Video: Liberty HC Brondello taunts after Lynx HC Reeve and LeBron challenge WNBA refs | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello dismissed the notion that her team benefited from its lopsided lead in its 67-62 overtime win over the Minnesota Lynx in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.

“I thought they were pretty fair,” she told reporters in her post-game press conference (26th minute). “The last game is a give and take. Game No. 1, we should have won that game.”

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was exhausted with her assessment of the referees in Game 5. She even went so far as to say, “This shit was stolen from us” after the Liberty attempted 17 more free throws and star forward Breanna Stewart was sent to the charity stripe for two free throws with 5.2 seconds left in regulation to end the game.

Especially when Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is there wear a dress With the New York City skyline, conspiracy theories will be rife after the Liberty took a controversial lead and a sizable advantage in free throws.

A simpler and more boring explanation is that the WNBA's officiating has been criticized for years. Last October, The Athletic's Ben Pickman quoted sources across the league as saying the referees had been “inconsistent” at best and that the situation was worse than it has been in a long time.

After the Lynx's 82-80 win in Game 4 to tie the series, Brondello was the one who challenged the referees after Minnesota got to the free throw line 11 times more than New York.

The WNBA will never be able to fully satisfy coaches and players when it comes to officiating. Having referees so central to a grand final competition could at least spur the league to make some changes.