CHICAGO– Another clash between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, another dramatic ending. This time, it was the Sky who came away victorious, as they completed a 15-point comeback in the second half to win, 88-87, in one of the best games of the season.
In the process, the Sky ended the Fever’s four-game winning streak and took a lead in the standings to reach the eighth and final playoff spot. After an extremely close first half, the Fever seemingly broke the game open in the third quarter behind Caitlin Clark, who put on a passing clinic. They led by 15 points midway through the game and seemed headed for another victory.
The Sky had other ideas, however, and closed the game on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to eight heading into the fourth. From there, it was all Sky, as they held the Fever to 15 points on 5 of 16 from the field. Angel Reese, who scored the go-ahead goal in the final minute, finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds to set a new career high and become the first rookie with 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game since A’ja Wilson. in 2018. Kamilla Cardoso added a career-high 16 points and 10 reboundswhile Chennedy Carter had 23 points.
Clark led the way for the Fever with 17 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and four steals. She not only set a new career high for assists, but also the franchise record. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever in the scoring department with 24 points, and Aliyah Boston had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Here are some key takeaways from the game:
Reese leads his comeback and makes history in the process
By the end of the third quarter on Sunday, it was looking like a pretty unforgettable afternoon for Angel Reese and the Sky. She remained silent and the team lost 15 points. Then, suddenly, she flipped a switch and lit up Wintrust Arena. First, an incredible catch and finish in transition for an and-one, then a pair of free throws to make it 7-0 in the final minute of the third cut the deficit to single digits.
She carried that energy into the fourth quarter and was unstoppable in the paint. NaLyssa Smith and The Fever had no answer for Reese’s energy and physicality, and she scored time and time again on dropouts and putbacks. With less than a minute to play, she posted Smith and maneuvered around her to get the go-ahead.
“I’m a dog, you can’t teach that,” Reese said during his final interview.
In the end, Reese had 25 points and 16 rebounds on 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free throw line. She set a new career high in scoring and became the first rookie since A’ja Wilson in 2018 to post a 25-point, 15-rebound performance.
After the victory, Reese shared a moment with Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes, who received a lengthy standing ovation during the game.
“I prefer not to share (what Swoopes told me), but she said she was proud of me,” Reese said. “I’m already coached by a legend, but to be able to have Sheryl Swoopes in my corner, she talked to me before I even put my name in the draft and she told me she believed in me… Being able to having this person by my side is something I’ve always needed. She understands me, she knows what I’ve been through, what I’m going through, and just being able to have that is something very inspiring for me. me. someone who was a great mentor.
Clark hosts walk-in clinic
Less than two minutes into the game, Caitlin Clark grabbed a rebound, looked up and threw an outlet pass to Kelsey Mitchell. The ball went into Mitchell’s hands for a turnover, which was an inauspicious start to the game.
However, Clark continued to pass and eventually got in sync with her teammates. It was fitting that Mitchell hit a 3-pointer from the corner in the third quarter to give Clark his 10th assist of the day and his first double-digit assist game. Clark finished with 13 dimes and was particularly brilliant in the third quarter, when she contributed to six of Fever’s nine made shots.
“I trust my teammates,” Clark said. “Obviously, 13 assists means my teammates scored on 13 of my passes. That’s a very good number. I’m going to give them the ball every time to give them an opportunity to score. I believe in them. ”
Clark’s 13 assists were not only a career high, but also a new Fever franchise record. She wasn’t just a player in this one, as she recorded 17 points, six rebounds and four steals. In doing so, she became the first rookie with a 15-point, 10-assist performance since Odyssey Sims in 2014, as well as the first rookie to make 15 points, 10 assists and five 3s in a game.
Cardoso shines with his best performance yet
Third overall pick Kamilla Cardoso’s professional career got off to a frustrating start when she injured her shoulder in her first preseason game. Fortunately, she was able to avoid surgery, but she ultimately missed the first two weeks of the season.
Since her debut on June 1, she has struggled at times to adapt to the speed of the professional game and has often struggled with issues. There were moments of brilliance, however, and his talent and potential were evident.
She finally put it all together on Sunday by achieving by far her best performance of her young career: 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists at 7 of 9 on the field. His size and athleticism were often too much for the Fever’s smaller frontcourt, and Cardoso used his advantages extremely well throughout the evening.
News Source : www.cbssports.com
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