The Phoenix Mercury survived the Minnesota Lynx in Game of the WNBA semifinals, albeit in controversial fashion. During the final minute of the game, Mercury star Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Lynx's Napheesa Collier to score a wide-open layup that proved to be the dagger in the game. The play, however, was marred by the referees' non-call on the steal, as replays showed Thomas hit Collier's knee to secure possession of the ball. Azzi Fudd's father, Tim Fudd, expressed concerns about the league's current officiating following the play as he deemed Thomas' steal a foul "in every definition.""This 👇🏾 is a foul in every definition," Fudd said. "You cannot get a clean steal when there is contact that disrupts player movement. The bigger issue is that the excess physicality is dampening the beauty of the game."The play caused Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve to go after the referees, resulting in her ejection and subsequent suspension in Game 4 of the series. The Mercury outscored the Lynx, 21-9, in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback win. Phoenix had more free throws during the game with 22 attempts, 11 more than the Lynx. The Mercury will be playing on their home court in Game 4, where a win would mean they would advance to the WNBA Finals. Meanwhile, a loss would shift the series back to Minnesota for the do-or-die Game 5. Tim Fudd calls for the league to protect its playersIn his X thread, Tim Fudd called for the WNBA to protect its players, following Napheesa Collier's late-game ankle injury due to Thomas' steal in Game 3. "The beauty of the game lies w/in the skill of the players, not the physicality that is allowed to ratchet up to level where the game is not played at a high, clean level. This is a dangerous area 4 the W. The product/asset is not the league itself, but instead it’s the players!," he wrote. "We have seen a lot of plays this season where there have been some egregious missed calls. The question is why does it continue to happen and how can this be corrected."The referees are expected to be highly monitored in Game 4 of the series on Sunday, Sept. 29.