When the Minnesota Lynx lost Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, head coach Cheryl Reeve felt the game was “stolen” from her team. To her, it wasn’t a matter of performance—it was the officiating that made the difference. Especially when the Liberty shot 25 free throws compared to just 8 by the Lynx. Now Cheryl Reeve has some experience, or rather, is the only one with experience to bounce back for a title after losing the final. You know she’s at it once again when her team started the season with 4-0. But looks like the old foes don’t back off so easy.

As the Lynx faced the Connecticut Sun for game 4, officiating once again made headlines. This time, however, the frustration centered around just one player—Collier. “There were a number of calls that I guarantee you—put on another game tonight and you’ll see a post player doing the same thing, taking the bumps, they’ll be immediately called fouls, immediately,” Reeve said postgame.

While Collier only had two fouls in the game, it was ones who had gotten away with that Reeve wasn’t accepting of. The star forward took 10 shots from the free throw line during the game, more than anyone else on the court, yet the HC wasn’t satisfied with all those times the whistle wasn’t blown.

Reeve didn’t hold back. “Phi should not have to accept the level of contact she accepted tonight… I thought they were awful in what they call A-to-B fouls—when Phi’s driving and you’re sliding into her. She’s turning and getting bumped off her spot. Those are fouls. That’s not hard. She got a terrible whistle today, for sure,” she concluded after a whole 50 seconds of venting.

Collier isn’t against the physicality. She, in fact, has admitted to loving that part of the game. But all she asks is uniformity from the refs when making the calls. The Lynx have experienced that all too well in the finals last year. On the Podcast P with Paul George in November she hadn’t held back, calling out officiating for missing ones that were actual fouls while blowing the whistle on ones that could have been passed; like the shooting foul called on Alanna Smith when there was no contact and the very clear contact to Collier’s face that wasn’t called.

“I just want it the same throughout the game. If you’re gonna call a touch foul, call a touch foul the whole game,” she had stated. So it’s understandable Reeve would go on like that.

Plus, by the end, the Lynx had committed 18 fouls to the Sun’s 22, which also included two technicals. But this time, the refereeing didn’t cost them the win—and that’s because of Collier’s poise. Despite the tension, she stayed composed and led a near-impossible comeback. Collier finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds, powering the Lynx to a 76–70 win on Friday night. Most of that magic happened in the final quarter, when Minnesota mounted a 23–3 run. They held Connecticut to just 10-for-39 shooting and forced 13 turnovers in the second half alone.

A huge part of that victory came from Collier—not just in her scoring, but in how calmly she executed under pressure. It’s the kind of composure she’s developed over the past year.

Napheesa Collier looks to be avoiding any missteps

Over the last four games, Collier’s limited herself to just two fouls per game—a notable improvement from last season, where early games often saw her pick up 3, 4, or even 5 fouls. It’s all part of her bigger goal. Collier finished second in MVP voting last year, and she’s determined not to let that title slip away this season.

That’s why she came out swinging in the season opener, dropping a night-high 34 points to set a new season scoring record—though it was later topped by Kelsey Plum’s 37-point performance on the same night. Still, Collier has scored over 30 points in two of her last four games, making a strong case for MVP.

So it’s no surprise that 67% of GMs across the league voted her the top MVP pick heading into the season, even with heavyweights like Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson in the mix. The Lynx’s 4–0 start only strengthens her case—especially since team success plays a major role in MVP consideration.

So, what do you think? Is this finally the year Collier takes home the MVP crown?