Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson will get an MRI on her right wrist after she injured it Tuesday night in the Las Vegas Aces' 87-78 loss to the New York Liberty.
The injury occurred six minutes into the second quarter when Wilson landed hard on her right arm and wrist after going up for a layup. She remained on the floor for a few minutes with her team surrounding her but was able to get up under her own power.
She stayed in the game for the next few possessions, a decision coach Becky Hammon said was made by Wilson so the Aces wouldn't have to intentionally foul to stop play. Doing that would have put Las Vegas in the bonus for the final four minutes.
At the next natural stoppage, just before the end of the first half, Wilson went back to the locker room. She was ruled out during halftime.
"She absolutely does not want to sit out or go out of the game. But then there's a reality of physicality that happens out there so we wanted to be precautious tonight and err on the side of safety," Hammon said. "Err on the side of safety with her. Big picture, our season is bigger than just this one game so we want to make sure she's not putting herself at any risk of injuring anything or damaging anything."
The imagining on Wilson's wrist will take place Wednesday morning, Hammon said.
Wilson had two points made off free throws in 14 minutes before leaving the game. She returned to Las Vegas' bench midway through the third quarter with a wrap on her right wrist.
Wilson, who was averaging 21.9 points and nine rebounds per game entering Tuesday, missed three games earlier this season while in concussion protocol, with the Aces going 2-1 in that span.
The Aces took a two-point lead into halftime against the Liberty and started Kierstan Bell in the second half in place of Wilson. They kept the game close until the fourth quarter but couldn't quiet the Liberty enough to stay in the game. Las Vegas failed to register a field goal in the final five minutes of the game and finished the night with 16 turnovers and 41.9% shooting from the field.
"[Wilson] changes the whole dynamic of both ends of the floor for us. You're never going to replace that. You can't replace that, for sure not with one person, two, maybe even three or even four," Hammon said. "It's about us fighting and sticking together and figuring it out."
The Aces are 9-10, having dropped three of their past five games, and are facing uncertainty about whether they will again have to play without Wilson.