Caitlin Clark gets fifth technical foul vs Mercury

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark criticized officials and received her fifth technical foul of the season during a home victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night, moving her closer to an automatic one-game suspension. Clark argued the technical was assessed for clapping during a fourth-quarter confrontation.

The incident occurred with 7:57 remaining in the game and Indiana leading comfortably. Clark and Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner, a former Fever teammate, became entangled while battling for position, resulting in a personal foul called on Clark. After the whistle, Clark clapped animatedly in the direction of several Phoenix players. She stated that referee Gerda Gatling explicitly told her the technical foul was for clapping and instigating.

"Yeah, it's ridiculous. I got a technical for clapping," Clark said postgame. "We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I'm going to be suspended for if I'm going to get technicals for clapping." Under WNBA rules, a player is suspended for one game upon receiving an eighth technical foul in a season.

The skirmish led to a total of five technical fouls being issued. Following the initial exchange between Clark...