Generally, when the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky have met during the last two WNBA seasons, the focus has been on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
But it’s possible neither player will be available when the Sky (8-22) visit the Fever (17-14) on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Clark is expected to miss her 10th consecutive contest for the Fever because of a right groin injury, and Reese is questionable after missing seven of the Sky’s last nine games, including an 86-65 loss to Atlanta on Thursday, because of a back issue.
Both Clark and Reese missed the teams’ most recent encounter on July 27 when the Fever prevailed 93-78. Kelsey Mitchell scored a season-high 35 points for Indiana.
Indiana suffered its most lopsided loss of the season when it fell at Phoenix 95-60 on Thursday night.
Guard Aari McDonald, whose 4.7 assists per game are second on the team to only Clark’s 8.8, injured her right foot in that game.
“That’s another point guard, a primary ball handler,” Fever coach Stephanie White said of McDonald, whose status for Saturday is uncertain, “someone who is a big part of our rotation on both ends of the floor.”
Another guard, Sydney Colson, injured her left knee in Phoenix and her status also is unclear.
“We’re used to facing adversity with injuries,” said Sophie Cunningham, who led the team with 18 points in Phoenix. “We’ve had that since the beginning of the season.
“This is just another bump we’re going to have to get over. This team is going to be OK.”
Indiana is returning home after going 2-2 on a road trip. The Sky is hitting the road after going 1-3 on a homestand.
Chicago led the Dream 34-28 at halftime, then got outscored 58-31 in the second half after starting slowly in the third quarter, which has been a recurring problem.
“For whatever reason we just haven’t had the same intensity coming out to start (the second half),” Sky coach Tyler Marsh said. “Things kind of went off the rails in the second half. It’s tough to go into the half with a lead then give up a 32-point quarter followed by a 26-point quarter.”
Chicago is playing its third consecutive game against a team that was 3-0 against it. The Sky broke through against Washington with a 78-64 victory Tuesday night before Atlanta improved to 4-0.
The Fever, which will host Chicago again on Sept. 5, has won the first three meetings this season by an average of 25.7 points per game.
–Field Level Media
