Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve took accountability for the team's third consecutive early playoff exit, saying the roster hasn't matched championship-caliber teams during her tenure and that improving it falls on her. Minnesota became the first No. 1 seed in WNBA history to be swept in the opening round, losing 87-71 to the New York Liberty in Game 2 on Tuesday.

"There are sometimes when you have that team and that would be the case, you should feel that way," said Reeve. "I have not felt like we've had that team over these three years, and so what we're doing is sort of maybe exceeding expectations in the regular season, and then when it comes playoffs, maybe we don't quite have the right group to be effective."

Reeve, who serves as both head coach and president of basketball operations, said the responsibility to fix the issue rests with her in both roles.

"I just know we have some work to do," said Reeve. "I have to help us. I have to get us the appropriate help to do it, make the hard decisions to do that. I couldn't get us there in this series, and so it's on me. I have to help them win in the playoffs, both as an executive and as the coach, and I'll find a way to do that."

Minnesota finished the regular season 31-7, powered by unanimous Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles and another Coach of the Year honor for Reeve, her fifth. But the Lynx struggled against New York's size and length, with Reeve pointing to the Liberty's ability to neutralize both Miles and All-Star forward Natasha Howard as a central factor in the series.

"I think their size really bothered us," said Miles. "We didn't really know what coverage worked best. We were switching, we were hedging, we were playing drop, trying to throw a lot of things at them. Their size really is imposing."

Star forward Napheesa Collier, who returned midseason from offseason ankle surgery, said she couldn't pinpoint why the team's regular-season success hasn't translated to the postseason in recent years.

"I don't know. I feel like if we knew the answer to that, we would be translating it over," said Collier. "That's something that obviously we have to figure out."

Minnesota faces a pivotal offseason, with Collier set to become a free agent and unable to be retained through the league's core designation. Williams, McBride and Howard remain under contract through 2027, while Miles continues on her rookie deal.