The Chicago Sky opened their three-game West Coast trip with a loss at Seattle on Monday. They will look to end the trip with a better result in Sunday’s rematch with the host Storm.
Chicago (12-22) had built momentum by winning three of four before losing 90-86 to Indiana at home on Aug. 8.
Two days later, the Sky were outscored 47-33 in the first half of a 97-88 loss to Seattle. DiJonai Carrington scored 26 points for Chicago against the Storm but managed just three on Thursday as the losing streak reached three games with a 91-71 loss to the host Golden State Valkyries.
Losers of six straight on the road, the Sky also have totaled 32 turnovers in their last two games.
“We’ve got to continue to get better, even though it’s the end of the season,” Chicago guard Rachel Banham said. “We can still grow. We can get better. We can still go up. We’ve got to learn from these losses. It’s a pride thing.”
While Chicago trudges on minus injured key contributors Rickea Jackson (knee), Skylar Diggins (knee) and promising rookie Sidney Taylor (groin), fellow star Kamilla Cardoso has averaged 16.0 points in the last five games, and 10.0 rebounds in the last six. She had 15 points with 13 rebounds against the Storm earlier in the week.
Seattle (7-29) snapped an 11-game losing streak with Monday’s win over Chicago, then fell short in an 84-82 loss to Portland on Friday. The Storm shot just 33% and trailed by as many as 16 points against the visiting Fire, but did make 14 3-pointers to get within one late in the contest.
Rookie Awa Fam had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Storm, who are among the WNBA’s lowest-scoring squads averaging 83.3 points. All-Star Dominique Malonga (17.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) was held to nine points Friday but pulled down 12 rebounds with five assists.
Malonga had 26 points with 10 rebounds Monday against the Sky.
“We’re just trying to thrive as a team and keep improving,” Malonga said. “We know what this year was about; it was about building something and growing together. That’s what we’re doing.”
Injured Seattle star Flau’jae Johnson (ankle) could miss a third straight game.
–Field Level Media
