Reply
(Shyla Heal courtesy of Chicago Sky - WNBA)
After suffering their first loss of the season on Friday, the New York Liberty handed the Chicago Sky their first loss Sunday in the Sky s home opener. The story of the 93-85 game was the Liberty s shooting.
Despite the Sky forcing 22 Liberty turnovers, as compared to only 12 they had, the Liberty s shooting kept them in the game. The Liberty shot 49.3% (36/73) from the field, while the Sky shot 40.7% (33/81). The teams shot an identical 50% on three pointers, but the Liberty hit 14, while the Sky had six.
The five Sky starters each played more than 30 minutes. Diamond DeShields led the team in scoring with 22 points. Courtney Vandersloot had 16 assists and 14 points for a double-double and she also added four steals. Ruthy Hebard s 10 rebounds were a team high.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
From the 106 section of Wintrust Arena on Friday night, Candace Parker heaved a trick shot with a boot on her left ankle.
Both attempts largely missed the basket, but Parker laughed, enjoying her new home arena.
Sunday, against the New York Liberty at noon, Parker will make the home debut she and WNBA fans in the Chicago area and beyond have been anticipating. It was put into question when Parker suffered a minor ankle injury ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Dream.
“We were trying to test it before the game to see if she could go on it,” coach and general manager James Wade said following the team’s 85-77 win over the Dream. “We ended up making a decision to prioritize her health.”
The Sky are threatening.
Taking a look at their roster, which still isn’t complete days ahead of the team’s season opener at noon Saturday on the road against the Washington Mystics, there is no shortage of weapons.
The knockdown shooting skills of Allie Quigley, combined with the court vision of Courtney Vandersloot, the versatility of Diamond DeShields, the inside presence of Stefanie Dolson and the game-changing greatness of Candace Parker, means this team is going to bully its opponents offensively.
On defense, it’s a different story.
“We’ve fallen short defensively,” DeShields said.
The Sky had the worst mark among playoff teams last year in the bubble with a rating of 102.7, struggling to control opponents in the paint.
Candace Parker, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, said there’s still a lot more to work on but establishing that identity is a step in the right direction.
Game Info
Where: Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, D.C.
How to watch: ABC
Injury Report
Sky: Ruthy Hebard and Shyla Heal (coronavirus protocol)
Pregame notes
The Washington Mystics are facing the Chicago Sky in their regular-season opener. The Mystics will be without Delle Donne, Erica McCall, Myisha Hines-Allen and Alysha Clark, who is out for the season. Washington lost both of their pre-season games last week and seem to still be figuring things out as the final roster is narrowed down. The team waived guards Aislinn Konig and Lapresha Stanley Monday afternoon.
The Mystics shot terribly in their pre-season games