By Caitlin Nicholson

The Chicago Sky host the Atlanta Dream for the third time this season on Wednesday, July 16, with tipoff set for 11 a.m. CT at Wintrust Arena. The morning matchup marks a crucial test for the Sky, who look to defeat a strong Dream squad at home in their final game before the All-Star break.

In their last two matchups, the Chicago Sky fell short against the Atlanta Dream, losing 70-88 on June 13 and 80-93 on June 22, both in Atlanta. The first meeting was a breakout performance for Rhyne Howard, who caught fire against the Sky with a career-high nine three-pointers and season-best 36 points.

In that same game, Brittney Griner made history by moving into second place on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list. Offensively, the Sky struggled to find rhythm. Kamilla Cardoso led the team with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins each added 12 points. Despite their efforts, turnovers and defensive breakdowns kept the Sky from pulling out a win.

In their second matchup on June 22, the Sky showed signs of progress, limiting turnovers and holding their own on the boards against a physical Dream frontcourt. Ariel Atkins delivered a standout performance with 29 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals, setting the tone on both ends of the floor.

Still, Chicago struggled to generate consistent offense, particularly from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Sky couldn’t contain Atlanta’s perimeter shooting, as the Dream connected on an impressive 48.5% from three-point range, making it difficult for Chicago to mount a comeback.

Both teams enter the game with crucial new injuries. Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins will be out for the Sky due to leg injuries while Rhyne Howard won’t play due to a knee ailment.

What to watch for the Sky: How they handle the three-point line on both ends

The three-point line has been a root cause of issues this year on both ends of the floor for the Sky. Offensively, Chicago must focus on spacing the floor and moving the ball to generate higher quality perimeter looks and create more balanced scoring. This will take some of the pressure off their frontcourt, which has shouldered much of the offensive responsibility in recent games. Defensively, the Sky will need to stay disciplined on closeouts, communicate through screens, and limit second-chance threes. This will be crucial in avoiding a three-point barrage from Atlanta as they experienced in the last couple of games.

Historically, Chicago leads Atlanta in the all-time series 37-28. This season, however, the Sky are 0-2 against the Dream as they look to pull off their first win of the series.