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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Mike D. Sykes, II

Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith had to be separated after a heated exchange on the Phoenix Mercury bench

The WNBA is an extremely competitive league, so it’s never really surprising when tempers are flaring. Especially when there’s so much talent around.

But when they’re flaring between two teammates? On the bench? That’s a bit more interesting. Especially when those two teammates are Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi.

In the midst of an 86-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, Diggins-Smith and Taurasi had to be separated by teammates on the bench after they had words for each other that didn’t seem too nice.

Diggins-Smith was visibly bothered by something on the bench. She got up and said something to Taurasi which prompted Taurasi to jump up off the bench in response.

Teammates got in between the two and settled things down before getting back to the action, but it was heated. Clearly.

We don’t really know what was said or what the argument was about. But, clearly, it was a big enough deal for them to argue about it.

All in all, this is probably nothing. Just an argument between two teammates about a frustrating game in the midst of a frustrating season.

The Mercury are clearly playing below their standard at this point. They made the WNBA Finals last season and were projected to be one of the best teams in the league. Now, they sit at 2-2 with their two losses coming from the Las Vegas Aces by double-digits. That’s a team they’ll have to go through to get back to the Finals.

You add that frustration together plus everything going on with Brittney Griner’s detainment in Russia, it’s just been a tumultuous season for the Mercury. To say the least.

They’re talented enough to right the ship and go on a run at some point. And this argument will probably amount to nothing. But for Mercury fans? None of this can be comfortable to see.

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