Kayla McBride Gives Emotional Reaction to Lynx Playoffs Loss

It has been a rough couple of weeks for the Lynx, considering they were still the favorites to win the title. When the defending champions, the New York Liberty, lost in the Playoffs, the Lynx were the obvious choice.

In Game 3 of the series against the Mercury, the Lynx's superstar Napheesa Collier suffered a brutal ankle injury that took her out of the series. That meant the Lynx needed to come back from 1-2 down, but they lost 81-86 in Game 4 to the Mercury.

It was a tough loss, considering the Lynx had sky-high expectations for themselves. One of them was Kayla McBride, who played her heart out in Game 4, scoring a game-high 31 points.

McBride's Emotional Press Conference After Losing to Phoenix

For a team with high expectations, it is tough for the goal to come crashing down. Losing Collier and head coach Cheryl Reeve to a suspension in Game 3 was extremely tough for the Lynx.

The rest of the team needed to step up, which was why McBride had such an emotional night. She was the player who took it upon herself to take over. Unfortunately, her 31-point performance was not enough to force a Game 5.

After that game, McBride was understandably emotional because it was a tough night and a heavy loss to carry.

"You want it for the people that grind with you every single day, the good days, bad days, bus rides, locker room, like in pro sports. It doesn't get as good. It doesn't get any better than what we have in our locker room," McBride said after Game 4.

"That's why I'm emotional because we lay it out for each other. There's never anything else but each other. To be close, two years in a row, and hit adverse situations each and every time, for your sisters, your family, it hurts."

The Lynx Will Look to Bounce Back in 2026

With the Lynx coming so close to winning a championship for two years in a row, they will want to go back to the drawing board. They have a model that works with Collier, McBride, Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, and more.

It will be a challenging task to regroup, but they will make some big decisions in the offseason. This will be a long gap between the Playoffs and the 2026 WNBA season, but the team will want to get reps in and continue playing at the highest level.

The Lynx are a good team, but they have been hit by bad luck this season. In the WNBA, other teams will strive to become the best team.

McBride, Collier, and the rest of the team have to be good enough and lucky enough to win. Moving forward, the Lynx will aim to be great, so bad luck won't beat them.