The Las Vegas Aces did not go into the WNBA semifinals completely healthy and their depth has been compromised.
The team was without NaLyssa Smith, Stephanie Talbot and Dana Evans in their 71-60, Game 1 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, Oct. 4. Additionally, they lost Jewell Loyd, who left midgame with an apparent leg injury.
However, there's a glimmer of hope that they could see some players return, but not Loyd.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon initially said Evans and Talbot would be a game-time decision and Loyd would “likely” be out, according to ESPN's Kendra Andrews. Loyd was officially ruled out for Game 2, according to the league injury report, as of the 8:15 p.m.
Loyd finished Game 1 with a plus/minus of +2. She posted a stat line
of 0-for-2, missing two 3-point shots, two rebounds, an assist and a turnover.
Talbot has been out with a left leg injury, while Evans has been nursing a knee injury. Smith suffered a non-contact injury – causing pain in her left leg and knee – while landing after a layup attempt in the third quarter against the Toronto Tempo in an 88-78 win on Aug. 23.
"We're a little bit depleted right now. We just have to be next woman up," Hammon said to reporters before Game 1. "A lot of their players are very similar, so Nat kind of shuffles them in there and out of there. … They kind of have a different kind of firepower that they were able to put together. For us, you know, we just at some point I wish we would get healthy, but you know, it is what it is."
The WNBA Semifinals continue with Game 2 between the Valkyries and Aces, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT) Oct. 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. The Valkyries have a 1-0 lead as the Aces look to knot the series up before heading to Las Vegas for Games 3 and 4.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aces get hopeful injury update vs Valkyries, but discouraging Jewell Loyd news
