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Brittney Griner and Rickea Jackson ignited a bench-clearing scuffle in the latest Mercury-Sparks matchup

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) is restrained by Khary Stanley from LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson (2) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Network
Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) is restrained by Khary Stanley from LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson (2) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Network

Brittney Griner and Rickea Jackson got into a mid-game scuffle Tuesday and had to be separated by their teams.

Phoenix's Celeste Taylor was shooting a free throw, and Griner and Jackson stood next to each other as players waited for the shot to be completed. It's not uncommon for players of opposing teams to jockey for position in the off-chance someone misses a free throw, and a rebound can be grabbed.

But it seems Brittney might have gotten a little too physical with Rickea during the positioning — using an elbow to create some separation — and the rookie took exception to it. Words between the pair were quickly exchanged, and soon, the two approached each other, initiating more contact. In the blink of an eye, Griner was going after Jackson, and Jackson was seemingly squaring up with Griner.

Coaches and players from both teams quickly cleared the benches and separated the pair, and eventually, Griner and Jackson were ejected.

Later, Jackson would return to the court after her ejection, but things didn't stop there. Both Rickea and Brittney sparred on Instagram with fans who had thoughts about the squabble.

Here are some of the comments we've found (Warning: very NSFW language):

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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Brittney Griner and Rickea Jackson ignited a bench-clearing scuffle in the latest Mercury-Sparks matchup