PHOENIX — The Minnesota Lynx's season has ended in devastating fashion, again.
The Lynx entered the postseason with the No. 1 overall ranking one year removed from losing the 2024 WNBA Finals to the New York Liberty in a decisive Game 5 that went to overtime. Head coach Cheryl Reeve blasted “disappointing officiating” following the championship series and said the title was “stolen.”
That loss fueled Minnesota, who returned six players from last year’s Finals roster, which had all the makings to write a storybook ending. A franchise-high 33 wins. The top ranked offense and the league’s best defense. The MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier, Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith and Sixth Player of the Year finalist Natisha Hiedeman. The No. 1 overall seed and home-court advantage.
Minnesota only needed a WNBA title to complete this chapter. But yet again, the Lynx fell just short in midst of more controversy.
“It's never about anything else but each other,” Kayla McBride said through tears on Sunday after the Lynx were eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the best-of-five semifinal series. “To be close two years in a row and hit adverse situations each and every time for the people that you love, your sisters, your family, s--- f---ing hurts.”
