The Washington Mystics had a strong record this season against the Mercury, securing victories by wide margins in their prior matchups. However, on Tuesday night, the Mercury fielded key players Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi concurrently for the first time. And the Mystics weren’t ready for it.? The Mercury went on to win convincingly at the Footprint Center by a score of 91-72.

However, the game was off to a rough start. A 6?3? Mercury Star got smacked in the face during the first quarter. And the Mercury’s head coach, Nikki Blue was not having it.

Head coach lashes out at referees

In evaluating his team’s performance, Mystics Coach Eric Thibault was blunt. He said, ?I didn?t think we played with much purpose.? Since Phoenix’s balanced gameplay allowed everyone who entered the court to contribute to the score, this lack of coherence was obvious.

Diana Taurasi, who recently became the first WNBA player to reach 10,000 career points, contributed to the game with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. On the other hand, Brittney Griner helped with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Starting players Sophie Cunningham and Moriah Jefferson each contributed double-digit scores of 14 and 15 points to the team’s total to assist the duo. And like most WNBA games this season, Tuesday night’s game was also ridden with injuries.

In an attempt to make a shot, the Mercury’s Sug Sutton passed the ball to Megan Gustafson in the first quarter. However, Gustafson missed the shot which was followed by Kadi Sissoko attempting to retrieve the ball. Unfortunately, while doing so, she collided with Tianna Hawkins. Hawkins’ hand hit Gustafson in the face. And both of the Mercury players tumbled to the ground. Sissoko got up and shrugged the fall off with a laugh. However, Gustafson lay on the ground with her hand covering her face.

The team’s athletic trainer, Hannah Wengertsman rushed out to the court to check on her. But this incident also did not sit well with the Mercury’s interim head coach, Nikki Blue.

Nikki Blue was seen furious, lashing out against the referees to review this injury. Even the fans at the arena seemed infuriated. Gustafson then walked off the court along with her team. However, Blue continued to engage in conversation with a referee.

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Meanwhile, what do we know about Nikki Blue?

The Phoenix Mercury appointed an interim head coach

The Phoenix Mercury entered a new era with Nikki Blue being appointed as the new head coach. She kicked off her debut with a game against the Dallas Wings that resulted in a loss for the Mercury (2-11) of 77-62. General Manager Jim Pitman provided an explanation for the switch from former head coach Vanessa Nygaard to Nikki Blue, citing the team’s dismal 2-10 record as the deciding factor.

Nikki Blue is a former WNBA player who served as the Mercury’s associate coach. She was also a successful college assistant coach before taking on the role of the team’s interim head coach. Pitman emphasized that Blue was the ideal candidate for this crucial job due to her extensive basketball expertise and good relationships with the players. He referred to this change as a “great reset” for the team.

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Being named interim head coach marks a key turning point in Nikki Blue’s career. It was Blue’s ambition to hold the position of head coach in the WNBA. And with a thorough understanding of the game, she is now ready to guide the Mercury down a path of revival and success.

What are your thoughts on Nikki Blue? Let us know in the comments below!