Injury Updates From Allisha Gray, and How to Watch WNBA Finals Game 1 Gameday
Allisha Gray had a minor procedure on her left hand and is listed as day-to-day for the WNBA Finals. She wouldn’t say what the procedure was or whether it was surgery. Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Gray are all making their Finals debuts this weekend.
Gray, who missed several games with the injury, was seen going through shooting drills with her left ring finger and pinky taped together.
Gray’s Comments, in Full
Allisha Gray:
I’m day by day right now, so progress has been great, so we’re heading in the right direction, so we’ll see.
Reporter:
Day by day, what do you need to see from yourself to feel like you’re ready to go? Because you were knocking down threes, making swishes like I saw them, so what do you need to see from yourself physically to play in game one?
Allisha Gray:
Just more so relying on the medical staff. They’ll know what’s best for me if I’m able to play, if I’m not. So it’s just taking it day by day, just me getting comfortable, being able to handle the physicality of practice and stuff, which has been feeling well. As long as I can shoot, I’m good. So hopefully I get some good news where I am able to play Saturday.
Reporter:
So you feel good, we’re just waiting on their permission to be like, “All right, you can go now.”
Allisha Gray:
Yeah, I’m waiting on them to be like, “You’re good to go.”
The Atlanta guard is listed as day-to-day for the Finals.
Analysis: Gray’s message is that she feels ready and the decision rests with the medical staff. The most telling line is “as long as I can shoot, I’m good,” which suggests the hand’s shooting function is the key test. ESPN also reported she is optimistic about her availability for Game 1.
Game 1 Gameday Details
- Matchup: No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream at No. 2 seed Golden State Valkyries
- Date and time: Saturday, Oct. 17, 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT)
- Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco
- TV: NBC and Peacock, NBC’s first WNBA Finals game since 2002
- Pregame: WNBA Showtime with Sue Bird, Cheryl Miller and host Maria Taylor starts at 3 p.m. ET.
- Radio (Valkyries broadcast): 95.7 The Game, SiriusXM Ch. 86 and 171, and the Chase Center app.
The Series at a Glance
Format: Best-of-seven in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with Golden State as the higher seed. A first-time champion is guaranteed.
How they got here:
- Valkyries: Beat the Wings 2-1 in the first round and swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3-0, becoming the only team to reach the Finals in its second season.
- Dream: Swept the Mystics 2-0 and the Liberty 3-0, and have not lost a playoff game.
Head-to-head: Golden State won all three regular-season meetings, June 24 (77-66), June 26 (78-75) and July 4 (88-83).
Schedule
- Game 1: Sat., Oct. 17, Chase Center, NBC/Peacock
- Game 2: Mon., Oct. 19, Chase Center, USA/Peacock
- Game 3: Wed., Oct. 21, State Farm Arena, USA/Peacock
- Game 4: Sat., Oct. 24, State Farm Arena
- Game 7 (if needed): Sat., Oct. 31, 8 p.m. ET
Venue note: The Dream’s larger arena was secured for the middle games, so Game 3 was moved up one day to Oct. 21, and State Farm Arena holds more than 17,000.
What to Watch
- Gray’s status: A late call could shape Atlanta’s perimeter rotation.
- Debuts: Howard, Reese and Gray all make their first Finals appearances.
- Valkyries’ edge: They own the season series and home court.
- Dream’s momentum: They’re perfect in the playoffs.
Prediction caution: Nothing here guarantees a result, and a Gray return would be a major boost for Atlanta.
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