call for a change of leadership, at the league level, when it comes to officiating. It's bad for the game.”

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“The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worthy is f***ing malpractice,” she continued. “I can take an L with the best of 'em. I don't think we should've had to play through more than they did. I think it's f***ing crap. And all of (the refs) tonight, ‘It wasn't my call. I don't know. I didn't have that. I didn't see it though.' F***ing awful.”

Phoenix displayed a balanced offensive effort, with Alyssa Thomas posting 20+ points along with 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Satou Sabally contributed 23 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, while Kahleah Copper added 20 points.

Mercury's physicality proved decisive as they outrebounded Minnesota 37-29 and forced nine steals, exploiting Minnesota's early-game offensive struggles. Lynx had a strong third quarter defensively, allowing just 15 points and briefly taking a six-point lead before Phoenix pulled away in the fourth.

The game was Minnesota's second straight playoff stumble against the Mercury, coming after they failed to close out Game 2 despite holding a 20-point lead.

The loss puts the top-seeded Lynx on the brink of elimination, requiring a win in Sunday’s Game 4 in Phoenix just to keep the series alive and force a decisive Game 5 at home.