For a moment, Las Vegas Aces fans feared déjà vu. In the third quarter of Game 5 against the Indiana Fever, Chelsea Gray crumpled to the floor after Odyssey Sims stepped on her foot, forcing her right ankle to bend awkwardly. The scene was eerily reminiscent of the 2023 Finals, when a similar injury forced Gray out of action. This time, though, the story ended differently.

Following the overtime win against the Fever this year, Gray was asked about her fitness in the postgame press conference. She kept it simple: “I’m good. I’m good,” putting to rest any fears among fans about her injury. Losing Gray would have been a huge blow, as without her, the Aces probably wouldn’t have made it to the finals.

When Gray came back, it was impressive how she played through the pain, but it wasn’t enough to help the Aces in regular time.  She had only two points and two assists on 1-of-6 shooting in the second half, and going into overtime, she had seven points and six assists on 4-of-9. This was far from the dominant performances fans had come to expect in big games. Then something clicked. Whether it was pride, adrenaline, or pure determination, Gray flipped a switch.

At the start of the season, Hammon admitted Gray wasn’t quite herself. But when the lights were brightest and the pressure at its peak, Chelsea Gray showed exactly who she is. In overtime, the most experienced player in the Aces roster scored eight points, including two huge 3-pointers over outstretched defenders — one as the shot clock was winding down! Gray carried the team when it mattered most, sending Las Vegas into their third WNBA Finals in four years and proving once again why she’s the heartbeat of this side.

This has been a season to remember for the Aces, and when a reporter asked Gray to describe it in one word… she went with three!

Chelsea Gray describes the Aces’ season

Midway through the season, the Aces were barely a .500 team and had suffered a shocking 53-point loss to the Minnesota Lynx—something you’d never expect from a team coached by Becky Hammon. Things had to change, and A’ja Wilson took charge, rallying her teammates with one message: “If you weren’t embarrassed from yesterday, then don’t come into this gym.”

From that point on, the Aces went on a 16-game winning streak to enter the playoffs. Coach Hammon constantly reminded her players that they were close to turning things around and that when they did, they’d be a scary team to face. And she wasn’t wrong. Chelsea Gray described the season perfectly: “Trust the process. You just don’t really know what you don’t know. And so us going through that prepared us for something bigger.”

The stage is set. The Aces are just four wins away from claiming their third championship under coach Becky Hammon. Chelsea Gray might not have had the same impact as the reigning MVP, but the Aces are undeniably stronger with her on the floor than without. So, who do you think will take home the WNBA championship — the Mercury or the Aces? Share your thoughts in the comments below!