Sophie Cunningham didn’t hold back after Game 2 of the New York Liberty-Atlanta Dream playoff series, dropping a blunt “that’s f–ked” on her No Hesitation podcast. She was reacting to Breanna Stewart’s criticism of the officiating, specifically a controversial reset timeout call that completely changed the final seconds.
That Missed Timeout and a Game 2 Heartbreak
This whole mess went down in the dying seconds of overtime. The Liberty were down 101-98 after Angel Reese hit two free throws. They inbound the ball, and Stewart gets a decent look from three, a shot that could have tied the game. But it didn’t fall as the clock hit zero. The real kicker? Stewart told reporters after the game that two refs flat out told her the Liberty had no reset timeout left, even though they totally did. Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco backed her up, saying he got the same wrong info. Talk about a brutal way to lose in the playoffs.
The Rules? What Rules? Officials “Don’t Know Them”
But here’s where it gets even crazier. A pool report from ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, quoting lead official Fatou Cissoko-Stephens, confirmed referee Kevin Fahy actually checked with his partner between Reese’s free throws. And guess what? He confirmed New York *did* have a reset timeout remaining. Cissoko-Stephens even said Stewart was standing right behind Fahy when he made that confirmation! Yet, despite knowing this, the timeout wasn’t granted. Then there’s the kicker: Cissoko-Stephens added that officials don’t even track timeouts. Nope, that’s on the scorer’s table, statistical staff, and the teams themselves. This isn’t just a one-off, either. Cunningham, on her podcast earlier this week, said a ref told her during the Indiana Fever’s Game 3 against the Las Vegas Aces that *they don’t know the rules* in a situation involving Lexie Hull and Brianna Turner. The Liberty aren’t letting this slide, filing an official inquiry with the WNBA. You gotta wonder, how can this keep happening when officiating has been a “huge discussion point” all season?
Atlanta’s controversial win in Game 2 now gives them a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five series. Game 3 is set for Friday at Barclays Center, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET. If the Dream pull off another win, they’re heading to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013. But with officiating this messy, you have to wonder what else could go down before this series is over.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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