“We haven’t talked about the officiating all playoffs. We just play and we’re worried about us,” said coach Nate Tibbetts after his team’s Game 3 victory over Napheesa Collier and co, taking a 2-1 series lead. While Tibbetts and his side seem unfazed by the refs, everyone else seems to have a bone to pick whenever they face Phoenix. The latest to voice concerns? None other than Cheryl Reeve.

The Mercury have earned a reputation for playing a physical brand of basketball, something coach Cheryl Reeve has called out before. She famously highlighted the “flat action” screen executed by Alyssa Thomas and her teammates, jokingly dubbing it the WNBA’s version of a tush push and suggesting it should be banned. The play is essentially an inverted pick-and-fade: Thomas handles the ball above the 3-point line, while a guard–usually the point guard–sets a screen, then slips and drifts out to the perimeter as Thomas attacks the rim with force.

These plays aren’t just physical–they’re a nightmare to get around. At the core of Phoenix’s identity is relentless high-ball pressure. Mercury defenders hound opposing ball handlers the moment they cross halfcourt, disrupting rhythm and blowing up offensive sets before they can even start. And with that level of constant contact, it’s no surprise that questions about the style of play naturally lead back to injuries.

The latest to join the list of players who got injured against the Phoenix Mercury is none other than Napheesa Collier. The incident happened late in Game 3. With around 25 seconds left and Phoenix up 80-76, Alyssa Thomas stripped the ball clean from Collier. In the process, she made incidental contact with Collier’s knee, which caused Collier to roll her left ankle. The Lynx star went down in pain, clutching her ankle, and never returned. No whistle followed the play–something that sent Cheryl Reeve over the edge. Furious, she picked up her second technical foul and was tossed from the game.

She’s not the first player to fall victim to Phoenix; quite a few Fever players have, in fact. August 7th started as just another game day against the Phoenix Mercury, but it quickly turned into a nightmare for the Indiana Fever. Sydney Colson went down first–her ACL ruptured. Minutes later, Aari McDonald fractured a bone. Two season-ending injuries in the blink of an eye. But it wasn’t limited to just that.

The injury woes didn’t stop there. In the third quarter, Natasha Howard took a hard hit to the face after colliding with Mercury guard-forward Kahleah Copper. Fever beat reporter Chloe Peterson of IndyStar noted that Howard was slow to get up and had to be attended to by a trainer on the bench. She was later seen holding a towel to her face and couldn’t immediately return to the game. Adding to the chaos, Sophie Cunningham also went down that night–she didn’t start the second half due to a left ankle injury, but was fit enough to come back later on.

And it’s not just the Fever who’ve felt the brunt of Phoenix’s physical style. Breanna Stewart sprained her MCL in a playoff clash with the Mercury, sidelining her at a crucial time. Meanwhile, Leonie Fiebich had to battle through a fractured rib in Game 3 after taking a knee from Kahleah Copper on a drive.

That said, Coach Cheryl Reeve was far from pleased with Collier’s injury. She didn’t hold back, ripping into the officials for letting the play continue without a whistle.

Cheryl Reeve is not happy with the officials after Napheesa Collier’s injury

It was a night to remember for Minnesota Lynx fans….but for all the wrong reasons. The team fell 84-76 in Game 3, putting themselves on the brink of elimination. To make matters worse, they’ll likely have to finish the series without their best player, Napheesa Collier, who, according to head coach Cheryl Reeve, may have suffered a fracture. Reeve herself was ejected in the closing moments, and after the game, she didn’t hide her frustration–calling out the officials and demanding change.

Speaking in the postgame press conference, Reeve didn’t hold back. “We were trying to play through it. We tried to make excuses. One of the best players in the league shot zero free throws. Zero–and she had five fouls. Got her shoulder pulled out, finished the game with her leg being taken out, and probably has a fracture. And so this is what our league wants? Okay. But I want to call for a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating. It’s bad for the game.”

It’s up to you whether you love or hate Cheryl Reeve, but the “It’s a physical league” and “The women are more physical than the men” lines aren’t the badge of honor they’re made out to be. If that’s the gimmick the WNBA thinks it needs to make the league we love more popular, then we’re just going to keep seeing a subpar product with superstars sitting on the sidelines with injuries.

Things obviously need to change, and I fully believe Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will step in to find a solution. The league can’t let the product take a hit. No one wants to watch the playoffs without its biggest superstars on the floor.