LAS VEGAS (AP) — Aces coach Becky Hammon said before Tuesday’s 90-68 victory over the Fever that evened the WNBA playoffs semifinal series at a game apiece that Las Vegas couldn’t “tip-toe into a bar fight” with Indiana.
The Aces made their presence literally felt, continuing what is becoming an early trend in this series that neither side is particularly happy about.
“The physicality’s out of control for sure,” Hammon said. “You can bump and grab a wide receiver in the NFL for those first five yards, but you can do it in the W for the whole half court. You put two hands on somebody, it should be an automatic foul. The freedom of movement? There’s no freedom. I’m not saying we’re not fouling, too. I’m not saying that. I’m saying it’s out of control.”
Complaints about officiating has been a season-long issue with players and coaches throughout the league saying the referees let too much go.
It’s not even just this season. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve ripped the officials after the Lynx lost the deciding Game 5 of last year’s WNBA Finals to New York over a foul call that benefited the Liberty and helped force overtime.
“Most of my assistants come from the NBA, and they’re like this does not fly in the NBA,” said Hammon, who also spent seven years in that league as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs. “There would be fights. We just have very well-mannered women that can get to the next play.”
Fever coach Stephanie White also wasn’t pleased with how Tuesday’s game was called, though her complaint was a little different. She pointed to the 41 total fouls, 22 on Las Vegas and 19 on Indiana. But the Aces took 21 free throws compared to 15 for the Fever.
“It’s hard for us to find flow when there’s a foul called every 10 seconds,” White said. “I mean, it just really is. When they’re at the free throw line, we can’t get up and down the floor, and that’s a challenge. They were much more aggressive and physical defensively, and we didn’t counter that with our off-ball actions or our back cuts.”
The Fever have kept their season alive despite contending with a number of serious injuries, including a season-ender to Caitlin Clark. Lexie Hull went into Game 2 questionable with a back injury, but she played and scored 15 points. Hull wore a brace when not on the floor.
“It feels like a physical game every game,” Hull said. “It feels like it’s been a physical season. But I’ve been on the ground a little bit more this series so far. We just keep getting back up.”
Beyond the physical part of the series, Hammon also was miffed she felt compelled to use a challenge in the first quarter on an out-of-bounds call the Aces successfully had overturned. She said one of the other two officials should have helped referee Jeff Wooten make the correct call.
“I shouldn’t have to use a challenge on something that went off your head, and I’m sure every coach would agree,” Hammon said. “Like, that’s maddening. If Steph had to use her challenge in the first five minutes, that’s not ideal, especially on an out-of-bounds call, which I feel is probably the easiest call to get right.”
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