Dream's Allisha Gray had procedure on injured hand; guard 'trending in right direction,' but status for WNBA Finals Game 1 uncertain

With Game 1 of the WNBA Finals looming, signs are trending "in the right direction" for injured Atlanta Dream All-Star Allisha Gray.

That's according to Dream head coach Karl Smesko , who provided an update on Gray's health to reporters on Tuesday. But Smesko isn't sure if Gray will be available to play in Game 1 against the Golden State Valkyries.

Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Gray was listed as a limited participant in practice Tuesday. She was seen hoisting up shots with tape around the injured fingers on her left hand, which is her shooting hand.

The injury is to Gray's ring finger and pinkie. Per Atlanta sports anchor Alison Mastrangelo of WSBTV, Gray had a minor procedure on the injury.

Gray didn't clarify to Mastrangelo what the procedure was, and the Dream haven't clarified the precise nature of the injury. Gray told Mastrangelo that she's considered day-to-day.

Gray initially suffered the injury in the first quarter of Game 1 of Atlanta's semifinal matchup against the New York Liberty on Oct. 4.

She returned to the court in the second quarter with tape around her fingers that she removed after play resumed. She took contact on her hand again and left the game for good before halftime.

The Dream ruled her out a day ahead of time for Game 2 of the series and initially listed her as day-to-day before she was also sidelined for Game 3.

Despite Gray's injury, the Dream swept the Liberty in three games to earn their place in the WNBA Finals.

Gray is a four-time All-Star, a standout two-way player and Atlanta's leading scorer. During the regular season, she averaged a career-high 19 points alongside 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 46.2% from the floor and 33.8% from 3.

The Finals appearance is the first for Atlanta since 2013. They've played in the Finals three times, but are seeking the franchise's first WNBA championship. The Valkyries are making their first Finals appearance in their second season of existence.