In a game that quickly turned into a real-life WWE match (minus the spandex), Brittney Griner went from WNBA star to a contender for a “Who Can Lose Their Temper Faster?” competition. It all went down on Tuesday night as the Phoenix Mercury faced the Los Angeles Sparks, with the crowd getting more drama than their tickets bargained for.
Griner, who was calmly on her way to a solid 14-point performance, decided to spice things up by engaging in a little shoving match with the Sparks’ standout rookie, Rickea Jackson. As the two battled for rebounding position after a Mercury free throw, tensions skyrocketed, and before you could say “technical foul,” both players were tossing each other words—and shoves. I guess sometimes basketball just isn’t enough.
With just 18.8 seconds left in the first half, the refs stepped in, transforming into relationship counselors to separate the two. After reviewing the play (which probably felt more like an episode of “Keeping Up with the Mercury”), both Griner and Jackson were ejected for their not-so-friendly disagreement. Oh, and just for good measure, Phoenix’s Sophia Cunningham and L.A.’s Crystal Dangerfield were slapped with technical fouls. Because why not?
The Game Behind the Chaos
While Griner and Jackson were busy working on their MMA audition tapes, the Phoenix Mercury pulled off an 85-81 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks, who may want to invest in bubble wrap for their injury-prone roster (seriously, it’s getting ridiculous). The Mercury, who were already looking ahead to their playoff date with the Minnesota Lynx, had to come back from an eight-point halftime deficit. They flipped the script in the third quarter and never looked back.
Sophia Cunningham, adding 14 points to her stat sheet (and that lovely technical foul), along with Diana Taurasi’s 13 points, helped Phoenix claw back into the game. Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan chipped in 10 points, while Natasha Cloud flirted with a triple-double, adding 13 points and 12 assists. Basically, everyone contributed more to the scoreboard than to the drama, which was probably a good thing.
As for the Sparks, their 7-32 record this season is about as comforting as a cold cup of coffee. Dearica Hamby tried to keep them in it with 21 points, and Li Yueru scored a career-high 19 points with 12 rebounds, but the real story was Phoenix capitalizing on 20 Sparks turnovers to score 31 points. It’s almost like the Mercury saw a turnover buffet and went back for seconds.
The Rise and Fall of L.A.
The game started with both teams feeling each other out, tied at 14 after the first quarter. The Sparks decided to surprise everyone by going on a second-quarter tear, racing to a 44-36 halftime lead. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for L.A. The second half was a disaster. Phoenix came out swinging (figuratively, this time) and tied the game at 46 thanks to a Taurasi three-pointer. From there, the Mercury took control, outscoring the Sparks 28-10 in the third quarter. Yes, you read that right—L.A. managed just 10 points.
Phoenix led by as many as 14 points before the Sparks made a late push, but Hamby’s three-pointer wasn’t enough to close the gap. It was like trying to stop a runaway train with a cardboard cutout.
The Bottom Line? Don’t Mess with Griner
While Phoenix basked in their win, the night will be remembered for Brittney Griner’s “whoops, I lost my cool” moment. Seven of eight from the field in just 14 minutes, Griner was having a fantastic game until that fateful free throw where things went sideways. And for Jackson, her contribution before getting booted off the court? Two field goals and four free throws. Not exactly the stat line you want in a game that ends with an ejection.
The Mercury now head into the playoffs with a chip on their shoulder, ready to take on Minnesota, while the Sparks will… well, they’ll hope next season involves less drama, fewer injuries, and maybe a few more wins.
As for Griner and Jackson, they’ll have plenty of time to think about their future in the WNBA… and maybe even in the world of professional wrestling.