The Las Vegas Aces edged past the Toronto Tempo 88-78 on Sunday, taking the Aces to third in the standings with a 26-13 record. However, the victory turned bittersweet for the Aces as forward NaLyssa Smith went down with a knee injury at Rogers Arena. As the Texas native fell to the floor, fans flooded the comment section, praying for her speedy recovery.
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With around 3:16 left on the clock in the third quarter, Smith went down, grabbing her knee per an Instagram video by B/R W Sports. This was after she attempted to go for a layup off of a pass from her teammate Jackie Young. The injury appeared to be a non-contact one, as Smith landed awkwardly on her left leg before she fell to the floor. The forward was seen slapping the hardwood as she clutched at her knee, clearly in pain.
The Aces’ bench and coach Becky Hammon immediately rushed out to her aid, and she was ultimately helped off the court. Smith did not return for the rest of the game.
Fans wasted no time in wishing NaLyssa Smith a speedy recovery as they dropped comments under the video posted by B/R W Sports.
“Ughhhh, she’s had a great season too! Hate this for her 😢,” one fan said, referring to the fact that Smith has been a key player for the Aces this season. She is averaging 11.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.6 steals per game this season.
NaLyssa Smith has been a key two-way player for the Aces this season, being fifth in scoring on the team and second in rebounds, behind only reigning MVP A’ja Wilson.
“It popped for sure. That looks gruesome. She definitely tore a ligament in her knee. Her season is over. These knee injuries are hard to comeback from these days. Speedy recovery, and come back stronger next season,” another fan said. Looking at the clip, the injury appears quite serious, but there is no official update from the Aces’ management about its nature or severity.
“We are playing too many games too close together,” one fan said, perhaps referring to the fact that the Aces playing five games in the last ten days might have played a part in this injury. The WNBA’s schedule gets quite hectic as we approach the postseason, and regular-season games are set to increase to 50 from next season.
“How about we invest in women’s health and women’s health in sports specifically!!,” one fan said, calling for more targeted interventions to prevent injuries like these in women’s sports.
“Yeah, they cooked in the playoffs,” another fan said. The Aces don’t have too many options off the bench if NaLyssa Smith indeed has to be replaced. With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Aces would be dealt a terrible blow if Smith’s injury keeps her out for the rest of the season.
The Aces and A’ja Wilson would look to finish in the top four to secure home-court advantage, as they again take on the Tempo on August 28.