WNBA FINALS: MINNESOTA VS. NEW YORK

October 18, 2024

Cheryl Reeve

Napheesa Collier

Kayla McBride

Minnesota Lynx

Game 4: Postgame

Minnesota Lynx 82, New York Liberty 80

Q. You talked quite a bit yesterday about how important Smith was to this team. Her defense tonight, particularly the defense on that next-to-last possession against Stewart, does that illustrate what you've been talking about?

CHERYL REEVE: For sure. All season long, Lan has been in those positions for us. Just appreciate her ability to turn around and buck up and do what her team needed her to do. She's important. Important for her to be on the floor for us.

Q. What did you call on that final possession to get the ball in Courtney's hand and let her make a decision? And also, what was the message in that situation, the last words you sent them out there with?

CHERYL REEVE: I thought it was obvious what we were trying to do. We went four flat and said, Court, make a play. The last thing we said was, we've got to get the last shot. Didn't want to shoot too early. Make sure we get the last shot.

We said, BC (Bridget Carleton), if you have a chance, follow it up and see if you can tip one in and get fouled (laughter).

Q. I want to know how you've coached here so long with that crowd, not gone deaf yet. This game was incredible, so many ties and lead changes, and now we get a decisive Game 5. You've talked a lot about the how people are finally investing. Do you feel like this Finals is a good example of what you get when you put money into your teams?

CHERYL REEVE: For sure, for sure. I think as a league, we're kind of getting it, and our TV partner being a partner in the best of ways at this time. All of it. All of the investments.

I think the players, the players deserve all the credit for the show that we are being treated to. I thought both teams played well. It was a good game. Obviously both teams, things you can point to -- you wish you made a layup or you wish you didn't do this or that. That's the way a game always is.

But no, I'm looking forward to seeing what the ratings are for this one.

Q. What do you think you were able to do to speed up Stewie today? And K-Mac, how were you able to keep Sabrina off the three-point line so successfully?

NAPHESSA COLLIER: The same defense as always. Try to make it as hard as possible for them to get the shots they want. They are good players. They are going to get shots off. But they can't get easy ones. So that's my goal, to make it as hard as I can.

KAYLA McBRIDE: Yeah, same. It's the fourth time we are playing them. We know each other so well and know each other's tendencies. It's just making everything hard. I think that's the name of the game on both sides right now.

Q. You all know what Bridget has done for this team for years, often not stuff that shows up in a stat sheet. How cool is it to see her to be the person in this situation making that play and sending you back to New York?

CHERYL REEVE: I think it's an epitome of the year she's had and how important she's been to the team. Shot making, big three. She's a hustle-play player, so that was on display. Go give yourself a chance to maybe either put it in or get fouled.

That's just what she does every day we are around her. She's the same. You can always count on her to be there for you. We're obviously super proud of Bridget.

NAPHESSA COLLIER: Same. I completely agree. I feel like Bridget is just so reliable every time. Like Coach said, we can bank on her to make those hustle plays and to be cool and collected at the end to make those free throws. That's the hardest shot, honestly, in basketball, is to make free throws at the end of the game. To make those at the down at the big moment is who BC is.

They were saying Naz Reid free tattoos. I think BC free tattoos is next.

Q. I want to give you a chance to shout out the establishment that's on your T-shirt for tonight. A Bar of Their Own was something influenced by investments made in women's sports. I talked to a number other business owners and bartenders in the area this week who had viewing parties with audio on, and they filled up in minutes. I wasn't in any of those bars in 2017, but I think something might be different this time around.

CHERYL REEVE: I think you hit the nail on the head. It's unfortunate; those teams were a joy to watch. But it's a sign of the times where we are now.

I don't know about these guys, but I know when I'm out and I'm in different places and I'm going to one, everyone is talking about it. Everyone is talking to me about it, talking about, I go to this bar, and this is a bar that maybe wouldn't have a women's game on five years ago. All the TVs have the game on and the volume on, and the place is going crazy. I heard that so many times in different establishments.

