The Seattle Storm need some room to breathe. After sitting pretty at the top of the food chain for a long time, things have gone downhill fast. Suddenly, they find themselves in the battle for the 8th and final playoff spot. Nneka Ogwumike and co. have lost 7 of their last 8 and are struggling to keep pace with a surging Los Angeles Sparks. Their latest loss came against the No.2 seed Phoenix Mercury, where Alyssa Thomas blew them away with another triple-double.
Led by Oguwumike, they caught up with only 4 minutes left in the game, but couldn’t sustain that momentum as Kahleah Copper went past them with ease, with 8 points in the final quarter. That has been their story of the past weeks, Storm comes close but just can’t get that result. However, their schedule eases from here on as they face another win-starved team in the Chicago Sky, who have been clunky at best.
Most recently, they received a mighty drubbing in front of their own crowd as the Golden State Valkyries beat them 59-90. In addition to that, Sky could only score 19 in the entire second half while having a single-digit third quarter. It’s a dire situation out there in Chicago, and coach Tyler Marsh accepted some error on his part, saying, “There was a lack of fight late, and I got to be better motivating going into that second half.” Let’s find out if Angel Reese’s injury update brings any hope, and what twists the teams have in store in today’s report.
Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky: Injury Report
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm have no new entrants in the injury report, as Katie Lou Samuelson is the only appearance. Samuelson has been ruled out of the entire season with an ACL tear.
Chicago Sky
Angel Reese remains questionable for the Sky. However, good news might be on the horizon. Reese returned to practice on Monday, and Sky head coach “The staff will continue to see how Reese feels tomorrow at shootaround, and that it’s possible she may return”. Marsh said regarding her participation in this game. 2025 draftee Hailey Van Lith is still on the edge but listed as probable for this game with her ankle injury, while Ariel Atkins has the same status with her leg injury.
Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky: Where to Watch
Date: Tuesday, August 19
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Wintrust Arena
How to Watch (TV): The U, WCIU, KOMO 4, CW Seattle
Live Streaming: WNBA League Pass
Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky: Predicted Lineups
Seattle Storm
Nneka Ogwumike
Gabby Williams
Ezi Magbegor
Skylar Diggins
Brittney Sykes
Chicago Sky
Elizabeth Williams
Kamilla Cardoso
Rachel Banham
Ariel Atkins
Sevgi Uzun
Seattle Storm vs Chicago Sky: Match Preview And Prediction
Storm acquired Brittney Sykes to boost their playoff push, but it has not really turned out the way they hoped to. It’s not about her, she has become the team’s third leading scorer with 14.4 points, 3.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. The team as a whole has failed to capitalise on the big moments in the games, leading to those close losses.
“It might just be the discipline and the focus that’s required for us to make the smaller plays consistently over the course of the game. … Those small things, in my opinion, are really the difference maker,” Nneka Ogwumike said. The stats back this up. When it comes to clutch points, the Storm are 8th in the league with only 7.5 points per game.
And they have had some neck-to-neck games, losing by less than five points in six of their last seven losses. When it comes to their match-up against Sky, they will hope it doesn’t even arrive at this. And considering Chicago’s form, that would be realistic, as they have lost by more than 10 points in four of their last five losses.
Aug 15, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes (20) reacts to the win against the Atlanta Dream during the second half at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images
If Reese comes back, they have a chance to turn things around, but even then, it’s a case of if her form picks up immediately. The Sky fans hope she comes back to some capacity in this game as the Storm are fierce in the paint. Even in their losing form, Ogumike and co. have managed to score a league-high 47.3 points per game from under the rim in the last eight games.
On the other hand, Sky are elite defenders of that area, conceding only 36 points per game in that same period.
That is with Reese on the sidelines as they concede only 34.9 points per game across the season. This is where the battle will be fought on both ends as the Storm may struggle to contain that area, conceding an average of 37.6 points. The question remains if the Sky has enough going forward, as they have an offensive rating of only 95.3 in the last 10 games.
Kamilla Cardoso is doing all she can, scoring 14.0 points per game in Reese’s reinjury, but she has little support. On paper, they are completely outmatched by the firepower of Storm, and it shows in the prediction. The ESPN predictor gives Storm a 69.4% chance to get that elusive victory and get themselves going in this final stretch.
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