What seemed like the perfect storm in Chicago Sky‘s favor turned into another blowout defeat at the hands of a shorthanded Indiana Fever.
With superstar Caitlin Clark and backcourt asset Sophie Cunningham both sidelined due to injuries, and head coach Stephanie White also missing in action, the stage was set at the United Center for Angel Reese and her squad to avenge their earlier loss.
But despite the advantages, the Sky delivered their worst offensive showing in over a decade, falling 79-52.
From the opening quarter, it was clear that Indiana wasn’t going to fold. Kelsey Mitchell‘s early layup and smooth jumper pushed the Fever into a 17-7 lead, and they never looked back. Mitchell led with 17 points, while veteran Natasha Howard added 13.
Aliyah Boston turned in a balanced performance with 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Off the bench, Aari McDonald provided a major spark with 12 points, including three 3-pointers and three steals.
Meanwhile, Chicago’s offense sputtered. Angel Reese finished with just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting, though she pulled down 12 rebounds. Kamilla Cardoso also struggled to find rhythm. As a team, the Sky shot just 32.1% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc.
But perhaps most glaring were the 19 turnovers-an issue head coach Tyler Marsh has repeatedly highlighted as the team’s Achilles’ heel.
Candace Parker’s take: Growth areas for Angel Reese
In the aftermath, basketball legend Candace Parker weighed in on Angel Reese‘s development. Speaking with journalist Jemele Hill, Parker pointed to Caitlin Clark‘s rookie impact as a model for Reese.
She praised Clark‘s ability to act as a floor general, even as a freshman, who sets tempo, creates space, and elevates teammates like Boston and Mitchell through intelligent playmaking.
“Caitlin makes her team better,” Parker said, noting Clark’s tendency to stretch defenses and create room in the paint.
That ability has been critical in building the Clark-Boston connection, which has become one of the most effective duos in the league-even when Clark is off the court.
For Reese, Parker emphasized two key areas of improvement: her off-ball movement and decision-making with the ball. Despite Reese‘s success on the boards, Parker encouraged her to become more dynamic without possession and develop stronger ball-handling skills.
She also shut down the Clark vs. Reese rivalry narrative, calling it an apples-to-oranges comparison due to their different styles and roles.
While Reese‘s rebounding continues to be a bright spot-she’s become one of the top rebounders early in her rookie season-her offensive polish and Chicago’s collective ball security remain major concerns. Turnovers and stagnant off-ball play continue to plague the team, leading to easy scoring opportunities for opponents.
Now 0-2 against the Fever this season, the Sky must regroup. With Indiana proving they can dominate even without Clark or Cunningham, Chicago’s margin for error has evaporated. If they hope to compete in the next matchup, they’ll need more than hustle on the boards. They’ll need smarter, sharper team basketball-and a more complete version of Angel Reese.
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