MINNEAPOLIS — Cheers quickly turned to groans Sunday as the Minnesota Lynx saw another playoff run end in disappointment. The historic season that had many fans hoping for a championship trophy, ended in heartbreak.

The loss cut deeper than just the final score.

Guard Kayla McBride — who stepped up in place of an injured Napheesa Collier — offered raw reflections about the bond and stakes behind the scenes. Collier’s injury stemmed from a play that also triggered head coach Cheryl Reeve’s ejection, a move that resulted in a suspension for what became Minnesota’s final game.

“You just want it for the people around you … In pro sports it doesn’t get any better than what we have in that locker room because we lay it out for each other,” McBride said. And she added of the emotional toll: “T

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