The Las Vegas Aces have been dealt a tough hand ahead of Game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals. The team announced Tuesday that they will be without starting point guard Chelsea Gray, and starting center Kiah Stokes Wednesday night. The Aces are up 2-1 in a best-of-five series with the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals. Las Vegas won its first title last season and looks to repeat, while the New York Liberty – an original league franchise – seeks its first WNBA title.
Gray injured her left foot in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 87-73 loss to the New York Liberty. She was seen wearing a boot and using a knee scooter at the team practice at Barclays Center on Tuesday afternoon. Stokes was wearing a walking boot on her right foot and using crutches.
“Just pain in the left foot,” Gray told media Tuesday. “That’s kinda what it is, waiting to hear more.” Gray also confirmed it was a non-contact injury. The two-time WNBA champion scored 11 points before her late-game injury. She was contained to only two assists, well under her 7.3 average per game.
Stokes’ injury came on gradually. “I honestly couldn’t even tell you what happened,” Stokes said Tuesday afternoon at Barclays Center. “Playing all year ’round,…