Natasha Cloud's Loaded Comments May Lead to Stiff Sanction

The Phoenix Mercury had no answer for the New York Liberty in the second half on Monday and suffered an 84-70 defeat.

Despite strong performances from Brittney Griner, Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, the Mercury couldn't hold off the hungry Liberty, who were eager to bounce back from a loss to the Connecticut Sun.

The Mercury shot themselves in the foot with a season-high 22 turnovers, which were converted by the Liberty to 28 points. The Nate Tibbetts-coached squad also only shot 5-of-22 from three-point range, compared to the 12-of-29 of New York.

The Mercury dropped to 16-15 after the loss. While they're still in sixth place with the playoffs approaching, Cloud didn't hide her frustration with the setback and criticized the officiating.

“Everyone wants to know why Phoenix Mercury has the most techs in the league," Cloud said in a report from The Arizona Republic's Dana Scott . "It's because the games aren’t being called equally on both ends of the floor."

According to Across the Timeline , the Mercury have 27 technical fouls this season. They are followed by the Las Vegas Aces with 15 and the Chicago Sky with 14. The Indiana Fever and the Dallas Wings round out the top five with 13 apiece.

Meanwhile, Cloud and veteran teammate Diana Taurasi lead the WNBA for most technical fouls with six each.

"It needs to be addressed, and this isn’t the first time we’re talking about it, and we’re not the first team to talk about it," the 32-year-old Cloud added. "We’re not the first players to talk about it, and at some point, the W has to be serious about this.”

The playmaker's strong remarks against the officiating could lead to a hefty fine from the WNBA as the league prohibits players from publicly criticizing referees.

In 2022, while playing for the Washington Mystics, Cloud also described referees as "trash" after a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.

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