The Phoenix Mercury took game 3 behind a strong fourth-quarter defensive play. The clutch moment of the game came in the final seconds, with Alyssa Thomas stealing the possession from Napheesa Collier. The cameras caught Thomas-Collier’s collision, as well as the Lynx HC Cheryl Reeve’s animated reaction, as she was furious about the ‘no foul call’ and confronted the officials.
The decision sparked huge controversy with the MVP runners-up down on the floor, holding her ankle, and HC Reeve getting a technical foul. Now, the NBA Referees Association had final word on the decision.
NBA Referees Defend WNBA Officials’ Controversial No-Call
The top two teams of the league, the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury, met in the semifinals of the 2025 WNBA season. As expected, fans saw thrilling basketball action on the court, with talented players displaying their skills. Every possession had its value, and the competitors fought fiercely for the win.
In Game 3, one such incident defined the gravity of the possession as Alyssa Thomas’ timely steal from Napheesa Collier won the game for the hosts. But HC Reeve demanded a foul following leg-to-leg contact between players and an injury to Lynx forward. Reeve also criticized officiating in the post-game interview.
The NBA Referees Association stepped in and explained the officials’ decision. Sharing the video and explaining the situations, they called it “No Foul”, siding with the on-court umpires.
The post reads, “This is NOT a foul. Thomas legally gets to the ball and knocks the ball loose prior to any contact. The leg-to-leg contact is incidental once the ball is clearly loose. This was correctly judged in real time as a no-call, as were the subsequent technical fouls.”
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This is NOT a foul. Thomas legally gets to the ball and knocks the ball loose prior to any contact. The leg to leg contact is incidental once the ball is clearly loose. This was correctly judged in real time as a no call as were the subsequent technical fouls. pic.twitter.com/kdImDRwsNe
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) September 27, 2025
The collision looked brutal and physical; the decision was based on the ball possession. Although the Referees’ Association might have cleared the call, Thomas’ move was dangerous, and with the injury risk involved, many are still criticizing the call. Many head coaches, analysts, and players voiced their concerns over the physicality of the games in recent years. But the Mercury forward seems okay with it.
Alyssa Thomas Supports Physicality In The WNBA
Multiple teams faced adversity in the 2025 season with a number of injuries to their star players. The playoff also saw many physical plays where players put their bodies on the line to win the possessions. The 33-year-old forward has been in the league for 12 seasons now and understands the ‘physical play’ situations.
“I feel like people just play physically with me in general. I’m a physical player as well. If you’ve been through the playoffs, it’s just how it is. I embrace it, I love it, and it’s what you have to anticipate when it’s playoff time,” Thomas said in the interview to Yahoo Sports.
She even highlighted that the playoffs will have more physical plays with players willing to do anything to win it all.