“I’m banged up, I won’t lie.” That was the admission from Minnesota Lynx star center Alanna Smith following Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty. After taking a hard fall on her back during the game, Smith’s chances of returning for the crucial next matchup seemed uncertain, a major concern for head coach Cheryl Reeve ahead of their do-or-die Game 4. However, Smith is ready to battle with the injury scare and hasn’t let the Lynx or their fans down.

As the whistle blew for tip-off in Game 4, there she was, back on the court, ready to fight it out once again. The ESPN reporter live from the Target Center tweeted on X about Smith’s participation and wrote, “Alanna Smith gutting it out, checking out after about 8 minutes of action. She said at shootaround this morning she feels better the more her back is warmed up. We’ll see how much Cheryl Reeve can go to her the next 30+ minutes.”

By halftime, the Lynx #8 had logged an impressive 17 out of 20 minutes on the court, contributing two points along with solid defensive efforts—racking up four rebounds, a steal, and a block. Then finishing up with 12 points and 7 rebounds, her presence seemed to work well for the Lynx fighting to keep their championship hopes alive.

However, the Lynx center had already dropped hints about her return, displaying her determination in previous comments where she had also talked about the physicality of Game 3 and refereeing.

Alanna Smith’s resilience shines as she fights through injury to power the Lynx

Things took a tough turn for the Lynx just three minutes into the second quarter in Game 3 when they lost Alanna Smith, in a painful incident. During a fast break by the Liberty, Smith was the last line of defense, shadowing Jonquel Jones as she prepared to make a move to the basket. In an attempt to steal the ball, Smith took a hard fall, landing on her back with a loud thud.

Although a foul was called on her, it was clear that Smith was hurt. She struggled to get back on her feet and was subbed out for Myisha Hines-Allen. Later, she was spotted icing her back, trying to manage the injury. Later in the media interaction, she stated, ““It was just a really physical game. I feel like the refs let a lot of stuff go with both teams. You’re kind of forced to go with how it’s called. You deal with it.”

After Game 3, Smith admitted that she was feeling pretty banged up, but there was also a glimmer of optimism in her words. She acknowledged that the intense physicality and missed calls are just part of the game and one has to deal with them, especially during the Finals. “Everybody is playing through aches and pains at this point. A big part of what helps me is my teammates. I have a great support system and am not going through it alone,” Smith said she’s “OK” physically, noting she has got her team support.

True to the hopes she sparked, Alanna Smith notched two three-pointers from the corner of third quarter. She also finished with second-highest rebounds on the team, going 5-of-9 from the field.