{"id":788160,"date":"2026-07-27T23:07:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/788160\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T23:07:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T23:07:08","slug":"to-make-the-playoffs-the-sky-need-an-epic-surge-and-a-mystics-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/788160\/","title":{"rendered":"To make the playoffs, the Sky need an epic surge and a Mystics collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sky<\/a> are not in a good spot heading into the back half of the season.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re back practicing at UIC after failing to deliver on their promise of moving into a new practice facility this year. And according to ESPN\u2019s Basketball Power Index, they have a 1.8%<\/a> chance of making the playoffs \u2014 this despite carrying a win-now roster.<\/p>\n

But the Sky, who returned from the All-Star break with three practices before their next game, aren\u2019t counting themselves out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of teams clamoring for that seventh-eight spot,\u201d coach Tyler Marsh said. \u201cWe have a long home stretch coming. We want to be present, we want to take advantage of what\u2019s in front of us and treat this second part of the season as a new season.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cnew\u201d season really will have to look nothing like the old one. Think 12 or 13 wins in their final 17 games.<\/p>\n

Reasons to believe in such an epic surge do exist \u2014 it\u2019s why their odds aren\u2019t zero.<\/p>\n

First is health: Wing DiJonai Carrington, an All-Defense-caliber player, appears close to returning, and Courtney Vandersloot and Azur\u00e1 Stevens are already back. Though that good news is slightly undercut by the absence of Skylar Diggins, their leading scorer, whom Marsh described as \u201cweek to week\u201d with a knee injury.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the reality that the Sky have been competitive with even the league\u2019s best teams.<\/p>\n

Given the size of the hole they\u2019ve dug, though, their own success won\u2019t be enough. They also need help from elsewhere around the league.<\/p>\n

Specifically, they need a major collapse from the Mystics, who have been surprisingly good and currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot.<\/p>\n

Why might Washington unravel now? The Mystics\u2019 philosophy is to build slowly through the draft, so there\u2019s always a chance they clip their own playoff odds by trading a productive veteran for future assets \u2014 as they did last year when they sent Brittney Sykes to the Storm.<\/p>\n

The Sky better hope and pray they do the same this year.<\/p>\n

Because if both teams stay on their current trajectories, the damage could extend well beyond this season.<\/p>\n

The Sky would likely owe the Mystics a top-four draft pick in a class with JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker, Hannah Hidalgo and Mikaylah Williams, receiving a middle-of-the-round pick in return. That\u2019s the rest of the bill from the Ariel Atkins trade last season.<\/p>\n

But Chicago can only control what\u2019s in front of them, and the immediate focus is learning how to close games.<\/p>\n

The Sky are a dreadful 4-11 in clutch situations. (The Mystics, by comparison, are an impressive 11-6.) What is it going to take for Chicago to get over that hump?<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying disciplined,\u201d rookie guard Sydney Taylor said. \u201cMost of [our losses] were due to foul calls and bad fouls on our part.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sky have made nearly every kind of mistake imaginable down the stretch of games: fouling 3-point shooters, missing wide-open layups and giving up straight-line drives. But the common thread has been an inability to convert. The Sky are shooting just 39.5% in those critical moments.<\/p>\n

Fixing that might require rethinking the pecking order. The Sky typically default to the point guard pick-and-roll when they need a late bucket, which hasn\u2019t always worked.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a new plan for end-of-game situations: Give Taylor the ball.<\/p>\n

The rookie dynamo has already hit two clutch shots<\/a> since moving into the starting lineup, though the Sky ended up blowing both games. Marsh acknowledged she needs to be featured more, noting that Taylor\u2019s shot creation ranks among the best in the league.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to put her in those positions,\u201d Marsh said. \u201cWe\u2019ll continue to find opportunities for her to do that for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s the rough spot the Sky find themselves in: long odds, and a rookie as their best hope of beating them.<\/p>\n

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\"***BESTPIX***<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fever star is embracing her ascent with gusto, but she might not be the only one controlling her narrative.<\/p>\n

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Amid recent reporting that her tenure may be coming to an end, Engelbert said she heard players\u2019 feedback that she needs to communicate more.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe most important thing is moving forward and knowing who you are and what you bring,\u201d Weatherspoon said. \u201cNo one can stop that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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