The Las Vegas Aces are already down 0-1 in their best-of-five series against the Golden State Valkyries, and now they might be without Jewell Loyd for Wednesday’s Game 2. Loyd is officially listed as doubtful, a bad sign after she sustained a left leg injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s Game 1 loss and couldn’t even return to that game. This whole situation just feels like a kick to the gut when you’re already trying to climb back into a series.
Loyd’s Workout Woes and What It Means
Coach Becky Hammon told reporters on Tuesday that they were trying to “ramp them up,” and waiting to see “how they feel and recover off of this little workout.” Well, just a few hours later, Loyd was officially doubtful. That news tells you everything you need to know: the workout did *not* go well. Loyd might not be one of their big-name stars, but her absence absolutely hurts. She averages 8.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, and more importantly, she’s logging 25.9 minutes every night. With the Aces already short on backcourt depth, losing someone who plays that much is a massive problem. In Game 1 before her injury, she played 17 minutes, grabbed two rebounds, and dished an assist, even if she did go 0-for-2 from deep.
Other Injuries Pile Up as Depth Gets Tested
The Loyd situation isn’t even the only injury headache for Vegas. Dana Evans is dealing with a right knee issue and Steph Talbot has a lower left leg injury, similar to Loyd’s, and both are questionable for Wednesday. That’s three key backcourt players potentially sidelined or limited, it’s brutal! With Loyd out of the picture in Game 1, Mai Yamamoto stepped up and saw more playing time, logging 19 minutes which is above her 15.1-minute average. But she only put up two points and an assist in the loss, which isn’t exactly a huge impact. The Aces need someone to step up big time if they’re going to avoid going down 0-2.
The Aces face the Valkyries on Wednesday, needing a win to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole in this best-of-five series. With so many key players banged up, it’s going to take a heroic effort from whoever suits up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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