Kelsey Plum Asks Teammate If Kelsey Plum’s Finger Is Broken Or Not

This part is not up for dispute: Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum has been playing the last two rounds of the WNBA playoffs with wrapping on the pinky finger of her dominant left hand. The wrap was first visible during Game 1 of the Aces’ second-round series against the Dallas Wings, and it’s been there every game since.

During Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday, ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported that Plum had been playing with a broken finger. In the postgame press conference, a reporter asked Plum if that was accurate. Plum froze for several seconds; this behavior is not typical of a person with an intact finger. Instead of looking at her own finger, Plum looked at Aces floor general Chelsea Gray for guidance. Gray, displaying her veteran leadership, whispered “Just say no.” Plum took her advice and confidently denied playing with a broken finger, proceeding to continue snacking nonchalantly.

That’s enough proof for me, although Plum’s performance on the court tells a different story. Game Two was Plum’s standout game of the postseason, where she scored 23 points, dished out eight assists, and recorded three steals in the Aces’ dominant 104-76 victory over the New York Liberty. Despite the shooting-hand injury, Plum’s shooting accuracy has remained impressive, with a shooting percentage of 47 percent from the field, which aligns with her season average, and 44 percent from beyond the arc, surpassing her season average of 39 percent. It appears that a broken pinky hasn’t affected her ability to nail those quick-trigger step-back threes.

Plum was just one element of the well-rounded offensive attack by the Aces, with A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young contributing 26 and 24 points, respectively, leaving the New York Liberty in a state of despair. The Liberty had not experienced consecutive losses throughout the season until this series, where they have been outscored by a staggering 45 points. With a chance to close out the series, the Aces will face the Liberty in Brooklyn later today.