Mystics’ Natasha Cloud calls referees ‘trash’ after controversial ending in loss to Sparks

Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud called the referees “trash” and told the league to fine her after a controversial ending in the team’s 79-76 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday afternoon. 

Down at one point by 13, the Mystics had cut the deficit to three with four seconds remaining, and had one last chance to tie things up and force overtime. As Cloud raced the ball up the floor and launched a heave at the buzzer, it appeared they had caught a break. Jordin Canada knocked Cloud out of mid-air as she shot the ball, and Cloud popped up demanding three free throws on what was a clear foul. The referee closest to the play even initially signaled for a foul. 

However, after a brief review and discussion between the officials, the game was waived off because the contact had come after the buzzer. Cloud was furious and had some words for the refs, while Mystics head coach Mike Thibault also pleaded his team’s case. In real-time, it looked like the refs had made a mistake, but upon further inspection, it was the correct call. Though extremely close, the red lights were on before Canada made contact. 

Cloud, who had also received a technical foul earlier in the game, took to Twitter immediately to vent her frustration. “Fine me,” Cloud wrote. “Our officials are trash.” In a second statement she quote tweeted a video of the play and wrote, “The foul @WNBA do better.” 

Cloud is generally correct about the quality of officiating in the WNBA, which often leaves much to be desired, and the refs in this game could have done a better job explaining their decision. In terms of this specific play, however, Cloud was incorrect and will end up getting fined for nothing. 

With their loss, the Mystics blew a golden opportunity to move ahead of the Seattle Storm (who also lost on Sunday) and into fourth place in the standings. Instead, they remain half a game behind with two games left to play. They also do not have the tiebreaker between the clubs, so they will have to finish ahead of the Storm in the standings to get homecourt in the first round. 

As for the Sparks, this win snapped a brutal six-game losing streak and kept them alive in the playoff hunt. They are now one game behind the eighth-place Phoenix Mercury, with the tiebreaker between the clubs to be determined. While they still have a lot of work to do, especially with two games against the Connecticut Sun up next, the Sparks still have a glimmer of hope.