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Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty players huddle during the second half of game three of the 2024 WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
via Imago
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty players huddle during the second half of game three of the 2024 WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Following a thrilling overtime victory in Game 1, the Minnesota Lynx have hit a rough patch, suffering two consecutive losses to the New York Liberty. With their sights set on making history by adding a fifth WNBA title to their cabinet, the Lynx now face a crucial must-win situation in their next game. Well, a bounce-back might be possible from Cheryl Reeve’s team, given the upcoming game has a better refereeing performance than the last one, as one of the Lynx’s key players noted that Game 3 featured missed calls on harsh plays.
Lynx center Alanna Smith, who was sidelined after playing just the first two quarters due to an injury, spoke with the media post-game, admitting she felt pretty banged up. “I’m banged up, I won’t lie,” stated Smith. However, as she later acknowledged that during a WNBA Finals matchup, the physical toll is part of the game and everybody deals with it, the Lynx #8 also took the opportunity to share her thoughts on the officiating during the game.
“It was just a really physical game. I feel like the refs let a lot of stuff go with both teams. You’re kind of forced to go with how it’s called. You deal with it,” Smith told media. Notably, the Lynx center made it clear that the missed calls affected both teams equally. However, Game 3 saw a noticeable disparity in foul calls, with 13 fouls against the Liberty compared to 18 against the Lynx—a difference of five fouls.
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via Imago
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones (35) works around Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith (8) during the first half of game three of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
This gap widened significantly compared to the previous two games as in Game 1, the teams were separated by just two fouls, with the Lynx committing more and in Game 2, both teams committed an equal number of fouls, although the Liberty’s Courtney Vandersloot received a flagrant foul. While Smith acknowledged that both teams experienced missed calls, even her coach Reeve was disappointed with refereeing in last game.
Despite all that, the good news is Smith remains hopeful about returning for the next crucial do-or-die game after suffering a hard hit to her back.
What happened to Alanna Smith and is she fit to play for Game 4 against the New York Liberty?
Alanna Smith has been a crucial element of Cheryl Reeve’s game plan, particularly with her strong performance on boards. This was evident in Game 3, where the Lynx led by 13 points while she was playing, and she posted an impressive +/- of +20. Unfortunately for the Lynx, they faced a setback just three minutes into the second quarter when they lost their 6’3″ center in an unfortunate turn of events.
As the Liberty were on a fastbreak, Alanna Smith stood as the last line of defense, ready to protect the rim. She shadowed Jonquel Jones closely, who received a pass and aimed for the bucket. In her effort to steal the ball and defend against Jones, Smith fell hard onto her back, hitting the court with a thud. Despite the foul being called on her, it was clear she was in pain. Struggling to regain her footing, she was substituted for Myisha Hines-Allen and was later seen icing her back to ease the injury.
Later in the press conference, Reeve’s words underscored how vital Smith’s presence in the starting five is to the team’s success. “Our starting five is a plus-20 net rating. Insert someone else, and it’s not. We need her. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen and it’s just really unlucky,” stated Reeve. However, the coach and Lynx fans can take a sigh of relief as Smith’s own comments hint that she might be gearing up to return just when her team needs her the most.
“Everybody is playing through aches and pains at this point. A big part of what helps me is my teammates. I have a great support system and am not going through it alone,” Smith said she’s “OK” physically, noting everyone is sore at this point in the campaign and she has got her team support.
Smith’s resilience shows that the Lynx are not done, and Liberty fans should hold off on celebrating Sabrina Ionescu’s clutch three-pointer like the New York Liberty had already claimed their first title. With Smith ready to take the court, the team is poised to give it their all in Friday’s showdown at the Target Center.
