Dream Rule Out Allisha Gray for Game 2 Against Liberty With Finger Injury

Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko ruled out Allisha Gray on Tuesday for Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals against the New York Liberty because of a finger injury.

Gray is considered day-to-day. Smesko gave the update to reporters in Atlanta on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Alexa Philippou, a day before the Dream host New York at State Farm Arena with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Gray had an X-ray on the finger. Smesko did not share further details about the injury's nature or severity. Gray also had an appointment on Tuesday to have her hand examined.

She was not at practice Tuesday, and Smesko said he expects her to be with the team for Wednesday's game.

"Nobody's going to try to be Lish because there's only one Lish," Smesko said. "Lish is one of the best players in the league. She's an exceptional scorer and she's an excellent defender. So being without her for a game is tough, but we have players that are ready to step up.

"It's not who you don't have; it's how well do the players who are on the floor, how well are they able to execute the game plan, and how well are they able to play?" Smesko continued. "And I expect our team to play really well."

Rhyne Howard called the update "good news." Teammates said Gray was in good spirits.

The injury happened in Sunday's 92-82 win in Game 1. Gray left in the first quarter with an injury to her left hand, which is her shooting hand. She returned in the second quarter, hurt it again, and was ruled out shortly before halftime. She finished with seven points on 1-of-5 shooting and made four of her five free throws.

Atlanta outscored New York 32-15 in the third quarter after she left. Jordin Canada scored 20 of her 25 points after halftime. DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes, her most since joining the team late in the season. The Dream forced 21 turnovers and scored 32 points off them, tying a WNBA playoff record.

Angel Reese, the league's Defensive Player of the Year, added 17 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. Sabrina Ionescu led New York with 27 points. Breanna Stewart scored 19 and played all 40 minutes for the second straight game.

The 6-foot guard out of South Carolina is a four-time All-Star. This season, Gray averaged 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals, leading the Dream in scoring, and she appeared in all 44 games. Wednesday will be the first game she has missed this season.

In the first round, she averaged 22.0 points as Atlanta swept the fifth-seeded Washington Mystics. She scored 22 in the 93-75 clincher at CareFirst Arena on Sept. 30. The sweep sent the Dream to the semifinals for the first time since 2018.

The next-woman-up approach is not reserved for the reserves or whoever slides into Gray's spot in the lineup, Naz Hillmon said.

"Knowing that Lish will be out, it hurts, it sucks," Hillmon said. "I know how much she would want to be on the floor with us. We know how much we use her offensively and defensively. But that next woman up mentality is for everybody. Not just the players coming off the bench or whoever's going to fill in her role, nobody's going to be able to do what Allisha Gray does.

"We all know that, but we can all put a little bit more on our plate, and that's what our mentality is," Hillmon added.

New York reached the semifinals as the No. 8 seed after sweeping top-seeded Minnesota in the first round.

Game 2 tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena. The series shifts to Barclays Center in Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Game 4, if necessary, would be played there on Sunday.