CHICAGO — The primary three Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky video games have been outlined by their aggressive nature, with these June matchups being determined by a mixed 10 factors.
That wasn’t the case Friday, although, within the groups’ fourth and ultimate assembly of the common season: The Fever (16-16) cruised to a 100-81 victory — and led by as many as 27 — to achieve the .500 mark for the primary time since Could 2022, once they have been simply 2-2. Indiana’s 103 straight video games underneath .500 was the third-longest streak in WNBA historical past, per Elias Sports activities Bureau.
The final time the franchise was .500 or higher within the month of August? That will be 2016, the legendary Tamika Catching’s ultimate season.
Behind their largest margin of victory this season, the Fever additionally ensured a win of the season collection in opposition to the Sky 3-1.
“It feels good to be sitting at .500 proper now,” Indiana coach Christie Sides mentioned. “It has been a extremely very long time for the reason that Fever sat at .500. I am simply actually happy with that and the place we’re from the place we began. However I by no means had any doubts that that is the place we could possibly be.”
Indiana has been one of many hottest groups within the league for the reason that Olympic break, enhancing to 5-1 in that span. By hitting the century mark on Friday — a season excessive in scoring — the Fever demonstrated as soon as extra how they’ve had the most effective offense within the league since mid-June and the way they’ve change into one of many WNBA’s most harmful groups.
Rookie sensation Caitlin Clark was spellbinding with 31 factors, a profession excessive, and 12 assists. She is the fifth participant in WNBA historical past with 30 factors and 10 assists in a sport and third to realize that stat line in regulation.
Chicago, which held a Barbie Evening in honor of rookie star Angel Reese, has misplaced 5 straight video games and 6 of seven within the second half. Michaela Onyenwere and Lindsay Allen paced the Sky with 20 and 19 factors, respectively.
Listed here are three takeaways from the competition.
Fever’s red-hot offense reveals no let up
Indiana has had the most effective offensive score within the league since June 13, and Friday’s efficiency will solely increase that quantity.
After a beginning sluggish and falling behind by 13, the Fever obtained right into a groove with their bread and butter: by pushing the tempo and changing from the 3-point arc. Mitchell (23 factors) led the cost with 18 first-half factors — her most in a half this season — however she and Clark mixed for 6-for-9 taking pictures from 3 within the first 20 minutes. It was extra of the identical within the second half, permitting the Fever to handle one among their greatest 3-point taking pictures nights of the season (13 for 29).
Clark will get the headlines for her profession evening, however the staff was additionally fast to credit score the defensive contributions of Temi Fagbenle, who was a team-best -plus 29 off the bench, Lexie Hull, who saved up her latest sizzling taking pictures (3 for 4 from deep) and NaLyssa Smith, whose 11 third-quarter factors stabilized the Fever when Aliyah Boston went to the bench in foul hassle.
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Angel Reese secures double-double with good bucket
Angel Reese continues her double-double streak with a candy bucket vs. the Fever.
Sky skid continues
The Sky had all of the momentum early Friday and established an offensive movement that allowed them to construct an 24-11 lead. Coach Teresa Weatherspoon preached a next-player up mentality going into the sport with prime scorer Chennedy Carter (well being and security protocols) absent, and Allen and Onyenwere answered the decision, beginning the sport a mixed 7 for 9 from the sector and three for 3 from the 3-point arc. On the half, the place the Sky have been down solely 5, these two had mixed for 28 of Chicago’s 42 factors.
Late-game execution was a sticking level for the Sky in latest video games, however Friday was extra of a case of the wheels falling off. The Fever pulled inside three by the tip of the primary, then gained the center two quarters by a mixed 19 factors. Even when Chicago was inside single digits within the third quarter, it by no means felt like Indiana had actually misplaced management.
Because the season resumed, Weatherspoon has been imploring her staff to be extra disciplined defensively, to know and execute the scout. Permitting 100 factors — essentially the most the Sky have allowed all season — and letting the Fever get just about no matter they needed offensively was the other of that.
“We have now lots of issues we have to appropriate, and it begins on the defensive aspect of the ball,” Weatherspoon mentioned. “We’re not being disruptive. We’re permitting groups to get photographs the place they need it, when they need it.
“Protection is the toughest rattling factor you are going to play on this sport. Within the third quarter, we despatched them to the road again and again and again and again.”
Guard Rachel Banham, who joined the staff final month within the commerce that despatched then-top scorer Marina Mabrey to Connecticut, did not maintain again within the postgame information convention, saying “we simply had an absence of effort typically.”
“When you’re not motivated getting your ass whipped, we have got an issue,” she mentioned. “Then do not placed on the uniform. You higher really feel this in your chest.”
Chicago does not have lots of time to determine issues out with a troublesome street swing forward. It’ll play at Minnesota on Sunday and at Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Playoff race will get extra fascinating
Do not look now, but when the common season ended right now, the Fever would earn the sixth seed within the playoffs, as they personal the tiebreaker over the equally 16-16 Phoenix Mercury.
So much can nonetheless change over the subsequent three weeks, however the notion of the Fever getting as excessive as a sixth seed within the postseason appeared far-fetched once they began 2024 with a 1-8 report. Their favorable remaining schedule – they’ve three video games left in opposition to groups with successful information and two of them are at dwelling – ought to have Indiana followers feeling fairly snug with the place the staff sits with playoffs across the nook.
Chicago (11-20), in the meantime, is holding on for expensive life to the eighth seed amid its present season-worst shedding streak. And but it’s nonetheless one sport forward of the Atlanta Dream, who fell to the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Friday evening. The Dream have didn’t capitalize off the struggling Sky by shedding 4 straight following wins over the Storm, Solar and Mercury to begin the second half. And with the Wings beating the Lynx, Dallas cannot be counted out both, as it’s now two video games again of Chicago (as is Washington).
A lot can occur in three weeks, but when the Sky wish to play into late September, they should repair their issues quick earlier than a sixth consecutive postseason berth slips via their fingers.