When it comes to the Chicago Sky’s biggest problems, two usual suspects pop up at every postgame presser: Threes and Turnovers. But, honestly, the issues run deeper, far deeper than this. Yes, they’ve surrendered 16 three-pointers not once, not twice, but three times this season. And turnovers? The Sky are handing the ball over 18.9 times a game, which is officially the worst in the league. The last time a team was this generous with possessions? The 1999 Washington Mystics, who racked up 21.1 turnovers per game. But if you squint between the numbers, what are they really telling us? That the Sky isn’t learning. There’s no visible urgency. No fire lit under that locker room. And that’s the worst thing they can do for themselves right now.
It’s true that all three of the current wins have come from a team effort, and every player is locked in. But those nine brutal losses rest on the same shoulders. And if history is any proof, they have been dodging accountability and not giving any solid reasons behind this lackluster job. For instance, after the Sky’s loss to the Mystics, Ariel Atkins was asked what went wrong in the third quarter and “No, that’s what we got to figure out. I don’t have an answer for you… That’s what we got to figure out. We’ll figure that out,” was all she could offer.
But to our satisfaction, an interviewer called Marsh out directly in the recent postgame presser. He asked, “At what point does there need to be some type of change. Either from a roster standpoint or in how you guys approach game planning and mindsets?” Instead of being vague, Tyler Marsh accepted that “We’ve mixed up the lineups here and there.” But this time, a reason followed as well. “We’ve played several different lineups with multiple ball-handlers out there just to kind of maintain and handle the pressure.”
His statement made it clearer than ever that the Chicago Sky have not been able to keep up with the pressure. Moreover, their bigger issue is that “we’ve been struggling to find something that consistently works.” When you’re working with a roster packed with some of the top talent, lack of skill isn’t the issue – chemistry is. So, pointing fingers at the lineup? That’s off the table, and Marsh knows that, too. “In terms of, um, changing the roster, I don’t really want to get into that.” What do they need to do right now, then? The answer is simple – put up a unified front.
“I think what we’ve got to focus on is who we have in this locker room right now, and understanding what we’ve got to do to be the best version of who we are and who we have right now,” Marsh added. It’s a decent blueprint on paper, but the wait has dragged on far too long, and the Windy City is still holding its breath, hoping it finally translates into something real, something that reminds them of the magic of 2021.
And thankfully, it is not just the coach who has begun to accept the locker room woes. Elizabeth Williams, sounding tired of how things have been unfolding since May, did not mince her words when laying down her expectations. “I think the mindset is just to give more to play, harder play, with a greater sense of urgency,” Williams added. “As many games as they are, they do come quick. So, the mentality has to be to be better the next day- to learn from the losses and grow.“
Well, it remains to be seen how many of the ABCs the Sky will have learned the next time they take the court.
Angel Reese taunted with her own catchphrase
The Phoenix Mercury’s 107-86 demolition of the Chicago Sky was way more than just another win. Phoenix dropped a season-high 107 points while draining a franchise-record 17 three-pointers. They tied a WNBA record with six different players hitting at least two threes. The overall effort was led by Sami Whitcomb’s sharpshooting (5 threes, 17 points). Kahleah Copper added 16, and Kalani Brown finished it off with just her second career buzzer-beating triple.
This fifth straight win has pushed Phoenix to 11-4 and cemented them as one of the league’s most dangerous squads. Chicago, meanwhile, has completely fallen apart. Their 21 turnovers gave crucial points to Mercury. Kamilla Cardoso and Michaela Onyenwere each scored 17 for the Sky, but that barely made a dent in the damage. The real drama started after the game, though.
Mercury star Kahleah Copper made a now-viral tweet. She wrote “DUBS IN THE MF CHATTTT.” Casual fans might’ve missed the shade. But WNBA die-hards immediately recognized it as a callback to Angel Reese’s famous “DUBS IN THE CHAT! THANK YAAAA!” celebration from earlier this season. Copper’s timing was savage. Angel Reese had just posted her worst rebounding game of the year (just 2 boards) while scoring only 9 points. This came right after All-Star voting returns had humbled the rookie.
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