The New York Liberty bounced back in a big way this evening in the WNBA Finals, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 80-66 in Game 2. While Lynx’s star forward Napheesa Collier has been an anchor for her team, her foul trouble may have been the tipping point this time. Picking up four fouls, Collier had to spend more time on the bench than the Lynx would have liked. 

But, as Collier pointed out, there’s more to it than just her foul situation. The 2024 DPOY expressed how difficult it was to adjust to the refereeing in the second half, saying, “It’s hard, you have to adjust to the refs. I mean, definitely it’s not an excuse. We played really bad… but it’s hard to adjust because you are playing one way and you are gonna used to the refs and they change it up.”

“But that’s not why we lost. It wasn’t them, it was us,” she added. While she made it clear that officiating wasn’t entirely to blame for the Lynx’s loss, it’s impossible to ignore how foul trouble can throw off an entire game plan. 

Bringing up the switch of the referees, she mentioned how it influences how the game unfolds and its final outcome. WNBA often rotates officials for a number of reasons, particularly performance and scheduling. Hence, when referees change, players and coaches often adjust their strategies, as different officials have different interpretations of rules and thresholds for fouls.

At times, this leads to inconsistencies in how games are officiated from one match to another, especially in high-stakes games like the WNBA Finals. That’s exactly what happened with Phee. Up until the point she picked the foul, she was having a solid game, finishing with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals. But that one decision disrupted her game.

Meanwhile, NY Liberty forced their opponents into five early turnovers and took a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter. Breanna Stewart once again led her team with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 steals. They managed to build as much as a 16-point lead in the second quarter. But, just like in Game 1, the Lynx fought back. It just wasn’t enough.

How foul trouble shaped Napheesa Collier’s finals performance & Lynx’s loss

It was in the fourth quarter that things started slipping away from the Lynx, and as Collier herself made it clear in the postgame conference, her fourth foul early in the quarter didn’t help their cause. Her fourth foul after colliding with Sabrina Ionescu significantly limited her minutes when the Lynx needed her most. 

The Lynx’s defense lacked its usual bite, with her limited on-court presence in those final minutes. It came especially at a time when Lynx was trying to stage a comeback. Consequently, Stewart continued to shine, while Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added a season-high 20 points to seal New York’s win. Despite Courtney Williams’ efforts, 15 points and 8 assists, and solid contributions from Alanna Smith, 14 points, Minnesota couldn’t close the gap. 

There’s no doubt that Phee’s defensive versatility is crucial for the Lynx, especially against a Liberty team stacked with offensive threats like Stewart, Laney-Hamilton, and Ionescu. After clinching the victory, Stewart said, “The moment the game ended Thursday night I was looking forward to Sunday to change things, change the narrative a little bit.”

Now, as Minnesota heads for Game 3, it’s clear that they will need to avoid these foul-related setbacks if they want to regain control. Collier will undoubtedly be crucial to her team’s game plan moving forward, but staying out of foul trouble will be just as important as her production on the scoreboard. Let’s see if they can learn from their mistakes and come back stronger in Game 3.