Nate Tibbetts, Mercury Coach, Ejected in WNBA Finals
In an unexpected turn of events, Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, marking a milestone in league history. The incident occurred in the third quarter of the game against the Aces, where Tibbetts received two consecutive technical fouls. Tibbetts, visibly bewildered, expressed his disbelief at the situation. “For me, it’s simply embarrassing,” he commented. “I feel bad for having been ejected. I’ve been in this sport for a long time and I think those are the weakest double technicals I’ve seen. I didn’t even know I had been called for the second one, to be completely honest.”According to the head of the refereeing team, Roy Gulbeyan, the first technical foul was for protesting a referee’s decision. Tibbetts, after a foul called on Monique Akoa Makani, allegedly shouted “That’s terrible.” Then, upon approaching the referee, he repeated the phrase, which resulted in the second technical foul and his automatic ejection. The coach described the situation as “weak, weak, weak”. In addition, he pointed out that it was not his intention to be sent off, and that the referee’s decision seemed unfair to him. “We were playing for our lives in the playoffs. Most coaches, when they are sent off, do it on purpose. That was not my intention at all… I didn’t feel I deserved it at all… It was nonsense.” During the game, players Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner also received technical fouls in the final quarter. Gulbeyan explained that Bonner’s was for a “reaction of the moment”, including protests and a gesture towards a referee. Copper, for her part, was sanctioned after a foul and for addressing the referee with inappropriate language. Tibbetts also emphasized the free throw disparity between Mercury and Aces in Game 4. Phoenix attempted 19 free throws, while Las Vegas had 35, including 19 from A’ja Wilson. Tibbetts highlighted the need for greater consistency in refereeing, a point that was also supported by Alyssa Thomas. Tibbetts added that the game is improving, with more attention, so refereeing must evolve.I feel sorry for our team, our fans, my family. It wasn’t necessary, in my opinion.
Nate Tibbetts
Despite the challenges, the Mercury did not attribute their defeat to the refereeing performance. Copper commented that the team remains united and accountable. “It’s not about that. One thing we have is that we will hold ourselves accountable.”
The main problem for Phoenix was the loss of 26 points due to 18 turnovers. Despite coming back from a 20-point deficit in the past, they failed to overcome the Aces this time. In Game 2 of the semifinals against the Minnesota Lynx, the Mercury overcame a 20-point deficit to win. In Game 3 of that series, they won after trailing by 17. In Game 3 of the Finals, they again trailed by 17. On Friday, the Mercury cut a 20-point gap to six, shortly after Tibbetts’ ejection. For Copper, that drive mirrored the team’s season. “It’s another form of adversity in the year,” Copper said. “Let’s just add more. Let’s play harder. That’s what it’s about. When you talk about Mercury basketball, when you talk about the Phoenix Mercury period, we’re never going to give up. We’re going to go for it. We can handle whatever they throw at us.”
