In the Lynx’s postgame news conference, coach Cheryl Reeve said the game and series were “stolen” from her team by poor and one-sided officiating. Collier sat nearby, eyes red, not arguing, as Reeve said she had been held repeatedly throughout the game. Collier shot zero free throws despite operating in traffic near the basket. The Lynx shot eight free throws; the Liberty shot 25.
Reeve veered between praising her players and criticizing the officials and teams in the WNBA that “circumvented” the salary cap or bent or ignored other rules.
“This was an exclamation point to the incredible season she had,” Reeve said. “Phee was phenomenal.”
Sitting next to Collier, Lynx guard Kayla McBride said, “I’m always in awe of Phee because she carries it all with such grace. I’m lucky to be alongside her.”
Collier has been in the WNBA since 2019, yet this season felt more like a beginning than a culmination.
As she continued to emerge as one of the world’s best players, she kept outplaying her star counterparts.
