These five Las Vegas sports stars all went down with the worst Las Vegas sports injuries of 2023.
#5 Alec Martinez, Las Vegas Golden Knights defenseman
The Las Vegas Golden Knights are having a rough time, and much of that is due to the loss of Alec Martinez. The defenseman suffered a lower back injury in November and sat out for several games. Las Vegas went 8-5 in his absence and almost lost their lead in the Pacific division. This included a 1-3 record at one point and several disastrous games.
Martinez returned on December 17, and hopes were high for a change in momentum. That didn’t happen, however, after the team lost five of their last seven games. Despite his recovery, Martinez is likely still nursing this injury and not at full strength.
#4 Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders running back
Joshua Jacobs entered the season with the rushing title and a brand-new contract. However, after a quad injury sidelined him for three weeks, the Raiders star rusher will likely be ending the season on the bench. Zamir White has done honorably in his absence, racking up 285 yards and one touchdown in 59 carries.
Jacobs played through several injuries before the quad incident took him out late in the year. Seeing him sit on the bench only one season after being the highest-performing rusher is disappointing. He deserved so much more.
3. Chelsea Grey, Las Vegas Aces guard
The playoffs are when you need your best players; the Las Vegas Aces learned that the hard way. This happened during game four of the 2023 WNBA Finals when Chelsea Grey suffered a brutal foot injury. The incident caused an immediate change in the lineup and cost Las Vegas a clean sweep in the finals. Grey is the same woman who put up 15 points, four rebounds, and seven assists during the regular season. That’s not the player you can afford to lose in the postseason.
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#2 Kurt Busch, Las Vegas native NASCAR driver
Kurt Busch’s crash at Pocono Raceway in 2022 is essential for several reasons. The first is that it showed the vulnerabilities of the next-gen car. It also ended the career of one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, and not on his terms.
After repeated attempts to get back behind the wheel, Bush didn’t officially retire until the summer of 2023. He and the team tried everything from simulator tests to running other events. Nothing worked. NASCAR also still refused to clear him to race.
Busch is an early casualty of the next gen’s inadequate protection, making it something NASCAR should monitor.
#1 Adin Hill, Las Vegas Golden Knights goalie
Adin Hill is one of the best goalies the Las Vegas Golden Knights have ever had and is vital to their success. Nothing proves that more than their performance since he left a game on November 30 with an injury. Bruce Cassidy later claimed that it was a lower-body injury.
Las Vegas is forced to rely on Logan Thompson and Jiri Patera in Hill’s absence, and it’s not going great.
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