Christie Sides wanted Caitlin Clark to tone down her talking to officials, imploring her star to instead, “Let me get the technicals.”
On Thursday night, Sides did her part.
Sides earned a technical foul after she unloaded on the referees during the Fever’s blowout loss to the Storm following a no-call against Clark on a drive to the hoop that resulted in a missed shot.
The second-year head coach had to be held back by an assistant during the 103-88 loss.
Christie Sides has seen enough and erupts on the official after the no-call as Caitlin Clark attacked the basket.
This has built up over time — and was needed, IMO. pic.twitter.com/sUK58EwSFy
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 31, 2024
“We’ve just got to get better with the officiating. We’ve got to get some of those calls,” Sides said after the Fever dropped to 1-8. “I feel like they’re getting some calls that’s happening on our end as well, and I just don’t feel like we’re getting some of those.”
An early Clark storyline has involved how WNBA referees have called her games while she’s adjusted to the league. Opponents have been physical with her, including Breanna Stewart leveling her with a screen.
Even during Thursday’s game, Clark and Victoria Vivens each received a technical foul for jawing in each other’s faces after Clark started to find her stroke.
Christie Sides received a technical foul in the third quarter. Joe Timmerman/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Clark is known for being vocal with the referees, even receiving a technical foul earlier this year for bluntly telling a referee, “It’s a f–king foul.”
Sides hoped to see less of that from her star, but even she couldn’t contain herself Thursday night after the referees swallowed the whistle on the third-quarter drive.
Seattle’s Sami Whitcomb appeared to foul Clark multiple times during the play, both before and after the shot, but the referees let them play and Clark missed.
“That’s a foul,” announcer Debbie Antonelli said.
That’s when Sides lost her cool, screaming at the referee before earning a technical foul with the Fever trailing 71-52 with 2:28 remaining in the quarter.
The technical had little effect on the game, with the Storm winning easily.
Clark finished with 20 points on 6-of-17 shooting and appreciated her coach defending her.
“I feel like I’m getting hammered, I don’t know,” Clark said. “I appreciate Christie getting the tech too. I don’t know.”
