Tibbetts, furious: Controversial ejection in Mercury’s Finals WNBA defeat

Nate Tibbetts Ejected: A Historic Moment in the WNBA Finals

Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, marking a milestone in league history. The incident occurred with 2:41 remaining in the third quarter, when Tibbetts received two consecutive technical fouls.

For me, it’s simply embarrassing. I’m very sorry to have been ejected. I’ve been in this game a long time. I think it’s one of the weakest double technicals in history. I didn’t even know I’d been whistled for the second one, to be completely honest. I just don’t understand it.

Nate Tibbetts

The head of the officiating team, Roy Gulbeyan, explained that the first technical foul was for protesting a call, and the second, for approaching the referee and repeating the protest. Tibbetts expressed his frustration, calling the situation “weak” and lamenting the impact on his team, fans, and family. In addition to Tibbetts, players Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner also received technicals in the fourth quarter. Copper was sanctioned for using offensive language and aggressively approaching the referee, while Bonner was penalized for a hot-headed reaction. Tibbetts pointed out the disparity in free throws between the Mercury and the Aces as a point of frustration, mentioning A’ja Wilson’s numerous shots. He highlighted the importance of consistency in refereeing, a recurring theme throughout the season. Despite the criticism of the refereeing, the Mercury did not attribute their defeat exclusively to this factor. The team acknowledged its own mistakes, especially the 18 turnovers that resulted in 26 points for the opposing team. The Mercury’s ability to overcome significant disadvantages was a recurring theme during the season, but in this game, they failed to complete the comeback. Despite everything, the team showed resilience, as demonstrated by the immediate reaction after Tibbetts’ expulsion. The team closed the 20-point gap to six, which, according to Copper, was a reflection of the team’s season: facing adversity with determination. The loss in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals marked the end of a challenging season for the Phoenix Mercury.