Jewell Loyd Out for Aces Game 2 vs. Valkyries Due to Leg Injury, ESPN Reports

Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd has been ruled out of the October 7, 2026, Game 2 semifinal contest against the Golden State Valkyries due to a left leg injury, ESPN reported. Loyd sustained the injury in the third quarter of Game 1 on October 4, 2026, in San Francisco, remaining scoreless across 17 minutes before missing the final two quarters of the Aces’ 71-60 loss, according to Field Media reporting published by Reuters.

Aces Face Slashed Roster Depth Without Loyd

The loss of Loyd further strains a Las Vegas rotation already hit by postseason injuries. Forward NaLyssa Smith is done for the season, while guard Dana Evans and forward Stephanie Talbot missed Game 1 entirely, leaving the Aces’ bench outscored 27-7 by Golden State, ESPN reported. Reuters noted that the 33-year-old Loyd, who won the 2023 WNBA scoring title averaging 24.7 points per game for the Seattle Storm, is averaging a career-low 8.0 points this season as a 12th-year role player for Las Vegas. However, ESPN highlighted that she remains an important offensive weapon providing vital supplementary scoring.

Becky Hammon Adjusts Game Plan For Game 2

Aces coach Becky Hammon addressed the depleted roster ahead of the matchup in San Francisco. At some point, I just wish we would get healthy, but it is what it is, Hammon said, as reported by ESPN. Following the Game 1 defeat, Hammon added, You’ve just got to go with who is sitting on that bench. We don’t have a lot of time to sulk about it. Nobody feels bad for us. It’s the next woman up. While Evans was upgraded to probable hours before the October 7 tipoff and Talbot remains questionable, Hammon prepared multiple game plans relying heavily on the core trio of A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young.

Wilson And Star Trio Carry Must-Win Pressure

Wilson finished Game 1 with 25 points on an inefficient 8-of-21 shooting performance from the field. Hammon expressed confidence in her star forward ahead of the second contest, stating after shootaround, One thing I know about A’ja is she doesn’t have back-to-back games where she struggles, according to ESPN. Hammon categorized Game 2 as a must-win fixture, emphasizing that the team cannot return to Las Vegas facing an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-five series, while noting that the franchise has previously recovered from opening semifinal losses.