3 takeaways from the Chicago Sky’s loss vs. the Connecticut Sun

CHICAGO – The Chicago Sky are almost there.

It’s not easy for a team to refocus after losing a player like Elizabeth Williams with a knee injury, but the Sky have. That showed in the Sky’s 83-75 loss to the Sun.

That effort now has to be focused across a 40-minute span.

The Sky hung with the Sun for three quarters Wednesday, but Connecticut, with Olympian Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, pulled away in the final frame.

Thomas nailed a jumper with 1:13 left to make it an eight-point game, and the Sun closed it out with free throws.

Here are three takeaways from the Sky‘s Wednesday contest against the Sun.

The Sky are a team greater than the sum of its parts

The Sun are a contender. They should be come playoff time, at least. Connecticut is 11-1 overall after Wednesday night.

Alyssa Thomas is difficult to defend and difficult to score on. DeWanna Bonner stretches the floor at an all-pro level. Brionna Jones is an offensive minded center that provided a learning curve for Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.

That’s not to mention the other players like DiJonai Carrington, Tiffany Mitchell and Olivia Nelson-Ododa who support those stars in different ways.

All of that, and the Sky still held their own while struggling with their shot, building around two rookies and missing their defensive center in Elizabeth Williams.

The Sun are better, that’s not a hot take or something anyone should disagree with. But, the Sky, without a true superstar, hung with a team that’s built similarly with two stellar post players that can rebound at a high level.

It was impressive. It was proof the Sky, without that superstar, collectively piece together a talented team.

Finding that superstar is the next order of business. Easier said than done, but the Sky have a collective foundation in place.

“When we take those little pieces and combine it together, we’re stronger in that aspect because you don’t know where to attack at any night,” Sky forward Izzy Harrison said. “That’s our identity and the sooner people realize that we’ll get the respect that we deserve.”

Weatherspoon is trying plenty to solve the Sky’s shooting woes

The Sky need to shoot better. Weatherspoon talked about just getting more shots up in practice, which is true.

That can help. What can also help is trying every possible avenue.

Mabrey hit two 3-pointers Wednesday. Izzy Harrison, the Sky’s 6-foot-3 reserve post player, also hit a 3-pointer. Giving others the green light to shoot isn’t a terrible idea, either.

Some players are just in a funk, like Mabrey and Dana Evans. However, Mabrey has been seemingly forcing her way out of that funk and it showed with multiple made 3-pointers on Wednesday.

Evans has been comfortable with her midrange shot and floater, which are both highly efficient shots for her. There’s no reason to deviate from what’s working for Evans. Evans hit a three Wednesday.

Chennedy Carter is the same way, as her midrange and dribble-drive game are important catalysts for the Sky.

Others, like Diamond DeShields, just need to see a few shots fall. She’s been searching for her shot seemingly all season, and she seems so close to finding it. She hit a 3-pointer against the Sun.

However, if Harrison can consistently make shots from the perimeter that can be a massive boon for a team that could create mismatches at the top of the key.

Finishing is still the key word for Chicago

The Sky are talented. They have the skill to keep up with teams like the Sun.

Next up for the team is finishing.

They need to finish games. They have to play a complete 40 minutes. Seemingly one quarter always gets away from them.

On Wednesday, it was the fourth quarter when the Sun opened up the final frame with a 10-3 run to lead 70-58 with 5:22 left. It was a five-point game at the end of the third.

Finishing doesn’t just mean playing a complete game, it means finishing baskets, too.

The Sky get majority of their points in the paint. They should have more each game, but the team often times struggles to finish point-blank shots at the rim. Weatherspoon has talked about this before, and said, much like shooting three’s, finishing comes down to working in practice.

That showed Wednesday with Reese, too. She was an efficient 8 of 10 shooting and scored 20 points after mentioning on Saturday how the team needed to take an introspective look at itself.

The talent is in place for the Sky. The team just needs to find a way to put it all together.