The Chicago Sky are playing well, but that momentum still might not be enough to topple the Indiana Fever.
Winners in three of their last four games overall, the host Sky will try to avoid an eighth consecutive loss to the Fever on Saturday.
Chicago (12-19) has plenty of work to do in order to move into playoff position, but it has won five of its last eight games. The Sky also have averaged 93.2 points over the last six games, and each of their last four defeats were by five points or fewer.
“I credit our team for continuing to fight,” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said.
Chicago shot 53% from the floor and 45% from 3-point range in a 95-88 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The Sky won minus key contributors Skylar Diggins (knee), Azura Stevens (personal reasons) and promising rookie Sydney Taylor (groin). All three players are uncertain for Saturday’s contest.
Though the Sky have lost seven straight against the Fever, they overcame a 19-point deficit to force overtime before falling 114-106 in Indianapolis on June 11.
“We’ve got to be great on all fronts (Saturday),” Marsh said. “We have to come with a defensive mindset and see where it goes.”
Indiana (19-12), which leads the WNBA averaging 96.1 points, squandered a 20-point lead before losing 86-84 in overtime to visiting Las Vegas on Thursday. Kelsey Mitchell scored 28 points and Caitlin Clark added 20, but both missed key free throws late in regulation. Clark also committed one of her eight turnovers late in overtime.
“(Clark) is going to be better. I know she’s going to be better on Saturday because of (her Thursday miscues),” Fever coach Stephanie White said. “She’s a fighter.”
Clark collected 32 points with 10 assists against the Sky in June. She has averaged 22.3 points and 10.0 assists in six career games versus Chicago.
Meanwhile, teammate Aliyah Boston recorded 34 points and 12 rebounds against the Sky in June. She finished with 21 and 12, respectively, on Thursday.
Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso has totaled 31 points in the last two games. She was held to 10 points and four rebounds while committing four turnovers in the previous encounter versus Indiana.
–Field Level Media
