Chelsea Gray’s status for Game 4 of WNBA Finals still unclear after foot injury

The star guard was hurt in Game 3 of the WNBA finals

NEW YORK (AP) — Chelsea Gray’s status for Game 4 of the WNBA Finals is still unclear.

The Las Vegas Aces guard was injured in Game 3 on Sunday midway through the fourth quarter. The Aces canceled an optional shootaround Monday less than an hour before it was supposed to begin.

Gray left in the fourth quarter of Las Vegas’ 87-73 loss to New York with what coach Becky Hammon said was probably a foot injury. She had to be helped back to the locker room and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

Gray, who is averaging 15.6 points and 6.8 assists in the playoffs this year, has been durable throughout her time with Las Vegas since joining the team as a free agent in 2021, missing only one game.

If Gray can’t play in Game 4 on Wednesday night, Hammon has faith in her other guards.

“We (could) do it by committee,” Hammon said after the game. “I don’t think there’s any one person that’s going to step up and fill her shoes. Everybody steps up and does a little bit more.”

The Aces lead the best-of-five series 2-1.

The 2022 WNBA Finals MVP scored 11 points before getting hurt. She was battling Breanna Stewart in the post when she appeared to get injured. Gray came up hobbling, but remained in the game as play continued. She missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. A few seconds later, Hammon took a timeout to get the guard out of the game.

“I didn’t see what happened. I hope she’s OK,” Stewart said.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said New York wouldn’t change anything about getting ready for Game 4 based on Gray’s status.

“When someone goes down, someone else will step up,” Brondello said. “Our mindset is more about what we need to do to get ready for Wednesday. If Chelsea plays or she doesn’t play, our preparation won’t change.”

The Aces had only 13 assists Sunday to 28 by the Liberty, who are looking to become the first team to rally from an 0-2 deficit in the Finals.

“First, prayers to her,” New York guard Sabrina Ionescu said of Gray. “As an athlete, that’s your worst nightmare — going down with an injury. We’re all praying for her to be OK and hoping it was nothing too serious. But we’re not looking forward on that. We just have to focus on ourselves, understanding they’re a great team with or without her.”

The Aces depth was one of the teams major questions coming into the season. Coming off the championship last year, Las Vegas hoped to increase its depth, but because of an injury to Candace Parker that has sidelined her since late July and Riquna Williams’ legal issues, the team hasn’t been able to do that.

The Aces have had to rely heavily on their four stars — Gray, Wilson, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum — this season. The four have combined to average 75 of the team’s 88 points a game in the playoffs.

Gray’s injury is the latest in a long line of distractions that the defending champion Aces have had to overcome this season. Before the WNBA’s 27th season began, the league investigated the team after former Aces player Dearica Hamby said she had been bullied and manipulated for being pregnant.

The WNBA suspended Hammon for two games and also rescinded the Aces’ first-round pick in the 2025 draft for a different issue — a violation of league rules regarding impermissible player benefits.

Unhappy with the league’s findings, Hamby then filed a gender discrimination complaint last month against the WNBA and the Aces with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“A lot of adversity and pretty much my girls have held their tongues, been professional the whole time and went about their business,” Hammon said.

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