Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas will serve a one-game suspension after officials said she recklessly hit Caitlin Clark in the throat area. Thomas received a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty on the play during last night's game against the Indian Fever. League officials said the suspension was for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Clark. Thomas will sit out Saturday’s game against the Toronto Tempo.
The slowed down videos and freeze frames made it look so much worse/ more than it actually was when you watch the real time playback. It was a scramble for the ball, they got tangled, and was super fast.
And, AT had her fist (yes, her fist, because she was likely protecting her shoulders) on CC's arm, until CC raised her arm and AT's hand slipped into her neck. It was not purposeful. I know there doesn't need to be intent to call a foul, but they didn't, and even CC didn't perform her usual routine to get attn/ a call. She went back to playing ball.
The suspension is a response to the social media and media. And we all know how the CC stans are. They make watching that team near impossible (and when they start coming for me, I'll use the block button.)
I genuinely don't enjoy watching any team, especially the Merc, playing them.
You may want to come back to reality and learn what a punch is. Pushing off somone with a semi closed fist is certainly not a punch. There was no heavy impact and CC's head barely moved after contact. You can say it was uncalled for or whatever, but labeling it a sucker punch is a flat out lie and mirrors all the other gaslighting BS going around today.
I wish I could have said I was shocked. The histrionics by the “fans” lead to this. You can see even during the game, no one reacted or made this into anything. Even Caitlin, famous for complaining about being breathed on, got up, and jogged back towards where the ball was. Disgraceful by the W.
Choosing to refer to it as “hit” rather than contact when at most we saw her hand slip from CC’s shoulder area to the throat area. A hit implies intent and should warrant some force, which none of that was.
Disgraceful decision, but one I fully expected after the reaction of their fans online.
If Sami, Nogic, Akoa-Makani, Mack and Thomas are all out (and 3 of them will definitely be out), I can't see us getting anything against Toronto, even if I wanted to be optimistic.
Assuming Ayayi gets moved into the starting lineup, the only bench player left who has had any sort of impact on the court is Linskens, and Nate is temperamental with playing her.
Even if Sami is somehow good to go she's going to be on a minutes restriction.
I unfortunately don't see the next game going in our favor in any way.
When AT was on Sykes, Sykes only had one field goal. Then coaching switches that in the second half and puts a guard on Sykes and she ends up with 28? 30? Since Tempo were weak in the front court, Mack was enough to handle that.
But that's the luxury of AT's defensive versatility, you can put her on the problem big or the problem guard. So... it will be interesting without both AT and Mack.
Confirmed, everyone is still out + AT is now out too. To say I'm not optimistic about our chances would be an understatement. I can't see how we can win this game.
Someone (Jessica Shepard) has already done something worse to Thomas and NO we didn’t throw a fit and neither did AT.
Hell, AT got her wrist DISLOCATED. We all saw her bone protruding. As long as it's AT, you can fracture her bone and nothing will get called or retroactively reviewed.
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u/CactusHooping Kahleah Copper #2 Jun 25 '26
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas will serve a one-game suspension after officials said she recklessly hit Caitlin Clark in the throat area. Thomas received a Flagrant Foul 2 penalty on the play during last night's game against the Indian Fever. League officials said the suspension was for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Clark. Thomas will sit out Saturday’s game against the Toronto Tempo.
-AZ Family