The Sky suffered a collapse of epic proportions Sunday at Wintrust Arena.
They had a nine-point lead in the final minutes of the third quarter, and a much-needed win against a top-three team was within reach. Then, they crumbled under the weight of the Lynx’ top-ranked defense.
The Sky shot 2-for-24 and were outscored 18-5 in the fourth quarter in their 70-62 loss.
“Five points is just not acceptable,” said rookie Angel Reese said, who echoed coach Teresa Weatherspoon’s postgame message. “We have to be able to control the lead because we did have the lead at one point. We got a little comfortable. A lot of times, we’ve been comfortable, and we dig ourselves in these holes and try to get ourselves out in the last two to three minutes of the game.”
Weatherspoon has continued to emphasize that her players are still learning about each other. However, 17 games into the season, other teams around the league have been cementing their identities.
For example, the Lynx (14-4) have inserted three new players into their starting five. Two of them, Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith, played for the Sky last year. Nearly seven weeks into the season, they have an established style of play. They lead the league in three-point percentage, and when that’s not working, as was the case Sunday, they can lean on their defense.
The Sky (6-11) still are searching for a strong response in late-game situations that have required them to punch back. Their win against the Fever on June 23 is the best example of a successful rally.
On Sunday, they made few adjustments in the fourth quarter when the Lynx frontcourt stifled Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
“We have to grow,” Weatherspoon said. “We have to know what to do and how to keep the flow. What’s working, you have to stay with it.
“[The Lynx are] a great basketball team — a sharp, well-coached team. So, of course, there’s going to be some type of run. You have to make sure you know how to stop the run.”
The Sky were stalled at 59 points for nearly the entire last six minutes of the game until Reese was able to convert a layup with 40 seconds remaining. She drew a foul on Napheesa Collier 17 seconds later that sent her to the line for two free throws.
She made the second, which gave her 10 points to go with 11 rebounds, to earn her 10th consecutive double-double, a new single-season record. The previous record, held by Candace Parker, was nine games in 2015.
“I’m happy for myself, obviously, but it doesn’t feel good until we get a win,” said Reese, who shot 4-for-16 for the game. The team shot 25-for-82 (30.5%).
While Weatherspoon continues to emphasize team growth, the Sky’s roster could see more shake-up over the next few weeks.
Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca waived guard Kysre Gondrezick on Saturday. The Sky’s roster is currently at 10 available players with center Elizabeth Williams having season-ending meniscus surgery last week.
Pagliocca will need to decide the best path forward. What’s apparent is the Sky’s need to add to its wing depth with a player who is a reliable three-point shooter.
Teams around the league will waive players ahead of the halfway mark of the season, which is when non-guaranteed contracts become fully guaranteed. If Pagliocca doesn’t like what he sees on the waiver market, he can try to make a trade to help remedy the Sky’s offensive struggles.
Nothing is off the table when it comes to solidifying the Sky’s roster in an attempt to make a sixth consecutive postseason appearance and avoid entering the lottery.
