Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner was ejected following a near-fight with Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson during a tense WNBA game on Tuesday night. The altercation occurred in the second half, resulting in both players receiving technical fouls and Griner’s eventual ejection.
The Phoenix Mercury (18-20) and Los Angeles Sparks (7-31) each have one regular season game remaining after their battle on Tuesday night. Heading to the WNBA playoffs, Phoenix is locked into the seventh seed. As for Los Angeles, they own the league’s worst record.
While neither team has much on the line between now and the end of the regular season, that was not evident with how Tuesday’s first half concluded. Following a free throw with 18.8 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Mercury center Brittney Griner and Sparks forward Rickea Jackson nearly fought on the court.
It will be interesting to see the aftermath of this altercation, as the WNBA could take disciplinary action against the two players. While she could be facing a fine or suspension, Jackson received a nice hand from her home crowd.
The officiating crew was able to step in before this altercation escalated. Both players looked prepared to throw punches after initial contact was made, but the officials and security stopped that from happened.
The Mercury will play their regular season finale against the Seattle Storm on Thursday, and the Sparks will play their regular season finale against the Minnesota Lynx that same day.
The WNBA will have a decision to make on whether or not to discipline the two players beyond their ejection.
This altercation serves as a reminder of the intensity of competition in the WNBA, where star players like Griner and Jackson are constantly battling for dominance. As the regular season winds down, emotions are bound to flare, and teams must stay focused to secure their positions in the playoffs.