Aces starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes out for Game 4 of WNBA Finals vs. Liberty

The Las Vegas Aces are on the verge of winning consecutive WNBA titles, but their chances have taken a hit with the absence of two key starters.

Aces guard Chelsea Gray and center Kiah Stokes will both miss Game 4 of the WNBA Finals due to foot injuries, confirmed head coach Becky Hammon. Gray and Stokes were seen using walking boots and crutches during Tuesday’s practice.

Hammon expressed disappointment for both players, acknowledging the impact of their injuries in such crucial moments. However, she emphasized the team’s need to move forward and continue competing.

WNBA Finals: How we got here: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

In Game 3 against the New York Liberty on Sunday, Gray injured her left foot during the fourth quarter. She was visibly in pain as she made her way to the locker room without putting any weight on her injured foot. Gray, who has been instrumental in the 2023 Finals, expressed her frustration with the timing of her injury but remains motivated to win the championship.

Stokes, on the other hand, is uncertain when she sustained her foot injury but woke up with pain in her foot. In addition to Gray and Stokes, the Aces are also missing star forward Candace Parker, who underwent surgery for a foot fracture in July, and guard Riquna Williams, who faced domestic battery charges.

As replacements, Sydney Colson and Cayla George will fill in for Gray and Stokes. The Aces, a team that has faced numerous challenges this season, will need contributions from the entire roster to win the title.

Regarding the absence of Gray, Hammon acknowledged the difficulty of finding a single player to fill her role as the team’s leader. The Aces currently hold a 2-1 advantage over the Liberty, winning Game 1 and Game 2 convincingly before suffering a loss in Game 3.

If necessary, Game 5 will be played in Las Vegas on Friday. The Aces aim to become the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002 to win back-to-back WNBA titles, while the Liberty are striving for their first championship. No team in WNBA history has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five Finals series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aces will be without Chelsea Gray, Kiah Stokes in WNBA Finals Game 4