The upcoming Game 4 clash between the Minnesota Lynx and the Phoenix Mercury is shaping up to be a thriller. Why? Surprisingly, the top-seeded Lynx will walk into the matchup as underdogs. They will be missing both head coach Cheryl Reeve and superstar Napheesa Collier, a double setback that has already shaken the locker room. This twin blow comes on the back of one controversial play done by Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas in the final moments of Game 3 vs Minnesota.

That single moment has split the WNBA community, with heated debates flying on whether it was fair or foul. But one voice left no room for doubt. On the Courtside Club podcast, WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita blasted the move, calling it a blatant foul. DeMita made her feelings clear, stating the intent should not matter while calling a foul. As she puts it, “If I hear one more person say, ‘Well, she didn’t do it on purpose.’ It doesn’t matter. For the most part, fouls across the board should never be on purpose.”

“I don’t care if Alyssa Thomas premeditated this foul 6 months ago or if she accidentally did it and called Napheesa after the game, apologized to her, and told her it was an accident. It doesn’t matter when it comes to calling a foul,” she said. Napheesa Collier’s night ended brutally during Minnesota’s 84-76 loss in Game 3 on Friday. With under 30 seconds left, she collided with Alyssa Thomas while dribbling.

Next, Collier appeared to roll her ankle after the Mercury star’s steal. The scene turned grim as Collier struggled to even put weight on her foot. But the real debate came down to intent. Some feel the contact came after the steal, while some claim the approach from Thomas itself was worthy of a foul. And the WNBA analyst had a Kelsey Mitchell angle ready for pointing out the double standards in the league.

During the semifinal clash in Las Vegas, officials whistled Kelsey Mitchell for a foul on A’ja Wilson, even though the contact appeared unintentional. But showing how refs acted differently there, DeMita pointed out how Mitchell got a foul and Thomas did not. “Do you remember when Kelsey Mitchell went up for a shot? She got fouled, and then after she elbowed A’ja and they called a foul on Kelsey Mitchell for contact after the whistle,” she said.

In the Mitchell-Wilson incident, the Fever player jumped up to make a layup but accidentally elbowed Wilson in the air. The refs called it out and served Mitchell with the foul. DeMita continues, “Kelsey Mitchell was in the air. I don’t know what the refs expected for her to just levitate down to the ground. She didn’t swing her elbow… They’re not going to call that incidental contact.”

But Thomas escaped Game 3 unscathed from the officials. The misfortune, however, fell into Minnesota’s laps. The Lynx head coach made an aggressive accusation towards the WNBA, calling them out for their officiating tactics. This, in turn, got her a one-game suspension. Napheesa Collier cannot play Game 4 following the ankle injury. And DeMita has chosen the side of Minnesota here. Concluding with a strong message, she said, “If there are rules that are stopping plays like this from being called fouls, then they need to change.”

But in the end, the reality is that Phoenix won that game. Minnesota’s hopes hang by a thread as they enter game four with no Reeve or Collier. On the other hand, Phoenix will enter the game with a 2-1 lead and a chance to move to the grand finals.

Napheesa Collier & Co. is looking at a semifinals exit from Phoenix

Game 3 was going to be the turning point of the Mercury-Lynx WNBA semifinals series, but no one expected it to become this messy. And the game ending in such a manner painted a bad light on the league. A 15-year veteran coach coming out to say this adds even more shade, “The officiating crew that we have tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinals playoff worthy is f****** malpractice. 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.”

But Reeve’s plea is justified. “Napheesa Collier might be done for the postseason,” said WNBA reporter Noa Dalzell. News like this on the cusp of finals is not what you want to hear as a head coach. But she is not alone in questioning the state of officiating in the W. Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon also sang the same tune, saying the league’s “physicality is out of control.”

Game 4 is a do-or-die one for the Lynx. With Reeve out of the equation, Lynx lead assistant Eric Thibault will assume her role on Sunday. Furthermore, forwards Jessica Shepard or Maria Kliundikova will replace Collier in the starting lineup. They both have already assumed this role when Collier was out earlier this season.

No matter who enters in Napheesa Collier’s spot, it is an uphill battle for the number one seed. However, with the demands of changes in officiating echoing around the community, the WNBA is bound to make a change soon. But will it arrive after another star player gets injured? That question was highlighted by DeMita, which still remains unanswered.