Mired in a month-long slide, the Chicago Sky will try to regroup Wednesday as they host the Portland Fire with an opportunity to secure the season series.
Chicago won by 15 on May 9 at Portland in the first game for the expansion Fire, with Kamilla Cardoso and Skylar Diggins notching double-doubles and Rickea Jackson delivering a solid team debut.
Things haven’t been particularly sunny for the Sky (4-12) since. They’ve lost six straight and 11 of 12 while still searching for an offensive identity after Jackson sustained a season-ending knee injury in mid-May.
Chicago slumped to 23.3% shooting, including 13.3% from deep, during Monday’s 92-63 loss at Connecticut.
“The games come quick, so we’ve got to flip the page, flip to the next one, go home,” Cardoso said. “Work on whatever we’ve got to work and get better.”
Cardoso overcame early foul trouble to contribute 16 points and 14 rebounds against the Sun. Azura Stevens (11 points) and Sydney Taylor (10) were the only other Chicago players to score in double figures.
Taylor thought the team’s offensive spacing was “stagnant,” leaving the Sky “just kind of staring at each other.”
Portland has won two of three but enters on a three-game road losing streak as the team begins a four-game trip.
The Fire (8-9) have been idle since defeating Seattle 94-89 on June 17 behind big nights from Bridget Carleton (24 points) and Carla Leite (20 points, 10 assists).
Carleton connected on a career-best seven 3-pointers against the Storm. She drilled six treys in a narrow victory against Dallas on June 13 and has scored at least 20 points in two of the past three games.
“She just plays with so much confidence. Like, nothing really rattles her at all,” said Fire guard Sarah Ashlee Barker. “She’ll turn the ball over. She doesn’t put her head down. Miss shots. She’s still continuing to take shots.”
Barker is one of four Portland players averaging double-figure scoring, joining Megan Gustafson, Leite and Carleton.
Chicago is 1-6 at Wintrust Arena this season.
–Field Level Media
