The Chicago Sky, who are set to visit the New York Liberty on Thursday night, finally have standout forward Angel Reese back.
Reese, who is already a two-time All-Star at age 23, returned from a back injury on Tuesday in a 94-88 loss to Seattle. In 26 minutes, Reese posted 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one block.
It was her first game since July 29.
“I just want to hoop,” Reese said on Tuesday.
Sky fans also want her hooping. In 10 games without Reese this year, the Sky (8-26) are 1-9. In 24 games with her, the Sky is much better at 7-17.
“She looks great,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said of Reese. “The chemistry with her teammates is still there.”
The Liberty — the reigning WNBA champions — have even greater chemistry. They showed it on Tuesday in an 85-75 win over the best team in the league, the Minnesota Lynx.
New York (22-13) ranks tied with Atlanta for second place in the WNBA standings, but the Liberty are even better at home (14-4). It’s the second-best home record in the league, trailing only Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Chicago has the second-worst road record in the league (3-13).
Overall, the Sky have lost five straight games and 13 of their past 14 contests.
New York is 2-0 against Chicago this season, winning 99-74 in May and 85-66 in June.
However, the Liberty have been without seven-time All-Star forward Breanna Stewart since she suffered a bone bruise on her right knee July 26. She has promised to return prior to her birthday on August 27, but there has been no exact target date.
“She’s looking good,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said after Stewart ran through her first full practice on Monday. “We’re going to continue building her up.”
Without Stewart, the Liberty on Tuesday got a game-high 22 points and a game-high-tying 10 rebounds from Jonquel Jones. That effort was Jones’ 100th career double-double.
The Liberty also got 17 points and a game-high 11 assists from shooting guard Sabrina Ionescu. In fact, all five Liberty starters scored in double figures.
Ionescu iced the game by making a four-point play in the final minute, sinking a long 3-pointer while drawing a foul.
Interviewed by NBA TV on the court after the game, Ionescu was asked what it felt like to make that shot.
Ionescu smiled and before walking away and said, “night-night.”
–Field Level Media
