After Game 3 of the semifinals between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury, social media lit up with posts like, “Cheryl boutta get suspended bro” and “@WNBA suspend Cheryl Reeve for the rest of the year.” Turns out, the predictions weren’t far off. Just hours later, the league handed Reeve a one-game suspension. Additionally, Reeve, along with assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson, has also been fined.

It isn’t that easy to forget about the events that led to this issue. However, if you’re still curious to know why, read on to find out.

Why did Cheryl Reeve get ejected from the game?

In the official statement released by the WNBA, Cheryl Reeve was suspended “for her conduct and comments during and following the Lynx’s 84-76 loss to the Mercury”. The same is what led to her ejection from the closing minutes of Game 3 as well, as the coach couldn’t contain her anger following injury to her star player, Napheesa Collier, and a no-call on Alyssa Thomas.

In the post-game conference as well, Reeve didn’t hold back. That perhaps only contributed to the consequences she’s facing now.

What really happened in Game 3?

During Game 3, things got heated up in the final seconds. In a now viral clip, Alyssa Thomas was seen stealing the ball from Napheesa Collier near the Lynx’s three-point line and converting it into a layup. but not without controversy. While doing so, Thomas’s lower body collided with Collier’s left knee, which caused the latter’s ankle to roll. The play sparked frustration from Cheryl Reeve after the Phoenix Mercury player was not given a foul.

Reeve stormed to a referee after the layup. As the referee walked away, Reeve was on his tail, protesting the officiating. Natisha Hiedeman and a few members of the coaching staff had to rush to separate her from the official. Even as they did, the Lynx head coach was ejected from the game with 21.8 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter.

The improper “conduct and comments” didn’t stop there. As Reeve was heading to the locker room, with her coaching staff members by her side, the coach was reportedly seen saying, “F— you” to one of the fans. She shouted it out to another spectator later as well. Some fans reciprocated by swearing as well.

League’s Disciplinary Actions & Fines

For her actions, Cheryl Reeve will be suspended from Game 4 of the Minnesota Lynx-Phoenix Mercury Semi-Finals series. This adds to the bad news, since it was announced only a few hours ago that Napheesa Collier has been ruled out of Game 4 due to issues with her left ankle. With the Phoenix Mercury holding a 2-1 lead, this upcoming matchup is a must-win for the Lynx.

Additionally, Minnesota assistant coaches Eric Thibault and Rebekkah Brunson were fined by the league, with Thibault receiving it for his inappropriate interaction with an official on the court, while Brunson got it for an inappropriate social media comment directed at WNBA officials. Brunson had earlier taken to X and reacted to Cheryl Reeve’s ejection by writing, “Yeah this happened! Take out one of the best players in the league because you have no control of the game!”

Cheryl Reeve’s post-game press conference

Cheryl Reeve tried to explain herself during the postgame presser. She questioned the league’s officiating leadership, pointing to consistency issues. She took inspiration from Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who had said the league’s “physicality is out of control”, and stated that “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”.

Her frustrations against the officiating were clear, as she further added, “I think it’s f—ing crap. And all of (the refs) tonight, ‘It wasn’t my call. I don’t know. I didn’t have that. I didn’t see it though.’ F—ing awful.”

Reeve’s actions and remarks drew mixed reactions. A few netizens wrote comments like “Cheryl Reeve got an absolute right to call out these refs”, while others wrote things like “Cheryl Reeve took a s— on her coach in front of her camera and told her f— you, you need to be fired. If Cathy Engelbert has any integrity left in her, she responds in 24 hours.”

Well, it took less than 24 hours for the league to respond in the end.

Who will be coaching the Lynx for the next game?

According to a report from the Star Tribune, the Lynx confirmed on Saturday that associate head coach Eric Thibault would take over head coaching duties in Cheryl Reeve’s place.

Thibault boasts over 15 years of coaching experience, having started his career as a graduate assistant coach at St. John’s. After a brief stint with the VCU Rams as an assistant coach, Thibault joined the Washington Mystics in 2013. He was with the team for 11 years, first serving as an assistant coach, then as an associate head coach, and then as the head coach for just one year. He parted ways with the team on mutual terms in October 2024 and then joined the Minnesota Lynx in late November 2024.

The coach hasn’t had to cover for Cheryl Reeve in the past. Plus, he will be looking to guide his disadvantaged team through, since Napheesa Collier won’t be playing. Reserve forward Jessica Shepard had moved into Minnesota’s starting lineup for six of the seven games that Collier missed earlier this season. Forward Maria Kliundikova started once. As of now, it isn’t clear who will start. However, both bigs are expected to play a more significant role.

If the game is lost, the same might end up haunting Cheryl Reeve for a long time. Without her guidance, it remains to be seen how the team will fare in Game 4.