The Chicago Sky are struggling mightily these days. With Marina Mabrey gone to Connecticut and Chennedy Carter out injured, they have lost 8 of their last ten games and currently 5 in a row. The Minnesota Lynx had their seven-game winning streak ended by the Dallas Wings. Returning home to Target Center will certainly be a relief for Minnesota, and they will look to bounce back against the Sky. Chicago will also hope to stop their streak.
The Lynx gave up 50 paint points to Dallas, and with Chicago, they will have to face Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, both formidable opponents. Chicago at the moment does not seem to have the staying power that they need to close out a game.
In their last game against the red-hot Indiana Fever, they only trailed by five at the half, but Indiana outscored them 53-39 in the second half. Michaela Onyenwere led the Sky with 20 points, Lindsay Allen added 19, and former Lynx Rachel Banham 14, with Angel Reese contributing 1o plus 11 rebounds. The bench only contributed 12 points, so the burden will be on the starters.
Minnesota and Chicago Enter This Game Coming Off A Loss
The Lynx are coming off of a poor shooting night and gave up 25 points off of turnovers. But we’ve seen Minnesota bounce back before. Their streak was a solid one, with the Lynx looking very much like a championship contender.
Chicago is hanging on in the eighth slot to make the playoffs. Something is going to have to change immediately to keep those hopes alive. If Carter is back, that will help, but one player doesn’t win a game. A’ja Wilson‘s 42-point night didn’t stop the Dallas Wings from beating the Aces. So whatever Coach Weatherspoon needs to do, it better be done now. Cheryl Reeve has a team that is 100% committed to each other, and that is a huge plus for the Lynx.
Led by Napheesa Collier, and having secured a playoff berth, we can anticipate the Lynx will close out the season on a strong note. But one game at a time. Obviously, the loss to Dallas stung, and they know what they will have to do to ensure that they protect the paint and get their defense in order. The status of Alanna Smith is a GTD at the moment. Hopefully, she’ll be back, as Smith is a key piece of the Lynx puzzle.
So we’ll find out tomorrow who is the hungrier team, and if there’s enough food on the table to satisfy a winner.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of sports.
