It will be a contrasting picture in both camps when Game 4 tips off. The Phoenix Mercury will look to march to their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2021. While the number one-seeded Minnesota Lynx face the looming threat of elimination, without head coach Cheryl Reeve or their marquee player, Napheesa Collier. Amid these challenging circumstances for Minnesota, WNBA analysts have come forward to show a silver lining for one Lynx member.

The key, however, will be how the team performs in the absence of star power. During the No Offseason podcast, Ben Pickman highlighted the opportunity for Minnesota’s coaching staff, Eric Thibault, to step up. As he puts it, “I think the general expectation is that Eric Thibault, Associate Head Coach of the Minnesota Lynx, former head coach of the Washington Mystics, is going to slide into the head coach chair for Minnesota.”

Pickman continues, “Certainly, that’s an experienced former head coach who knows and has coached in playoff games before. But I think with Phee’s looming absence, that is pretty significant.” Eric Thibault gets head coach responsibility for a high-stakes game, one with looks like an uphill battle for Minnesota. Cheryl Reeve is ejected for her outburst during and after Game 3 vs the Mercury. On the other hand, Napheesa Collier will sit out following her ankle injury.

To make matters worse, Thibault is coaching the elimination game for Minnesota. However, he still has some incentive to draw the series for a final deciding game in Target Center. Incentives for him range all the way up to a WNBA head coach position. And his past experience also speaks in his favor. Thibault has coaching experience of 15 years.

Starting as an assistant coach in 2010 at St. John’s and then the VCU Rams, he got a WNBA opportunity with the Washington Mystics back in 2013. Since then, he has grown up the ranks, becoming the Mystics’ head coach for 2023-24. He now holds the associate head coach role at Minnesota. However, a good performance at Game 4 vs Phoenix will open many doors for him.

As Sabreena Merchant says in the podcast, “If you’re Eric Thibault and you’re trying to get your name back into consideration for head coaching jobs around the WNBA, what a potential audition on Sunday to have to coach a playoff game in game four.” It will be an audition indeed for Thibault. Currently, there are four open positions for a head coach role in the WNBA for the next season.

Two new teams, Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, are looking for a head coach as they make their entry in the league. Furthermore, the Seattle Storm has let go of its head coach, Noelle Quinn, while the New York Liberty has let go of theirs, Sandy Brondello. While pitching your name as the next NY or Seattle coach is a tough battle, it is not an impossible one.

Because Thibault will come back into the head coach role with a tag of tutelage of Cheryl Reeve. Her influence as a coach extends beyond her own achievements. She is fostering a legacy through the success of her former assistants, who have ascended to other coaching roles. Katie Smith, a two-time WNBA champion and Hall of Famer, joined the Minnesota Lynx as an assistant coach in 2020. Under Reeve’s guidance, Smith honed her coaching skills.

This led to her promotion to associate head coach in 2022. In 2024, Smith returned to her alma mater, Ohio State, marking a significant step in her coaching career. Rebekkah Brunson, a five-time WNBA champion, also continues to grow under Reeve. While Reeve may prove to be an excellent coach, her latest outburst has raised a lot of questions in the league.

Is Cheryl Reeve’s suspension justified?

During Game 3, tensions boiled over in the final seconds when Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Napheesa Collier near the Lynx’s three-point line and converted it into a layup, colliding with Collier and causing her ankle to roll. Cheryl Reeve, frustrated that no foul was called, stormed after the referee, with Natisha Hiedeman and staff intervening. Reeve was ultimately ejected with 21.8 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

The situation worsened as Reeve, escorted by her staff to the locker room, reportedly swore at fans along the way. For her conduct, she will be suspended for Game 4. Adding to Minnesota’s woes, Collier is out due to a left ankle injury. With Phoenix leading 2-1, the Lynx face a must-win scenario in the semi-finals, now without their star player and head coach.

However, the collective of Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant feels the actions from the WNBA were justified. As Pickman puts it, “No matter if you think Cheryl Reeve’s comments were warranted or not in terms of criticizing the actual officiating… She did three things post-game per the league, and it’s the combination of them that basically leaves them with no other choice. Because if you don’t suspend her, then what incident would trigger a suspension?”

According to the WNBA analyst, the suspension is justified because Reeve made three blunders. First, disrupting gameplay and arguing with the officials. Second, engaging in a verbal battle with the fans at the stadium. And lastly, the postgame commentary, taking shots at the WNBA.

Being the most veteran coach in the WNBA, she sets a precedent for other coaches. Pickman believes that if the WNBA allows her to be disruptive, others will follow suit. According to him, no matter the decision, this situation warranted a suspension. However, this unfortunate timing for Cheryl Reeve has given a golden chance for Eric Thibault.