Taurasi salutes Bird, bests her in rivals’ last game

PHOENIX — Throughout a pregame video honoring Seattle Storm star Sue Hen earlier than her final regular-season assembly towards Diana Taurasi, the Phoenix Mercury star obtained in a single final rib.

“It is time so that you can go,” she mentioned, tongue in cheek, on the large display screen looming above the courtroom within the Footprint Heart in downtown Phoenix.

Then Taurasi proceeded to offer Hen fairly a going away current — past the customized Jordan 1s offered to Hen earlier than the sport — scoring 28 factors whereas main the Mercury to a 94-78 win in entrance of 14,162 folks, the third-most in Mercury historical past.

Hen checked out of the sport on the 3:20 mark of the fourth quarter with two factors and 5 rebounds. However the stats and, to some extent, the result weren’t the story.

The day, the sport, the ambiance had been about Taurasi and Hen taking part in one another for the final time within the common season earlier than Hen retires on the finish of the season.

Taurasi offered Hen with a pair of customized Jordan 1s that honor Hen and her profession. Their real affection for one another was laborious to overlook. Because it all the time is, it was on show at any time when they had been collectively on the courtroom earlier than tipoff.

Their hug earlier than the 2 sat down for a TV interview about an hour earlier than tip — during which there have been extra smiles and laughs than questions — was the type of embrace you see from two finest buddies who have not seen one another for a minute.

After Hen’s warmup, she stopped to signal autographs on her option to the locker room. Inside mere seconds, a crowd descended upon her as she inked her identify on every part from mini basketballs to jerseys whereas doing an entire 360. It did not matter that she was the customer or perhaps a West rival. She was embraced and celebrated by a mix of Mercury and Storm followers.

Again in 2019, Taurasi, speaking about being hated by followers on the highway, questioned why Hen did not obtain the identical reception she does.

“I do know generally, we’re getting launched and, ‘Sue Hen …’” Taurasi mentioned, earlier than mimicking applause. “I am like, ‘You guys, we’re in Phoenix. Will somebody boo her please? S—. Why are we clapping for Sue Hen, dammit?’ And I’m going up there, and so they’re throwing bathroom paper at me, holy water.”

Hen’s greeting was no completely different Friday night time. Besides it was higher. She obtained a standing ovation when she obtained the Mercury’s present and one other cheer when she was launched — identical to Taurasi complained about. This one was warranted, although.

Hen jerseys in Seattle’s trademark yellow and inexperienced stood out towards the purple and black Mercury threads. There was a couple of of Hen’s UConn jerseys within the crowd and a handful of Hen’s Staff USA jerseys.