"Thomas is a nasty individual": WNBA fans lose it after Alyssa Thomas and Napheesa Collier get chippy in physical battle

Alyssa Thomas and Napheesa Collier, both finalists for the 2025 WNBA MVP award, battled in a heated possession late in Game 2 of the Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx semifinals, where Phoenix escaped with an 89-93 overtime win to even the series at 1-1.

In the extra period, Thomas tried to muscle her way past Collier in the paint, but Collier stood her ground and forced a foul without giving up a shot. Thomas went face-to-face afterward, sparking strong fan reactions.

“Phee strong as hell to stop AT in her tracks, damn 😭,” one said.

“Thomas is a nasty individual,” another said.

“AT just loves physicality, it don't even be personal lmao,” another commented.

Many others praised the physical edge of WNBA playoff basketball.

Alyssa Thomas finished with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, while Collier dropped 24 points in the loss.

Satou Sabally led Phoenix's charge with 24 points, nine boards and a game-best five triples, while Kayla McBride tallied 21 and Courtney Williams contributed 20 points, nine dimes and seven rebounds for the Lynx.

The Mercury staged a massive comeback, forcing overtime with a clutch triple from Sami Whitcomb and then outscoring Minnesota 10-4 in the extra session. At one point, Phoenix trailed by 20, making it tied for the third-largest comeback in WNBA Playoff history and their first-ever postseason win in Minnesota.

Alyssa Thomas discusses competitive drive after big game vs Lynx

Alyssa Thomas has cemented her reputation as one of the WNBA’s fiercest competitors, finishing third in MVP voting this year behind averages of 15.4 points per game (her second-best scoring season), a career-high 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds, the third-best mark of her career.

After recording a double-double in Game 2 to knot the series, Thomas was asked about the source of her relentless drive.

“I mean it started with my parents as a kid,” Thomas answered (per Desert Wave Media). “Any win that we had, whether it was Trouble or Candyland, we had to earn our win, so for me when I would get a win against them it was exciting.”

Game 3 of the Mercury-Lynx series shifts to Phoenix on Friday, with the two teams splitting their regular-season meetings there 1-1.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro