Things got chippy in the final seconds Sunday before the Fever blew past the Storm, 92-75, behind a record-setting performance by Caitlin Clark.
Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn seemed upset with Indiana coach Christie Sides during a heated exchange in the final seconds of the game, as seen in a replay video on X.
Quinn was animated while flailing her arms and pointing in different directions — and had her hand on Sides’ shoulder at one point.
Storm veteran Skylar Diggins-Smith then approached the situation, along with a referee, and was seen exchanging words with Sides, but it is unclear what was said.
“I’m not sure that’s a pleasant conversation over there,” Ryan Ruocco, who was calling the game with Rebecca Lobo, said on the ESPN broadcast.
Quinn played down the exchange with Sides in her postgame press conference.
“I respect Christie. Been in this league for a long time and played for her in Russia. We were just having a spirited conversation about gamesmanship. That’s it,” Quinn said.
Clark recorded nine assists to break the WNBA record for total assists by a rookie with 225, which broke the previous rookie record of 224 by Ticha Penicheiro in 1998.
While the coaches were chirping, Clark appeared to say, “Stop crying,” while looking in the direction of the Seattle bench, before she shared a laugh with Fever forward Katie Lou Samuelson.
After the victory, Clark circled the court while waving her arm as the Indiana crowd cheered at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft then inadvertently bumped into Diggins-Smith, who was clearly frustrated after the loss.
Clark’s celebration came after she finished with 23 points and five rebounds.
The Fever (13-15) have won four of their last five games and are poised to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.
With a 17-10 record, Seattle is currently ranked third in the Western Conference, one spot behind the reigning champion Aces (17-9).
The Storm face the Mystics in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, while the Fever have a few days off before a matchup with the Western Conference-leading Lynx on Saturday.