Aces forward NaLyssa Smith out for remainder of regular season

Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith will miss the remainder of the regular season after suffering a non-contact leg injury during Sunday's 88-78 win over the Toronto Tempo. Smith exited the game at the 3:15 mark of the third quarter and will not return. Smith was shooting 4-for-4 from the field at the time of her injury, with eight points, eight rebounds, one assist, and three stocks (two steals, one block) in 19 minutes. Smith had been in career form, leading the WNBA in field goal percentage at 63.8% for most of the season and averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Over the final eight games before the injury, she recorded three of her four double-doubles, including 17 points and 12 rebounds (nine offensive) against Minnesota on August 15. The Aces' roster constraints limit their options. According to Yahoo WNBA, the team is hard-capped and not currently eligible for a hardship contract exception due to having 10 active players on the roster. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who recently returned from a 10-game absence after a concussion, scored a season-high 18 points and added nine rebounds (six offensive) in Vegas' 101-78 win against Connecticut on August 20. Rookie forward Justine Pissott, standing 6-foot-4 with elite shooting ability, scored 17 points in 10 minutes in her Aces debut in July. The Las Vegas Aces (26-13) sit third in the league standings, one-half game ahead of Atlanta (25-13), 1.5 games behind Golden State (27-11) in second, and five games back of Minnesota (31-8).