MINNEAPOLIS – New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello blasted the officiating and foul call disparity following her team’s 82-80 Game 4 loss Friday to the Minnesota Lynx.
“If [we] are getting hit, it’s a bloody foul,” she said.
Brondello’s critiques came after Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve spoke out after Game 3 with her own issues with the officiating. With the Lynx’s victory Friday, the series is headed back to Brooklyn for a winner-take-all Game 5.
“I know Cheryl talked about it last time, but we got no calls today,” Brondello said. “So do I need to talk up in a press conference? Because they were getting ticky-tacks. And we went down there and got hit and get nothing.
“It was 14-9 [Liberty fouls to Lynx fouls] No. All we want is fair, okay. So if we are getting hit, that’s a foul. You know, I’m one of the nicest bloody coaches in this league, but this pisses me off. Just be fair.”
The Lynx ultimately had 20 trips to the free-throw line compared to the Liberty’s 9, and essentially won the game off Bridget Carleton’s 2-for-2 stint at the charity stripe with 2.0 seconds to play following a foul from Sabrina Ionescu.
On the series, Minnesota has been called for 58 fouls while New York has been whistled for 56, according to ESPN Research. There was also a five-foul difference in Game 3, with Minnesota getting called for 18 and New York for 13.
This is the second WNBA playoff series ever to feature three games decided by three points or fewer.
“In the end, close game. Things we could have done better. We all could have done better,” Brondello continued. “Including me, getting that f—ing timeout — excuse me, don’t repeat it,” referencing a timeout she said she tried to call with 30 seconds remaining in the game that she said the referees did not hear.
After Game 3, Reeve took issue with what she considered different officiating for Breanna Stewart compared to her star Napheesa Collier. That day, Stewart shot 10 free throws while Collier shot four.
“The game is called differently for Phee than it is for Stewie for sure,” Reeve said. “You look at the same level of activity, and around-the-rim contact. For whatever reason, we have a hard time getting to the foul line in this series.”
Asked to respond to Brondello’s comments on Friday, Reeve said, “I didn’t get a response from the league [after Wednesday]. I have a text to prove it. I think Phee has some things to prove that the fouls weren’t called. That’s unfortunate. I guess I don’t really have much more than that.”