And obviously I appreciate the opportunity that A Bar of Their Own has given women in making that front and center. I'm happy to support a woman-owned business like that.

I just think that what this team has done, obviously the Wolves energized the city in their playoff run, and I'm thrilled to see the same energy came for this team because they deserve it. Obviously the crowd was there tonight, but even more than that, everywhere you go around the city, people are talking about the Lynx.

Q. Phee, the battle between you and Breanna Stewart has been intense, and it was tough to get shots for either one of you. Can you talk about how tough that battle has been? And Coach, you have been through several five-game Finals in your career. Can you talk about what it means to do that one more time?

NAPHESSA COLLIER: It's really tough. I think we are both great players. It was Game 4 and we played each other, what, four times in the regular season. It's going to get harder and harder each time to get the shots that you normally get.

Everyone is out there to do the same thing: make shots hard. That's my goal every time. She's a great player, one of the best players in the world. But you have to make it as hard as you can for her.

CHERYL REEVE: I'm going to answer the second part, the Game 5. I don't really think about the other ones. I do feel very blessed in my career to have a chance to have been a part of so many. Haven't won them all. You know, when I was in Detroit, we suffered a heartbreak at home. So it runs the gamut. I think that what I'm just thrilled about is that this group gets to experience the Game 5.

It's beyond words how we feel about this team, and we just so wanted them to be in the Finals, No. 1 and two, put themselves in a position to win a championship, and we've done just that.

Q. Sandy was in here and said that she thought your complaints about the officiating led to a favorable whistle for your team. She said it was not fair and she was pissed off and she used a word I'm not going to use. This might be your last chance to comment on that topic before Game 5.

CHERYL REEVE: I didn't get a response from the league. I have a text to prove it. I think that -- I think Phee has some things to prove that the fouls weren't called.

That's unfortunate. You know, I guess I don't really have much more than that.

Q. What will be the difference in Game 5?

CHERYL REEVE: Wish I knew. I'd either not eat or not sleep or I'd sleep really good if I knew the difference. It's two great teams. Who knows? Who knows.

Q. Kayla, very efficient game from you to start. Is there something before that you kind of get into a rhythm, that you know that you're going to have that kind of a shooting night? And Phee, for you, postgame, I saw that you had an embrace with Lindsay (Whalen). Curious what that was about. Any words of wisdom or advice?

KAYLA McBRIDE: I wanted to come out and enjoy the moment and be as aggressive as possible. When you're playing for your season, after the last game you sit with everything, and you erase it and you want to leave all those internal feelings and put it out there and embrace the crowd.

I just wanted to be out there with my teammates and give it everything we had. Shots go in, they don't go in, whatever. There are always things you can fix. But I was just excited to be out there and compete again after the last game. Shots were falling. That's always a good thing.

NAPHESSA COLLIER: We were celebrating together and she was saying how proud she is of us and the team. I was telling her that she has to get her butt to New York.

Q. Last year you talked about a rebuild and now you're going to the Finals. Talk about the grit this team has.

CHERYL REEVE: Anybody that has been following along knows this team, from the beginning of the season all the way through to Game 4, has this unique ability to believe in themselves and believe in each other. What we said before the game, can we do it in the toughest of times, right. Because this will be the most that we are tested. We talked about it in shootaround. This will be the most this group has been tested in that way.

I was sure how we would connect and compete. Not sure whether you're going to win the game or not. But I was sure that we were going to be the Minnesota Lynx and how we have done things all season long. You know, the ups and downs and all of that, this group is just equipped to handle it. It's special.

Q. With Smith, were you surprised that you were able to get the 30-plus minutes from her? Was there a see-how-it-goes situation? And just also, what she was able to do when she was out there.

