Suspended

Mercury guard reaches technical foul limit, will sit out Wednesday

Diana Taurasi will miss a game for reaching the WNBA technical limit.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi’s one-game suspension for reaching the WNBA technical foul limit was officially announced Monday.

The WNBA’s career scoring leader will sit out Wednesday’s home matinee against Chicago.

Taurasi received two technical fouls in the second quarter Saturday and was ejected from a game against Minnesota that the Mercury lost 80-75. Those calls were upheld by the league office, putting her at seven technicals for the season, the limit before a suspension.

This will be the fourth suspension Taurasi will serve for too many technical fouls. She also missed two games in 2013 for reaching the seven- and nine-technical limits and one game in 2016.

The Mercury (15-10) have lost five of their past six games including two at home last week. They are tied for third in the WNBA with Los Angeles behind Seattle (18-7) and Atlanta (15-9).

“Every game is important for us,” Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said Saturday when Taurasi’s suspension was expected. “We just have to regroup if anything happens (to Taurasi). We’re hoping it doesn’t, but if it does we have to move forward and play with the same intensity we did tonight (against Minnesota). We’re capable of beating anyone regardless. Usually when Diana goes out, we kind of crumble, but we fought back tonight.”

Taurasi, 36, in her 14th season, is averaging 20.3 points, fourth-best in the WNBA. She also is averaging 4.8 assists, tied for sixth-best.

Without Taurasi and guard Leilani Mitchell, who will miss a second game for personal reasons, the Mercury will have just eight players available against Chicago (8-17). The Sky beat the Mercury in their last meeting, 97-88 on June 24, when Phoenix still had its full roster (before Sancho Lyttle’s season-ending knee injury).

Yvonne Turner likely will move into the starting lineup in Taurasi’s absence.

Taurasi will be able to play in the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, along with teammates Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner.