Phoenix Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard called out referees for their treatment of Diana Taurasi after Tuesday night’s 73-70 loss to the Sky. The Mercury guard was ejected from the game after arguing a no-call.
Diana Taurasi was ejected from the game after arguing a no-call. pic.twitter.com/k73ldvWW45
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Phoenix trailed Chicago by 10 with 3:43 left in the second quarter when Taurasi got upset over a no-call on Sky veteran Candace Parker, who was defending Taurasi. After receiving a technical, Taurasi followed referee Jenna Reneau toward the middle of the court, and she was ejected shortly thereafter.
As cameras followed Taurasi to the tunnel, her arm appeared to be bleeding, which Nygaard said was a result of sustained contact that the referees didn’t call.
“Her whole arm is scratched up and bleeding. Dee doesn’t get any technicals she doesn’t want, but that was a lot,” Nygaard said. “That was out of line. If she is physically bleeding, there’s blood dropping off of her, and it’s not a foul, and you expect her not to be upset, and she’s hit multiple times before, and she’s officiated in a different way.
“I don’t really get it. Players on our team constantly get these calls. The greatest player of all time can’t get these calls.”
It’s Taurasi’s first ejection since 2019. So far this season, she’s received three technicals. While she has earned a reputation as one of the greatest players in the league, Taurasi also is not shy about being vocal during games.
The Mercury were able to respond after Taurasi’s ejection and held an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter. But Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot scored 12 in the fourth quarter to help propel the Sky to victory.