The extent of the personal issues that have sidelined Seattle Storm star Skylar Diggins is uncertain, but the Storm are certain any absence involving the veteran guard stings.
“We have to understand who Sky is and what she is for us, not only for this team, this organization, but in the (WNBA),” Seattle coach Noelle Quinn said. “There isn’t anybody like her. When she is missing, a whole lot is missing.”
Seattle hopes to have Diggins back in the lineup Thursday as the team visits the Chicago Sky to open a three-game road trip. The Storm (14-10) stumbled without her in Tuesday’s 87-63 home loss to Dallas.
Nneka Ogwumike sparked the Storm with 22 points on 10-for-19 shooting while Gabby Williams (14 points) and Ezi Magbegor (12) added double figures. However, Seattle shot just 30.7 percent from the field, including 4 of 21 from long range.
Chicago (7-16) returns home on a three-game losing streak, its fourth skid this season at least that long.
Host Minnesota hounded the Sky into 23 turnovers during Tuesday’s 91-68 loss. Although second-year frontcourt presences Angel Reese (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Kamilla Cardoso (10 points, 10 rebounds) notched double-doubles, Chicago guard Kia Nurse feels she and her group can improve their entry passes into the post.
“It’s a combination of everything,” said Nurse, who scored a team-high 16 points. “From the guards’ perspective, we’ve got to get better angles to get the ball to the hand that’s available. … Movement around it — we’ve got to do a better job of setting screens for these guys to come off and get a little bit more space, and then just throw it in there when we can.”
Ariel Atkins, who ranks second to Reese with 3.5 assists per game, did not play against Minnesota due to a leg injury. With her 10th straight double-double, Reese became the first player in league history with multiple streaks of at least 10 double-doubles.
Thursday marks the first of three meetings between the Storm and Sky this season. Chicago is set to host Seattle again on Aug. 19 before the teams meet at the Storm’s Climate Pledge Arena on Aug. 30.
Chicago took three of four from Seattle in 2023 but the Storm regrouped last season, earning two victories in three games. Their wins came by an average of 11 points.
–Field Level Media
