For his own good, the all-time player for the Phoenix Mercury has officially announced his retirement.
In an 83-59 loss to the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, Diana Taurasi went scoreless and Brittney Griner left the game due to an injury, making it the worst night the Phoenix Mercury (2-6) have had thus far in their difficult season.
“We need to improve our chemistry, as it will be a demanding season otherwise,” Phoenix guard Sophie Cunningham stated following the game.
For the first time since 2019, Taurasi was held scoreless for the fifth time in her 19-season career.
With 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, Griner leads the club. However, he finished with just two points and was out for the second half due to a hip ailment. The 6-9 center had just scored a career-high 29 points in the Indiana Fever’s 85-82 victory on Sunday.
The Storm forced 16 turnovers while only allowing nine, while rookie Jordan Horston of Seattle had her first-ever double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Unforced turnovers were undoubtedly an issue, according to Phoenix head coach Vanessa Nygaard. “We’re going to analyze the match, determine our areas of improvement, and prepare for our next match. Our rebounding is hampered by the absence of BG.
Cunningham believes that Taurasi’s defeat was caused by poor officiating during the match.
“I’ll be there for D,” Cunningham declared. “I believe she’s missing a lot of calls. She is our game’s greatest ever. I will most likely be penalized. It really is embarrassing. They have the wrong concerns in mind. Concentrate on your work and make a call. She has sacrificed enough blood, sweat, tears, and time; you should at least show her some decency. I would feel a lot of shame if I were a referee.”
Nygaard concurred, saying, “We’ve assembled a sufficient number of clips from the same game with a similar cut.” The calls are not received by D. It’s just hard at the moment. She becomes irritated.
The Mercury, who qualified for the playoffs the previous season and advanced to the WNBA Finals, are hoping to improve their record despite the officiating problems.
“I’m over losing,” Cunningham declared. “I’m eager to get into a groove with our group. It’s enough. We need to shift our vibe. Our energy needs to shift. But you must persist in your hard effort and presence. Things will improve eventually. The reason the high is so intense and thrilling right now is these moments.
