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Allisha Gray Ruled Out of Game 3 vs Aces

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 3:05 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Allisha Gray Out

Atlanta Dream ruled guard Allisha Gray out of Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals.
Gray re-injured her left hand, first hurt in Game 1 on Oct. 4, leading to the ruling.
Coach Karl Smesko said the decision was precautionary even though Gray participated in shootaround and warmups.
Dream lead the best-of-five series 2-0 and aim for their first Finals since 2013.

Summary

Karl Smesko's 3-Point Push

Coach Karl Smesko's three-point-centric system led Atlanta to attempt 28.4 threes per game in 2025, second league-wide.
The Dream shot over 40% from beyond the arc in both the first-round and semifinal playoff games.
Aces coach Becky Hammon prepared three contingency plans for potential injuries to Jewell Loyd and Stephanie Talbot.
The Aces’ depth concerns grew after forward NaLyssa Smith suffered a season-ending injury in August.

History

Historical Context

Since the WNBA’s 1997 launch with eight franchises, the Houston Comets—led by MVP Cynthia Cooper—won the first championship 65-51 over the New York Liberty. Expansion and rule changes boosted scoring, raising the league-wide average to 80.35 points in 2010. Today, Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko’s three-point-centric offense reflects that shift while modern injury protocols echo early player-availability challenges.

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Allisha Gray Out

Atlanta Dream ruled guard Allisha Gray out of Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals.
Gray re-injured her left hand, first hurt in Game 1 on Oct. 4, leading to the ruling.
Coach Karl Smesko said the decision was precautionary even though Gray participated in shootaround and warmups.
Dream lead the best-of-five series 2-0 and aim for their first Finals since 2013.

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