Both of the Phoenix Mercury’s starting guards Natasha Cloud and Diana Taurasi received their seventh technical foul of the season in the 97-79 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Seven techs activate an automatic one-game suspension, but only one of the players will be missing the next game.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Via a press release, the WNBA has suspended Cloud for meeting the threshold while Taurasi’s was rescinded and she will be eligible to play against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday.
“The WNBA announced today that Mercury guard Natasha Cloud has been suspended for tomorrow’s game against the Atlanta Dream after reaching the technical foul limit (seven in the season). Mercury guard Diana Taurasi’s technical foul from yesterday’s game vs. the Las Vegas Aces has been rescinded and her total remains at six.”
With 4:24 left in the second quarter, she received a tech while trying to guard Plum and complained to the official on the sideline.
Video Credit: Cronkite News’ Aya Abdeen
ICYMI- Here are the videos of when Natasha Cloud, Diana Taurasi and Kahleah Copper got their technical fouls in Mercury's loss to the Aces at home today. They have 33 technical fouls this season, the most in WNBA history. #ValleyTogether #WNBA pic.twitter.com/dgKoxM78Pw
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) September 1, 2024
Taurasi also received her seventh of the year for disagreeing with the official on another call with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter. After a review by the league office, however, they have rescinded it and she will remain at six on the season.
While it may have looked like she was going to spend the next game on the bench at the time, Taurasi knew she was not going to be ruled out and expected the league to make the right decision.
“Mine is definitely getting rescinded. I’m good, I will be playing next game, ” Taurasi said after the game on Sunday.
“Don’t be so sensitive.”@TiaReid65 asked Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham about the technical fouls lately and Cunningham talked the referee’s watching for everything.#ValleyTogether #WNBA #ALLINLV pic.twitter.com/3RkGMgbyZd
— Burn City Mercury (@BurnCityMercury) September 1, 2024
Later on when firing a 3-point attempt, Kahleah Copper was furious that the officials didn’t give Aces guard Jackie Young a foul during her follow-through. Copper got her sixth tech of the season as she was heard screaming for a foul and not getting it.
With Cloud now suspended and both Copper and Taurasi on the brink of one as well, the trend of these penalties being handed out continues for the Mercury. Phoenix leads the league in technical fouls this season with 33, the most in WNBA history. The next closest this year is the Chicago Sky with 17 called and one rescinded.
“The technicals have been an issue, obviously we are going to miss a player or two after the technicals today,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said after the loss. “It’s frustrating. The technicals have been frustrating, the way we’ve been playing is frustrating.”
The Mercury are on a three-game losing streak after consecutive losses to the Aces, Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty. Now down to seventh in the WNBA standings, missing Cloud will be a big absence in Phoenix’s starting lineup against the Dream.
It will be interesting to see how Tibbetts and his staff maneuver with multiple players close to suspensions, but it is an issue that will need to be evaluated or another key piece of the roster will miss a crucial game down the stretch.
WATCH: Diana Taurasi, Sophie Cunningham talk Mercury’s 97-79 loss to Aces, A’ja Wilson, officiating
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
