If you had doubts about the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever having bad blood between them, their latest clash might have put those to rest. The tensions between the two teams were already simmering after Monday night’s chaos. But Wednesday’s rematch delivered yet another controversial moment involving Alyssa Thomas and Caitlin Clark.

Just over three minutes into the second quarter, Clark decided to attack the basket as she looked to create a scoring opportunity. But the Fever guard slipped inside the paint and found herself on the floor surrounded by three Mercury defenders. And that’s when the whole controversy unfolded.

As Clark remained on the court, Thomas jumped into the action in an attempt to secure possession. However, after the ball was already rolling free on the court, cameras caught the Mercury veteran driving her fist into the 24-year-old’s neck before stepping over her.

Now, this whole mess unfolded in plain sight, but officials allowed the game to continue without calling a foul.

But this kind of hostility between the two teams didn’t come out of nowhere.

Just two days earlier, their matchup descended into chaos after Caitlin Clark and DeWanna Bonner got into a verbal altercation after tangling up while battling for position late in the fourth quarter. That whole sequence ended up in five technical fouls and an ejection.

So, when clips of Thomas allegedly punching Clark in Wednesday’s game went viral online, fans made sure to let the officials know exactly how they felt about the refs not calling a foul.

Fans blast refs after Alyssa Thomas-Caitlin Clark incident

While fans are still debating whether Thomas’ actions were intentional or simply a result of the scramble for the loose ball, there seems to be far less disagreement about one thing: the officials’ failure to take action. So, as this incident became the talk of the town, many fans turned their frustration toward the referees.

“‘Why does Clark complain to the refs?’ Exhibit 1022,” one fan wrote.

Another added, “The refs scared of AT or what? What B.S.”

The first comment struck a chord with many because Clark’s relationship with officials has been a talking point throughout the 2026 WNBA season. The Fever star has frequently found herself in heated discussions with referees, which has constantly led some critics to label her as overly emotional on the court.

But here’s the thing: the tensions between the Mercury and Fever are not happening in a vacuum. In fact, they can be traced back to last season.

DeWanna Bonner’s brief and controversial stint in Indiana came to an abrupt end after she took a leave of absence and requested a trade. She eventually returned to Phoenix. Her departure, especially without an explanation to the Indiana players, added an extra layer of tension in Fever versus Mercury.

“ARE YOU GNG TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SHIT? I hope she gets a LAWYER AND SUES YOU!!!,” one fan wrote after tagging WNBA.

Another social media user wrote, “THAT WAS FCKIN TRASH. And you wanna give Caitlin a tech for clapping. Your refs are bunch of itches. Clown ass league.”

On Monday, Caitlin Clark revealed that the technical foul she received during the chaotic confrontation with Phoenix was for clapping.

So, when this incident, in which she was punched in the neck, appeared to go completely unpunished, fans couldn’t help but point out what they viewed as a glaring inconsistency from the officials, especially when this wasn’t the only play in this game where she was found on the floor.

“The fact that Alyssa Thomas is allowed to commit literal assault on a basketball court without receiving a common foul is beyond criminal. This league is rigged,” another fan added.

In the end, the physicality of this game took its toll on Caitlin Clark. In the third quarter, she was seen making her way to the locker room because of her back issue. While it remains unclear whether the injury was connected to any specific play, her exit from the game proved to be a significant blow for Indiana.