The third stop on this four-game road trip for the Minnesota Lynx lands them in Chicago, where they will face a gritty but somewhat up and down Sky. Minnesota, coming off of the Commissioner’s Cup final win fell to the Dallas Wings, who, after the first quarter, simply out-dueled the Lynx. The Wings snapped an 11-game losing streak, and they were bound to do it eventually. But as we have seen throughout the season, the Lynx have always bounced back after a loss or less-than-stellar win.
With rookie Angel Reese putting up consistently good numbers and Chennedy Carter getting better and better, the Lynx will have their hands full with the Sky. Add Marina Mabrey into the mix, and Chicago presents itself as a tough opponent. Mabrey has had an up-and-down season so far, so she could very well be the x-factor for the Sky.
Keys to the Game for the Lynx and Sky
However, if the Lynx defense is up to par if they can stop the Sky from getting significant points in the paint (they scored 40 against Las Vegas), and the Lynx offense is back to what it has been, then it promises to be quite the contest. The Sky play hard and are certainly not afraid of their fair share of contact. But sometimes that hard style of play can get away from the Sky, and it can turn sloppy at any given moment. The present presents a well-thought-out attack, disciplined and strong.
In recent games, we’ve seen Bridget Carleton emerge as an even stronger starter, a place she has most definitely earned. In fact, the Lynx have numerous players that can hit the three, and it has become an important part of their arsenal.
Chi-Town bound. pic.twitter.com/Fs7W6jY0XS
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 29, 2024
The Sky also has Kamilla Cardoso, another formidable big, to contend with. However, the Lynx have dealt with Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, Teaira McCowan, and Kalani Brown, and have generally come out on the plus side of those matchups. That isn’t to say that Cardoso won’t be hard to play against. It just won’t be something brand new for the Lynx. If there is anything that tilts in favor of the Lynx, it is their bench production.
The bench has become a far more reliable resource compared to previous seasons. For Chicago, bench production has fluctuated, and the starters have been forced to play big minutes. The addition of Carter in the starting lineup has helped, but that has left the bench even shorter.
Final Thoughts
Since the first pre-season game, which the Lynx won, these teams have taken different paths. Minnesota has had its best start since 2017. Chicago has dealt with stops and starts and hasn’t yet built any real momentum.
But then, no one expected the defending champion Las Vegas Aces to be where they are at the moment, and considering the start that the Connecticut Sun had, some wondered if they might go unbeaten. Well, that didn’t happen, and Las Vegas has had to fight for some of their wins. So all that this means is that every team will want to go up to the Olympic break with a good head of steam.
As an observation, I will say that the Lynx are a more disciplined team. Chicago likes to play fast and loose, and I’m not sure they are always fully focused on the task. And for what it’s worth, I think Angel Reese is making a strong and compelling argument for ROY. Yes, many eyes are on Caitlin Clark, but Angel’s numbers merit serious consideration. One might say the same about Napheesa Collier in the MVP conversation. Yes, A’ja Wilson puts up consistently big numbers, but there has to be more to it than that.
Tipoff Sunday is at 2 pm CT, and I do not doubt that Wintrust Arena will be jumping.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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