Atlanta’s All-Star Allisha Gray is officially sidelined for Wednesday’s WNBA semifinal Game 2 against the New York Liberty, but if Game 1 taught us anything, it’s that you can’t count out the Dream. Despite losing their top scorer and All-Star to injury in the first half of Game 1, Atlanta rallied for a shocking 92-82 victory, blowing open the game in the third quarter.
The Big Lish Question Mark Looms Large
The biggest storyline heading into Game 2 is undoubtedly the absence of Allisha Gray. Gray, an All-Star and the Dream’s leading scorer, suffered an injury to her left, shooting hand in Game 1. She took a hit at the end of the first quarter, came back briefly in the second with her pinkie and ring finger taped, but quickly ditched the tape and left the game for good. Gray watched the entire second half from the bench with her finger in a splint. The Dream are only calling her day-to-day, and they’ve kept mum on what the X-rays revealed.
Gray’s season numbers are crucial here. She averaged a team-high 19.0 points per game in the regular season, and cranked it up to 22 points per game in the first round of the playoffs. In her 11 minutes in Game 1 before leaving, she had 7 points on 1-for-5 shooting. Dream coach Karl Smesko wasn’t mincing words on Tuesday, telling the media, “Nobody’s going to try to be Lish because, I mean, there’s only one Lish. Lish is one of the best players in the league. She’s an exceptional scorer and she’s an excellent defender. So being without her for a game is tough, but we have players that are ready to step up.” That’s high praise, and it shows you exactly how much her absence is felt.
How The Dream Stunned Everyone Without Their Star
The real shocker from Game 1 was how Atlanta not only survived, but absolutely thrived without Gray on the court. They didn’t just win, they dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Liberty 32-15 and completely blowing the game open. You’ve got to give massive credit to 39-year-old DeWanna Bonner. The late-August buyout acquisition, who holds the WNBA record for most career playoff games and has won two titles, apparently delivered a fire-starting halftime speech. She wouldn’t spill the beans on what she said, but whatever it was, it worked. The Dream’s defense locked down, racking up an incredible nine steals in that third quarter alone, which directly led to 16 points. That kind of defensive intensity and veteran leadership is exactly what you need when a star goes down.
Game 2 Is A Must-Watch Battle
So, what does this all mean for Game 2? Oddsmakers are clearly paying attention to Gray’s absence. In Game 1, Atlanta closed at -3.5 with a total of 172.5. For Wednesday’s Game 2, the Dream are sitting at -1.5, with the total at 170.5. The sportsbooks clearly value Gray, but the Dream are still taking 54% of the handle and 57% of the wagers at DraftKings. There’s also a solid Under lean on that 170.5 total.
Wednesday night’s Game 2 tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, and everyone will be watching to see if the Dream can truly defy the odds again, or if Gray’s absence finally catches up to them. This semifinal doubleheader is already delivering serious playoff drama.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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