The Minnesota Lynx was a dominant team in the 2025 WNBA regular season. With that, they were one of the favorites for the WNBA champion and played out the first three games as contenders. However, the second series against the talented Phoenix Mercury was their real challenge, and they fell short of their dream, as forward Kayla McBride expressed disappointment at losing in the semifinals.
Napheesa Collier was ruled out due to injury, while the league suspended HC Cheryl Reeve, leaving the side shorthanded in the elimination game. Although they gave their best in keeping up with the Mercury side, the four-time champions finally wrapped up their season with an 86-81 loss.
Kayla McBride Feels The Pain Of Playoff Elimination
The Lynx set a franchise win record during the 2025 regular season and lost back-to-back games only once throughout the entire season. But in the playoffs, they lost three straight games against the Phoenix Mercury, leaving them empty-handed for the season.
In Game 4, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams took responsibility for filling up for absent Napheesa Collier as they were aggressive on the offense. However, their heroic efforts fell just short with another clinical fourth-quarter performance by the Mercury team. In the post-game interview, the 33-year-old forward became emotional as she discussed the playoff exit.
“You want it for the people that grind with you every single day, the good days, bad days, bus rides, locker room, like in pro sports. It doesn’t get as good. It doesn’t get any better than what we have in our locker room,” McBride said in the press conference.
“That’s why I’m emotional because we lay it out for each other. There’s never anything else but each other. To be close, two years in a row, and hit adverse situations each and every time, for your sisters, your family, it hurts,” the Lynx Star added.
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Kayla McBride is tearing up after the heartbreaker in the postgame presser. She finished the game with 31 points #WNBA pic.twitter.com/nynkANQd6Q
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) September 29, 2025
The five-time All-Star had her best game personally, scoring 31 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out two assists. She was an integral part of the Lynx’s 2024 finals run, too, making it even harder for the player to see their dreams crushed twice.
Kayla McBride Set WNBA Record In Loss Against The Mercury
With Napheesa Collier and DiJonai Carrington out injured, the Lynx had limited scoring options against the defensively strong Mercury team. Yet determined McBride scored a game-high 31 points and nearly forced Game 5.
During her scoring outburst, the 5-foot-11 forward netted six three-pointers, all in the second half. With that, she set a WNBA three-pointer record for the postseason.
Kayla McBride's 6 3-pointers in 2nd half tonight for @minnesotalynx is tied for the most in a playoff half in @WNBA history.
— Michael Voepel (@MAVoepel) September 29, 2025
While winning against the Mercury without Collier was a daunting task, the series decider was at the Target Center, with a crowd behind them, and Reeve back on the bench would have handed them a chance to advance to the finals.