A visit from the defensively stout Phoenix Mercury does not bode well for the Chicago Sky, who have struggled to take care of the basketball.
Looking to rebound from another disheartening defeat Saturday, the Sky now face the Mercury, who are on a four-game winning streak.
Chicago (3-8) led by 16 in the first half Tuesday against the Washington Mystics, but that cushion evaporated while committing 25 turnovers that led to 40 Washington points. The Sky’s 79-72 home setback was their fourth loss in five games.
Chicago is committing a WNBA-worst 18.7 turnovers per game.
“It feels like it’s been redundant,” Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said on the top of turnovers. “We talk about it pretty much every game, of how important it is to take care and value the basketball.”
Chicago star Angel Reese collected 17 points and 10 rebounds but committed seven turnovers. She has averaged 11.0 points and 11.7 rebounds with a team-high 3.9 turnovers.
The Sky also squandered a 16-point lead in the third quarter during a 94-89 loss at Phoenix on May 27. Chicago shot 46.5 percent, but turned the ball over 19 times against the Mercury, who force 17.9 turnovers and record nearly nine steals per game.
Phoenix (10-4) forced 20 New York turnovers and outrebounded the host Liberty 42-32 during Thursday’s impressive 89-81 victory over the defending champions.
Mercury rookie Monique Akoa Makani had 21 points, while Alyssa Thomas added 18 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Sami Whitcomb made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points as the Mercury have won their last three games, all on the road.
“We’re going to continue to get better,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said.
“The thing that I am most proud of is that we compete on every possession, defensively.”
Phoenix’s Satou Sabally scored 20 points while Thomas dished out 15 assists versus Chicago in May. Makani made three of the Mercury’s 16 3-pointers in that matchup. Sabally is scoring 19.5 points with 8.5 rebounds.
Chicago’s Ariel Atkins scored 21 at Phoenix last month and has averaged 12.6 on the season. The Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso, who has averaged 14.3 points in the last three games and 8.8 rebounds in the last four, had 16 points with nine rebounds in the previous meeting with the Mercury.
Phoenix star and former Sky standout Kahleah Copper could be set to return Saturday. She sat out Thursday after making her season debut Sunday following a left knee injury and playing in consecutive games.
–Field Level Media
