Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson will get an MRI on her proper wrist after she injured it Tuesday evening within the Las Vegas Aces‘ 87-78 loss to the New York Liberty.
The damage occurred six minutes into the second quarter when Wilson landed laborious on her proper arm and wrist after going up for a layup. She remained on the ground for a couple of minutes together with her group surrounding her however was in a position to rise up below her personal energy.
She stayed within the sport for the following few possessions, a call coach Becky Hammon stated was made by Wilson so the Aces would not need to deliberately foul to cease play. Doing that may have put Las Vegas within the bonus for the ultimate 4 minutes.
On the subsequent pure stoppage, simply earlier than the top of the primary half, Wilson went again to the locker room. She was dominated out throughout halftime.
“She completely doesn’t wish to sit out or exit of the sport. However then there is a actuality of physicality that occurs on the market so we wished to be precautious tonight and err on the facet of security,” Hammon stated. “Err on the facet of security together with her. Large image, our season is larger than simply this one sport so we wish to be sure that she’s not placing herself at any threat of injuring something or damaging something.”
The imagining on Wilson’s wrist will happen Wednesday morning, Hammon stated.
Wilson had two factors made off free throws in 14 minutes earlier than leaving the sport. She returned to Las Vegas’ bench halfway by means of the third quarter with a wrap on her proper wrist.
Wilson, who was averaging 21.9 factors and 9 rebounds per sport coming into Tuesday, missed three video games earlier this season whereas in concussion protocol, with the Aces going 2-1 in that span.
The Aces took a two-point lead into halftime towards the Liberty and began Kierstan Bell within the second half instead of Wilson. They saved the sport shut till the fourth quarter however could not quiet the Liberty sufficient to remain within the sport. Las Vegas did not register a discipline objective within the remaining 5 minutes of the sport and completed the evening with 16 turnovers and 41.9% capturing from the sphere.
“[Wilson] adjustments the entire dynamic of each ends of the ground for us. You are by no means going to exchange that. You possibly can’t exchange that, for positive not with one particular person, two, perhaps even three and even 4,” Hammon stated. “It is about us combating and sticking collectively and figuring it out.”
The Aces are 9-10, having dropped three of their previous 5 video games, and are going through uncertainty about whether or not they’ll once more need to play with out Wilson.