What's next for Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride and the rest of the Lynx?

NEW YORK – Immediately following their overtime loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday night in the deciding game of the WNBA Finals, the Lynx responded with frustration and anger.

Coach Cheryl Reeve attended the postgame media conference and was willing to talk about what she felt was an imbalance in the conversations between the two teams in general and in regards to center Alanna Smith's late foul on Breanna Stewart — which had clearly traveled before a possible foul occurred — that led to two free throws with five seconds left in regulation that forced overtime.

It was a bad decision, Reeve claimed, which drew significant backlash on social media, with well-known NBA players LeBron James and Damian Lillard agreeing with the Lynx coach. The league's review system needs to change, Reeve said.

The 67-62 overtime loss was a disaster for the Lynx, who had five turnovers and missed all six of their shots from the floor.

“It’s a shame that officiating played such a role in a show like this,” Reeve said. “Of course there will always be one team that will be a little more disappointed than the other.”

But there was also sadness. The Lynx opened the season under the radar of the WNBA. They utilized a squad built on the talents of star Napheesa Collier and a collective effort that showed how close the team had become. The Lynx won 30 games and were the hottest team in the league after the Olympic break.

Collier finished second in MVP voting, was first-team All-WNBA, and was the league's Defensive Player of the Year. And yet the fifth game was the first time in her outstanding career that she took more than 20 shots but was not awarded a free throw.

Smith and winger Bridget Carleton had years-long careers. Kayla McBride was one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Courtney Williams showed her value as a point guard, especially in the pick and roll.