Did you notice a thing in this year’s Game 1 final? Yes, after a long season of calling out the league officials and more, that energy against referees wasn’t there. Yes, there were some protested calls when either side felt a little cheated, but it was nothing compared to what we have seen in the previous series. Will we see the same as the Aces and Mercury take on for the second time?

Maybe because Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the officiating concerns, saying she’s establishing a multi-stakeholder task force committee for players and others to ensure “our officiating platform evolves in step with the growth of the league.” While that is not immediately possible, the referees will be closely watched in these finals. So let’s have a cursory look at who will be officiating the Game 2 Aces vs Mercury clash.  

Which referees are assigned to the Aces vs Mercury Finals Game 2?

The WNBA has announced the officiating crew for Game 2 of the Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury: (data via ref metrics) The crew chief for the game will be Isaac Barnett. But here are the rest of the officials:

• Referee: Maj Forsberg 

• Umpire: Kevin Fahy

• Alternate: Angelica Suffren 

How does the WNBA select officials for the Finals?

Initially, the playoff officials are selected by the WNBA Referee Operations management team based on three specific criteria throughout the season: graded rankings (also done by the Operations team), play-calling accuracy, and team feedback. Then, each referee is evaluated after each round the top officials advance. In this way, a group of 14 referees was announced by the official referees account, who will alternate in this 7-game series. 

Why are officials important in the Aces vs Mercury Finals Game 2?

Game 1 was slightly lopsided towards the Aces when it comes to free throws, as the home team received 20 as compared to Phoenix’s 13. Not that the referees were favorable to Aces by any means, but these calls matter even more so after Aces won by only 3 points.

The Mercury this postseason generally has a record of slipping in Game 1 and coming back harder in the following matchups. So, Game 2 will be even more supercharged, and expect it to be physical since the Mercury will not be willing to hand a 2-0 lead. Both teams play physical basketball, and as the pressure rises, we will see more contentious plays, putting the referees in the spotlight again.

Where and how to watch Aces vs Mercury Finals Game 2?

Venue: Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Date: Sunday, October 5

Tip-off Time: 3 pm ET

Streaming: WNBA League Pass, ESPN App

TV: ABC

Since this is a 7-game WNBA Finals series, we will see each team adapt to the other as the games go on. At some point, they will be used to each other’s offensive and defensive schemes, leading to a lock. We will also see players tiring out, leading to sloppy plays and increased foul calls. We could even see injuries to some important players. The tensions will rise as the stakes are as high as they can be. And amid the tension, the referees will need to have their hands full keeping this one under control.