Angel Reese continues to be a force in the paint for the Chicago Sky, but even another monster double-double wasn’t enough to secure a win on Friday night. Facing the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center, the Sky dropped another close contest, falling 83-78 despite Reese’s 17-point, 18-rebound performance.
Reese delivered her usual tenacity on the glass but struggled to find consistency with her shot across all four quarters. She ended the game with 17 points on 7-for-16 shooting (1-for-2 from beyond the arc), grabbed 18 rebounds, added two assists and a steal, and went a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. But her three turnovers and -14 plus-minus reflected the broader offensive struggles Chicago faced.
A slow start and second-quarter silence created an uphill battle
The game began with Reese attacking early, but her attempts simply wouldn’t fall. She went 1-for-5 from the field in the first quarter, managing just two points to go along with four rebounds in a little over six minutes of action.
Then came the second quarter, where Reese‘s presence on offense seemingly vanished. Despite playing the full 10 minutes, she didn’t attempt a single shot. Her lack of aggression during a crucial scoring drought hurt the Sky’s chances of gaining any first-half momentum. By the break, Reese had just two points on 1-of-5 shooting, adding seven rebounds, one steal, and two turnovers in 16:25 of play.
The third quarter saw a more assertive Reese return to the floor. She took four shot attempts and finally connected from three-point range, notching her only basket of the period from beyond the arc. Her rebounding prowess remained unchanged, as she surged into double-digit territory, keeping Chicago alive with second-chance opportunities.
In the final quarter, Angel Reese showed flashes of the offensive punch that made her a household name at LSU. She scored three field goals, helping the Chicago Sky briefly surge ahead. The performance marked yet another double-double for the forward, extending her reputation as one of the WNBA’s most dependable rebounders.
The 83-78 loss pushes the Sky further down the standings, as the team continues to struggle with late-game execution and perimeter defense.
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