SAN FRANCISCO — Jewell Loyd, guard for the Las Vegas Aces, left Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals against the Golden State Valkyries due to a left leg injury and did not return to the court. The Valkyries secured a 71-60 victory at the Chase Center on Sunday, Oct. 4, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Loyd was injured early in the second half and exited the game shortly after two minutes into the third quarter. She ended the game with a plus/minus rating of +2 but failed to score, shooting 0-for-2 with two missed three-point attempts. Additionally, Loyd contributed two rebounds, one assist, and one turnover.
This injury further strains the Aces’ already thin roster, as multiple injuries have plagued the team throughout the 2026 postseason. Although Las Vegas narrowly defeated the Indiana Fever in the first round, they faced the Valkyries in the second round at less than full strength.
Fan Take: Loyd’s injury is a significant blow to the Aces and could shift the momentum in this tightly contested series. For WNBA fans, this highlights the physical demands of playoff basketball and underscores the importance of depth in building championship-caliber teams.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
