INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana coach Lin Dunn criticized Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve on Thursday, accusing her of a “lack of respect” after an outburst that seemed to spur the Lynx to a Game 2 victory in the WNBA Finals.
Dunn said she wasn’t amused by Reeve’s meltdown on Wednesday night. Ignited by a technical foul call against Reeve and the coach’s subsequent jacket toss, Minnesota turned up the intensity in the second half to pull away for an 83-71 win to even the series at a game apiece. Game 3 is in Indianapolis tonight.
Dunn, who coached the Seattle Storm from 2000-02, said she thought Reeve should have been ejected because the wildest part of the tantrum came after the call.
“I guess the thing that concerns me is that after she got her first technical, then she proceeded to take her jacket off, throw her jacket,” Dunn said. “In my opinion, that should have been reason for a second technical and removal, and (the officials) did not do that, and of course, she was able to incite the crowd.”
After Minnesota’s Lindsay Whalen tied Wednesday’s game at 48 with a reverse layup, Minnesota’s Maya Moore picked up her third foul on the other end. After Whalen’s layup was blocked by Briann January, Minnesota’s frustrations boiled over.
Whalen was issued a technical foul for complaining about the no-call by official Michael Price, then Price gave Reeve one, too. Reeve took her suit coat off and threw it so hard that she hurt her right shoulder and needed to see a trainer later.
Reeve wasn’t available to reporters in Indianapolis on Thursday. Minnesota’s Taj McWilliams-Franklin said her coach knew what she was doing.
“She wanted to light a fire under us,” she said. “She wanted to light a fire under the refs and everything else and the fans and energize us, which is what she did. She’s very calculating in everything she does. You all think she’s out of control, but she’s not, by far.”
Indiana forward Tamika Catchings, who scored 27 points in Game 2, said Reeve’s tactics worked.
“I think she was just trying to get her team fired up, and she did a good job in that moment,” Catchings said.
Indiana guard Katie Douglas isn’t sure if she will play today. The Fever’s No. 2 scorer sprained her left ankle in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals and hasn’t played since.
Indiana reserve guard Jeanette Pohlen left Wednesday’s game with an injured left knee. Dunn said she doesn’t expect Pohlen to play tonight.
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