Tuesday night was supposed to be a celebration for the Los Angeles Sparks, their fan appreciation night on the final home game of the regular season. It was also an opportunity for the Southern California crowd to honor one of its own, as Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi played what could be her final professional game in Los Angeles.
Instead, the contest was marred by an altercation between Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson and Mercury star Brittney Griner. Both were ejected with 18.8 seconds to play in the first half after a conversation between the two following a free-throw box out escalated in front of the Phoenix bench.
Security rushed onto the court, as did Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, to help separate the players, but a related confrontation between Sophie Cunningham and Crystal Dangerfield also resulted in technical fouls for the pair.
L.A. was up seven points at the time of the ejection and took an eight-point lead into halftime. However, Phoenix junked up the game after the break, pressuring full court and sinking back into a zone defense that frustrated the Sparks into a 10-point third quarter. The Mercury went on to win 85-81.
The WNBA rulebook states, “During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined. Any such suspension will commence prior to the start of the player’s next game.”
The Phoenix coaching staff appeared to successfully keep any bench players from involving themselves in the incident. Regardless, a one-game suspension wouldn’t be terribly damaging to the Mercury, who have one game remaining in the regular season and are locked into the No. 7 seed for the playoffs.
Of greater concern is the availablity of Griner going forward. The Phoenix center entered the game with four technical fouls, so she has not yet reached the automatic suspension total of seven. However, the league could determine that the altercation with Jackson demands greater discipline. Griner was previously suspended three games for a near-brawl in 2019. What transpired with Jackson shouldn’t rise to that level, but that is for the WNBA to decide.
“Not a clear explanation (from the referees),” Tibbetts said when asked about the fracas postgame. “I haven’t looked at the video or anything like that so we’ll see.”
Phoenix finishes the regular season at home against Seattle on Thursday before traveling to Minnesota for the first round of the playoffs. Los Angeles concludes its season against Minnesota on Thursday and will hope to welcome Jackson back for the conclusion of what has assuredly been an all-rookie campaign.
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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)