Maybe this will get folks to start watching WNBA games? With about four seconds left in last night's L.A. Sparks and Detroit Shock game, Sparks' Candace Parker and Shock's Plenette Pierson got tangled up after a free throw that resulted in Pierson throwing Parker to the ground. Pierson approached Parker as she tried to get up and Parker threw her to the ground and both benches cleared with the Shock's Deanna Nolan tackling Parker and Detroit's Cheryl Ford holding back Pierson resulting in Ford falling down and injuring her knee.
In the midst of the melee, Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn somehow pushed Lisa Leslie to the ground and her teammate, DeLisha Milton-Jones, pushed and punched Mahorn in the back. Parker, Pierson, Milton-Jones and Mahorn were ejected, and Nolan and Los Angeles' Shannon Bobbitt received technicals.
"To be honest, I don't recall exactly what happened," Parker told ESPN. "I'll have to watch the tape."
As far as the situation between Leslie and Mahorn, Mahorn said he didn't mean to knock anyone down.
"I was trying to protect the whole game, the integrity of the game," Mahorn said of Tuesday's ejection. "The WNBA is very special to me ... I would never push a woman. This game, I love this game too much."
"I don't even know why was he pushing me down," Leslie said. "I wasn't swinging or hitting anybody. I was just going to go help my teammate up."
Check out the video after the jump:
Comments: (41)
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By: LBin407 on 7/23/2008 3:31PM
I support the CP. These veterans have been gunning for CP since she stepped in the league. Ive seen them pull on her dislocated shoulder and constantly take cheap shots at her. It's uncalled for. But through all that adversity,she still manages to be #1 in rebounds and in the top ten in everything else. It hatred at its finest. CP let Pearson know, she is not the ONE to be messed with.
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By: Fred on 7/23/2008 4:56PM
I wish I could've seen the whole thing...
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By: seven on 7/23/2008 5:19PM
Lisa Leslie clearly threw a punch at Rick Mahorn. I could not believe she would say she was trying to help
Candace. Lisa may have tried to help, but she threw a
few punches. Let's be honest Lisa. I have seen replay
after replay, and it's clear that Lisa punched first
before she was pushed to the floor. I am a Candace
Parker fan, and she clearly had a role in this scuffle
also. Pierson, Nolan, Milton and some of the other players.
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By: Larry on 7/23/2008 9:31PM
Well to be honest. Pierson, the gilr candace scuffled with, has some what of a history with fighting; she had a lil scuffle in last years finals with Penny Taylor. I understand the past is the past, but a track record is still some form of evidence and she be considered. Besides we don't know what was said and lets face it when she walked up on CP that can be seen as a threat. You just can't do that to everybody. Candace was not gonna stand for a threat. She responded as many would
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By: chicky on 7/23/2008 8:46PM
CP3 is the best in the game, so everyone is gunning. She will be suspended for her role, but folks need to just play the game. Coaches should never put hands on any player, so regardless Mahorn shouldn't have touched Leslie who landed on her back. Let's move on after the suspension and watch CP3 and Leslie win the WNBA title and join with others to win Olympic Gold.
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By: keith gamble on 7/24/2008 12:20AM
Great fight....good for the game....That's what the fans want to see....All about competing.
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By: Keyondra on 7/24/2008 1:27AM
Well to be honest Pierson started it because she has a hot temper. It was basically a tangle up but hey basketball is a contact sport so Pierson shouldnt have got heated and went after Parker. I love both teams and im a big fan of Parker but the whole thing should have been avoided. Hopefully they take this and put it in the past then move on and do what they came to do......Ball Hard!!!
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By: Willie Eashman on 7/24/2008 10:20AM
I saw the replay, and heard the comments after the fact. Lisa Lesile, come on when you throw a punch at a man expect something in return. As for your teammate who hit Rick from behind she was a straight up coward. In a brawl if you throw a punch expect to be dealt with. Lisa he didn't push you with force to cause you to hit the floor like that. But what was really upsetting you brought your 1 yrs old daughter in the picture. Do you recall you got throw out of a college game for fighting or is your memory that short. So don't like you haven't been there before check those USC records or do they seal them to protect you. I think the league needs to hand out heavy fines to all and give all those in picture a vac. like they do the men. But again the women want a double standard -- and to me that isn't fair. This would not have been a issues, if Rick wasn't in the picture, all those who left the bench needs to be fine and levy a game susp.like the men.
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By: Anthony Simpson on 7/24/2008 12:25PM
I am in prayer that this type of behavior by the so wonderful Woman of the WNBA does not continue, nor should it have an effect on the WNBA in the near future. We have to get back to the basics of why we love the sport in the first place. Bring it back to its original greatness and lets become examples for what we hope our future generation could follow. Simply because, "We Have Never Settled Anything By Violence" Never have, nor will we ever. Please bring it back girls... Respectfully yours, Anthony Simpson
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By: hulk of Humans on 7/24/2008 1:15PM
this is why ppl don't respect the wnba
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