Griner Ejected After Fiery Exchange With Official
Dream Secure Gritty Win Over Wings Amidst Second-Half Drama
Star center Brittney Griner was controversially ejected in the second half of the Atlanta Dream’s narrow 88-85 victory over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night, a decision that ignited a tense moment on the court.
Second Technical Leads to Dismissal
The incident occurred in the third quarter when Griner was whistled for a foul while battling for a rebound with Haley Jones. After what appeared to be a brief moment of acknowledgment towards Jones, Griner turned her attention to the official. Their ensuing verbal exchange quickly escalated, resulting in a technical foul for Griner.
The situation worsened as Griner continued her argument, making contact with the official. This action automatically triggered a second technical foul, leading to her immediate ejection from the game. Teammates intervened, pulling Griner away as she departed the court.
Dream Overcome Adversity
At the time of her ejection, the Dream held a slim one-point advantage. Despite the setback, Atlanta managed to extend their lead to eight points early in the final quarter. However, the Wings mounted a strong comeback, launching an 11-2 run and holding the Dream scoreless for nearly four minutes to close the gap.
A clutch three-pointer from Naz Hillmon with under three seconds remaining ultimately sealed the hard-fought win for the Dream. Hillmon, coming off the bench, was instrumental in the victory, scoring 21 points and shooting an impressive 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Wings’ Efforts Fall Short
For the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers led the scoring with 21 points and dished out seven assists. Luisa Geiselsoder contributed 13 points, and Haley Jones added 12. The loss drops the Wings’ record to 8-20, marking their third defeat in their last four outings.
Dream Maintain Strong Position
Allisha Gray also had a significant impact for the Dream, tallying 15 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. The Atlanta Dream now boast a 16-11 record for the season, solidifying their position as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the New York Liberty. Their next game is scheduled for Friday against the Phoenix Mercury.
This season, Griner has been averaging a career-low 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in her first year with the Dream, following 12 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. In her brief appearance on Wednesday, she had recorded four points and four rebounds before her ejection.