The Phoenix Mercury took down the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 84–76 in Game 3 on Friday night, taking a 2–1 lead in the best-of-five series. The pressure now suddenly flips back to Minnesota, not just because of the loss, but also because the game sidelined their star player, Napheesa Collier, indefinitely. And while some pointed fingers at Alyssa Thomas for the setback, a certain NBA veteran believes that’s not the full story.

Eddie A. Johnson took to X, sharing a zoomed-in video of the exact moment when Collier fell with the ankle injury. The post from NBA Referees claimed that the “leg-to-leg contact is incidental once the ball is clearly loose.” Johnson doubled down, writing, “It was the correct no call. Once the ball is knocked loose, the contact after does not count. Thomas had a right to that space, and it’s unfortunate a tremendous player is injured.” Before the injury, Collier had put 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, and shot 8-of-15 from the field.

The moment that changed the game came when Collier drove from the top of the arc. Thomas swooped in to steal the ball, but in the process, made ‘noticeable contact’ with Collier’s leg. As Collier fell, she twisted her left ankle and clearly looked in pain. She was helped off the court, and while head coach Cheryl Reeve initially feared a fracture, Collier has now been ruled out for Game 4.

Lynx fans and the coaching staff were angry that no foul was called. Meanwhile, Thomas used the confusion to drive in and score a breakaway layup, giving Phoenix the win. Reeve stormed onto the court after the play, venting her frustration on the officials, calling them “f—- awful” >in the post-game. The scene quickly descended into chaos, with players and coaches stepping in to hold her back, and someone even holding up a towel to block her view of the referees. Reeve was ejected with less than 30 seconds remaining and later suspended for one game.

The NBA referees later weighed in on the play, saying, “This is NOT a foul,” a position Eddie Johnson agreed with. Regardless of the ruling, it’s a serious setback for Collier. She had already missed seven games this season with a right ankle sprain after awkwardly landing during Minnesota’s dominant win over the Aces on August 2—a stretch where the Lynx went 5-2. Now, without her in Game 4 on Sunday, questions are mounting about the team’s playoff hopes. But most importantly, what will the Lynx do if they face AT in the semi-finals?

Thomas dominates despite Lynx’s best efforts

“She wants to win. She wants to win the championship bad,” said DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas’ Mercury teammate and fiancée. “She’ll do whatever it takes.” And this season, Thomas has lived up to that description. With an MVP-worthy performance, she’s carrying Phoenix on a serious playoff run, chasing her first WNBA title in 12 seasons. In the 2025 playoffs, Thomas has been putting up near triple-doubles, averaging 17.8 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.5 rebounds over six games. In the latest matchup, she racked up 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and two blocks, proving exactly why opponents are scrambling to find ways to contain her.

On paper, the Mercury had struggled against Minnesota during the regular season, going 1-3, but those games never featured their full “big three”: Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Cooper. Facing the semi-finals, Lynx HC Cheryl Reeve knew containing Thomas would be a huge challenge. On dealing with Phoenix’s defense, she joked, “Yeah, I don’t think you can necessarily do anything over the last 40 hours. Prepare for it, get your rest, eat your Wheaties, I don’t know. I think we know it. I mean, these guys, we’ve played in a series with AT before, so we understand it. It’s not easy to play against. I mean, obviously, she’s great at what she does. And we’ll try to be intelligent about whether it’s her physicality or her disrupting and all the things that she does.” Even with a game plan in place, the Lynx couldn’t contain Thomas, and their efforts ultimately cost them their star player.

Thomas’ presence isn’t just about scoring. She fuels Phoenix’s suffocating defense. Opponents are held to just 32.1% from three-point range and 42.7% overall, largely because of her influence. A prime example came against the Dallas Wings: Li Yueru faced Kathryn Westbeld and was completely shut down, but Thomas swooped in at the perfect moment, stealing the ball before Yueru could react and instantly swinging momentum in Phoenix’s favor. With her ability to disrupt plays and control the pace, one question looms large: can Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx figure out a way to crack Thomas and the Mercury’s relentless “flat screen” defense?