Cheryl Reeve reflected on Courtney Williams’ behavior and performance after the Lynx beat the Liberty 86-80 on Saturday night.

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve reacts during the third quarter against the New York Liberty at Target Center.
Courtney Williams stood out with both her behavior and performance in the Minnesota Lynx’s matchup against the New York Liberty on Saturday evening. As a result, it drew reactions from head coach Cheryl Reeve.

In 35 minutes of action, Williams put up an impressive stat line of 26 points, five rebounds and five assists. She shot 10-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.

Reeve reflected on Williams’ performance after the game, per team reporter Andrew Dukowitz. She noted how Williams gained attention from the opposing side with some trash talk but saw how she backed it up.

“It’s my understanding that Courtney may of poked the bear a little bit on the other side with some words on a stream that they do. So you don’t go from a birkin bag to a target bag. So she had to back that up,” Reeve said.

How Cheryl Reeve’s Lynx played against Liberty

Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) celebrates with guard Natisha Hiedeman (2) during the first quarter against the New York Liberty at Target Center.Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
It’s clear that Courtney Williams had motivation to beat the Liberty, which she successfully pulled off to help Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx come out with the 86-80 win.

Minnesota was off to a good start, leading 21-12 after the first quarter. However, New York outscored them 49-39 to take a one-point advantage to start the final period. Luckily for the Lynx, they responded by winning 26-19 in the last 10 minutes to take down their visiting opponents.

Four players scored in double-digits on Minnesota’s behalf, including Williams. Jessica Shepard had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. She shot 5-of-7 overall and 7-of-12 from the charity stripe. Kayla McBride came next with 17 points and four rebounds, while Alanna Smith provided 14 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

Minnesota improved to a 28-5 record on the season, boasting the best record in the Western Conference standings. They are 8.5 games above the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces.

The Lynx will look to extend their win streak to seven in their next matchup, remaining on the road. They face the Liberty in a rematch on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. ET.