CHERYL REEVE: It was expected. Going into the game, we talked about it in the pregame that we were going into the game as if that didn't happen. Whatever was going to show itself was going to show itself and we were going to react. But we didn't have any minute restrictions and anything else we were doing to modify. Just competed.

We did try to get some players off the floor a little bit more. This one (Collier) -- we thought about it. But I think overall I was concerned about leaving Lan too long on the bench, sitting too long. But other than that, we weren't concerned.

Q. When you think back to the 2017 roster and bringing Ceci back this season, what did you see out of her tonight and that trust to get big minutes off the bench?

CHERYL REEVE: Yeah, Ceci is tough. You know, goes through a stretch of games where maybe she's not contributing like she wants to contribute, and then all of a sudden we had a Ceci sighting at shootaround the other day and these last two games really helping us.

I'm just happy for her. We've always stayed in touch through the years. We've always tried to get her back here. Timing was good for this one, and she's been a great fit for us.

Q. Phee, it was reported that Geno said he hoped Breanna got 50 tonight. Between the two of you, having his players in a series, how is he handling that? Who is he rooting for? What's happening?

NAPHESSA COLLIER: Sounds like he's rooting for them. He didn't text that to me.

CHERYL REEVE: I love it.

KAYLA McBRIDE: Huskies drama.

NAPHESSA COLLIER: Looks like I'm going to have to text him about some things now.

Q. How did you feel about your bench tonight? Seems like they all made impact plays and did things that really helped the team.

CHERYL REEVE: Bench was really important. We knew they were going to be. They were ready. They were ready. There was a lot of conversations, the teammates, getting them going and getting them ready to be able to make contributions when they got in the game. Give Dorka credit as she remained patient, and when she got the opportunity, I thought her minutes were good. We'll look at the video. But it was nice to be able to have players able to sub in and stay out there for extended time.

Q. Every single game has come down to it. There has been no mental break, no physical break, but you seem to gain energy from that. Is there some sort of sharpness that you've earned in terms of an edge that way as a team getting down to the nitty-gritty each and every single game?

CHERYL REEVE: Is that why we missed layups so we can get down to the nitty-gritty? Is that what she's saying? (Laughter.)

Q. But you have to have mental toughness.

KAYLA McBRIDE: Yeah, yeah, that's what it is. (Laughter.) My heart is still racing.

I think we gain energy and confidence from one another. I feel like internally we are strong, strong-minded mentally and physically. We have a lot of belief within our group. We problem solve with each other. It's just a belief, like, internally. I don't know how else to explain it.

When things get hard, we kind of come together even more. When things get tough, that's what's been able to see us through. In these moments, that's what you need. Everybody is tired. Everybody, we are playing every other day now. So we are leaning on each other and we gain energy from each other.

That's why the bench was so important today. We've just been doing it as a collective. From our coaches, the staff, everybody, we are all in this together, and you can feel that every time we are together.

I think that's what you see on the court, is just us figuring it out together and going to war together.

Q. Stewie talked yesterday about how she likes playing in front of a crowd that's not cheering for her. What is it like to go back to New York for a final game? Do you feel like that you play better in front of a home crowd, or how do you turn that off when you go to New York?

NAPHESSA COLLIER: I think we're excited. I don't even know if I'm thinking about that. I'm thinking that it's a Game 5 of the Finals, that we need to go out and execute. That's really all I'm thinking about.

KAYLA McBRIDE: Yeah, last 40 minutes of the season. It could be anywhere, really. It doesn't matter. We are going to be out there together going to war, and I'm pumped.

CHERYL REEVE: Elite players play no matter the environment, home, road. Elite players play and they love the environment and they are not affected by the environment. That's why you see the series has been what it has, winning on each other's court.

Q. There were really big leads in the first halves of the first three games. Why was it so hard for either team to create any separation today?

CHERYL REEVE: I'm going to say probably information gathered in the three games. Everything is getting harder. So the edge that maybe other games that provided each team, there's no secrets at this point.