By Caitlin Nicholson

The Chicago Sky travel to face the Seattle Storm one last time this season on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m. CST at Climate Pledge Arena. The Sky will look to close out the season series on a high note after enduring some tough losses in recent games. While Chicago is out of the playoff picture, the team is aiming to build momentum into the offseason and finish the year strong.

In their previous two matchups with the Storm, the Sky fell short, losing 57-95 on July 24 and 88-94 on Aug. 19. After a blowout loss in the first meeting, Chicago showed improvement in the rematch, pushing Seattle to the final minutes. This last matchup gives Chicago a chance to end the season series with a win against a tough Storm team.

In the first game, Kamilla Cardoso posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Rachel Banham and Elizabeth Williams chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively. For the Storm, Skylar Diggins led all scorers with 21 points and 7 rebounds, and Dominique Malonga added a double-double of her own with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Sky struggled through a tough shooting night, finishing at just 33.9% from the field and 19% from beyond the arc. After a dominant 56-point second half from Seattle, Chicago was unable to keep pace.

In the second game, the Sky kept the game tightly contested until the final minutes, but were never able to regain the lead after the second quarter. Angel Reese returned from a seven game absence due to a back injury to deliver 19 points and 7 rebounds. Ariel Atkins also recorded 19 points, while Kia Nurse scored 13, and Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams each chipped in 10. For Seattle, Skylar Diggins led all scorers again with 24 points and 6 assists, while Nneka Ogwumike delivered a well-rounded game with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Although Chicago had an impressive shooting night, the Storm made use of fast-break points and free-throws to give them the overall edge.

What to watch for the Sky: How they limit turnovers 

The Seattle Storm lead the league with an average of 8.5 steals per game, while the Chicago Sky commit the most turnovers in the league with an average of 15.5 per game. In order for the Sky to keep pace, they’ll need to limit live-ball turnovers that fuel Seattle’s transition attack, and dictate tempo in the halfcourt rather than let the Storm speed them up. 

Overall, the Seattle Storm have a winning record of 28-23 over the Chicago Sky. The Sky will look to flip the script by taking care of the ball and turning their size into an advantage against Seattle’s pressure.