NEWSLETTER
As the renowned Chicken Little once said, the Sky is falling!
After a relatively solid start to the season for a rebuilding and young Chicago roster, the Sky’s inexperience has started to catch up to them. The team has been a shell of its former self ever since its shocking 93-85 win over the Las Vegas Aces right before the league’s hiatus. Whatever momentum they built with this victory flew to Paris for the Olympics and never came back.
To be sure, some of that lands directly on the backs of the front office. The organization continued its aggressive roster overhaul by trading starting guard Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun. As the team’s primary facilitator and best 3-point shooter, her absence has made an already struggling offense all the more problematic. The Sky shoot the fewest 3-pointers of any team in the league by a wide margin, and it’s led to the team averaging just 78.1 points per game (second worst).
Of course, the absence of Chennedy Carter has also played a significant role in the Sky’s recent struggles. She has served as the team’s leading scorer nearly all season long with 17.2 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting from the field. Thanks to her combination of explosive speed and crafty halfcourt ball-handling, Carter has been one of the most dynamic backcourt scorers in the league this season.
When Carter will be able to rejoin the team remains up in the air, and the Sky don’t necessarily have time on their side. The team has lost six games in a row and seven of their last eight, putting them at 11-22 on the season. They are barely holding onto the league’s No. 8 seed, which is also the final playoff spot. Only seven games separate them from postseason play, and the Atlanta Dream are right on their heels.
Indeed, Atlanta holds an identical 11-22 record. The only reason they currently sit outside the postseason picture is because of Chicago’s tiebreaker advantage. The Sky are 2-1 in their three matchups with the Dream this season, but there is still one more matchup left on the calendar. The two teams will face off on September 17 in Atlanta in the second-to-last game of the regular season.
The Sky’s remaining schedule at least provides a glimmer of hope. They’ll play the bottom three teams in the league (Sparks, Wings, Mystics) over the next three games. They’ll also face the Mercury in the third-to-last game of the regular season, which is a team that sits only one spot ahead of them in the current standings.
Still, if the Sky continue on their current course, it doesn’t necessarily matter who they play. The Dream are 4-5 in their last nine and hold the second-best defensive rating since the Olympic break. They may still struggle to score the basketball, but they’re succeeding with a physical identity. I also shouldn’t fail to mention that this is no longer JUST a two-team race. While one of Atlanta or Chicago should secure the final playoff spot, the Mystics aren’t far behind. They must make up just two games to surpass both squads, and they have the benefit of playing each (they’ll even play Atlanta twice).
All things considered, cracking the postseason feels like it would be a pretty valuable experience for the Sky this season. Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are crucial to the team’s rebuild, and it sure can’t hurt to give both a taste of playoff action sooner rather than later. The Sky also don’t happen to control their first-round pick in this upcoming 2025 WNBA Draft; however, they have gotten lucky on that front. The Dallas Wings own swap rights with the Sky, but they are currently two games back in the league standings. If they remain where they are, the Sky will not have to worry about seeing their pick swapped.
Regardless, if the Sky want to prove they’re on the right track and have a bright future with Angel Reese at the helm, a playoff appearance wouldn’t hurt. The next couple of weeks will tell us a lot about this young core, as well as be the first major test for first-year head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.
