Generally, when the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky have met during the last two WNBA seasons, the focus has been on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
But neither player will be available for the second straight meeting when the Sky (8-22) visit the Fever (17-14) on Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Clark will miss her 10th consecutive contest for the Fever because of a right groin injury. Reese (back) is out for the eighth time in the Sky’s last 10 games, which includes their 86-65 loss to Atlanta on Thursday.
Both Clark and Reese missed the teams’ encounter on July 27 when the Fever prevailed 93-78. Kelsey Mitchell scored a season-high 35 points for Indiana.
Indiana suffered its most lopsided loss of the season Thursday night when it fell 95-60 at Phoenix. Moreover, the Fever lost two players for the season.
Guard Aari McDonald, whose 4.7 assists per game are second on the team to Clark’s 8.8, broke her right foot in the fourth quarter.
“That’s another point guard, a primary ball handler,” Fever coach Stephanie White said of McDonald before her injury’s severity was known. “Someone who is a big part of our rotation on both ends of the floor.”
Another guard, Sydney Colson, tore the ACL in her left knee in the first quarter.
“We’re used to facing adversity with injuries,” said Sophie Cunningham, who led the team with 18 points in Phoenix. “We’ve had that since the beginning of the season.
“This is just another bump we’re going to have to get over. This team is going to be OK.”
Indiana returns home after going 2-2 on a road trip. The Sky hits the road after going 1-3 on a homestand.
Chicago led the Dream 34-28 at halftime, then got outscored 58-31 in the second half after starting slowly in the third quarter. That has been a recurring problem.
“For whatever reason, we just haven’t had the same intensity coming out to start (the second half),” said Sky coach Tyler Marsh. “Things kind of went off the rails in the second half. It’s tough to go into the half with a lead, then give up a 32-point quarter followed by a 26-point quarter.”
Chicago plays its third consecutive game against a team that owns a 3-0 record against it. The Sky broke through against Washington with a 78-64 victory Tuesday night before Atlanta improved to 4-0.
Chicago’s Ariel Atkins (leg) and Hailey Van Lith (ankle) are listed is questionable and Michaela Onyenwere (knee) is probable.
The Fever, which hosts Chicago again on Sept. 5, has won the first three meetings this season by an average of 25.7 points per game.
–Field Level Media
