Chelsea Gray’s return ‘just around the corner’ for Las Vegas Aces

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon has an analogy where she compares the components of her team to ingredients used to make a cake.

When you take the main ingredient out, Hammon says, the cake is going to taste and look different. 

The Aces through 11 games this season have had to adjust to “baking” without one of its main ingredients — star guard Chelsea Gray.

Gray, who suffered a foot injury during the WNBA Finals, is close to returning, Hammon said this week. Las Vegas is 6-5 without her in the lineup.

Her status earlier this week was upgraded from “out” to “questionable” and she was listed as an active player for Thursday’s win over the Phoenix Mercury. That victory, despite giving up 99 points, helped the two-time defending WNBA champions snap a rare three-game losing streak.

Gray’s potential return couldn’t come at a better time. The Aces at 12 p.m. today host the New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals.

“We miss her joy on the court,” teammate Kelsey Plum said. “Chelsea is someone that brings a lot of flash and she makes it fun. The no-look stuff gets the fans going.”

Not only is Gray one of Las Vegas’ best players, she’s also one of the world’s best.

She averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 assists and four rebounds per game last season, helping give Las Vegas one of the unquestioned top lineups in the league. Gray, Plum, Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson were all named  to the United States’ Olympic Team.

And they’ll soon be reunited in Las Vegas.

“We miss her (Gray) leadership, we miss the joy that she brings and quite frankly, she makes everybody’s job easier including mine,” Hammon said. “But we still have enough so we’re not making excuses.”

The three-game losing streak, including a 100-86 defeat this week to Minnesota at home, was the franchise’s first three-game skid since 2020. 

The return of one player will surely give them a lift, but the Aces are aware that they have more to address — especially on the defensive end.

Phoenix made 54% of its field goal attempts on Thursday and held a 16-point lead in the first quarter. Minnesota, who is 2.5 games ahead of Las Vegas in the Western Conference standings, made 55% of its shots — including 15 of 27 on 3-point attempts.

“Chelsea’s a leader and someone that we miss, but it’s not an excuse. We’ve got to figure it out,” Plum said. “When she comes back, you can’t just put it on her to save the day.” 

“We’ve got to figure it out, get better and when she comes back, she’ll just make us that much better.”