3-8. The Chicago Sky has been spiraling ever since the massive season opener loss to the Indiana Fever. They managed to claw their way back into the game by defeating the only two teams ranked lower in the 2025 WNBA rankings. But the Sky’s chances of making it to the playoffs look bleak as the team sank further after a narrow 79-72 loss to the Washington Mystics.
While still in its rebuilding phase, the roster looks promising on paper. It has a blend of young players and veterans. While Angel Reese is topping the charts as a rebounding queen and Ariel Atkins is scoring the most points for the roster, it is the turnovers that have become a bone of contention between them and the team’s victory.
And while the Sky dominated the paint during the first half, it was the beginning of the second half that turned the tide for the team. “I saw a little bit of third quarter and I was like we’re losing 50/50 balls like we have to get those because they’re maximizing off of all of our turnovers and we’re not maximizing off theirs,” Reese confessed in a post-game interview.
Needless to say, the Chicago Sky committed 25 turnovers, with 9 in the third quarter, while the Mystics committed just 16. And if this wasn’t enough, it was Angel Reese who made the maximum of 7 turnovers against the team. On the other hand, Brittney Sykes and Sug Sutton saw the turnovers as an opportunity and capitalized on it.
May 31, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts to an official during the first half against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
“Because they were turning over or we got that we missed the rebound, or we missed the steal, or the second chance,” Angel Reese said. “And they scored on it every single time. And you don’t get that too often.” The opponents took the 25 turnovers by the Sky and converted that into a whopping 40 points for the team. That was a historic feat on the Mystics’ part.
Meanwhile, Reese was upset because of her team’s collapse in the third quarter. They ran 12 points short of their opponents despite flashes of brilliance. If that was not enough, the team lost its rhythm in the second half. They were leading 44-32 before Sykes came like a stroke of lightning and set the hardwood ablaze. Her effortless 25-foot three-point jumper helped the roster gain the upper hand as they closed the quarter with 56 points.
Having said that, Shakira Austen’s remarkable blocks to Kamilla Cardoso can not be ignored either. While the Mystics absolutely devoured the Chicago Sky in the third quarter, Angel Reese & Co. failed to possess the ball, create offences, or even defend themselves from the opponents. Except Ariel Atkins, whose three-pointers finished the third quarter in a draw.
Angel Reese accepts her limitations against the Washington Mystics
“For me seven turnovers just can’t happen,” Angel Reese said. “I mean, I know I’m trying to make good plays and I’m looking for the right pass and I’m trying to believe my guards and then try to get the open pass… I got to be better and that’s on me. I’m going to take that for the turnovers.” The Chicago Sky star took full responsibility of the major turnovers in the game against the Washington Mystics.
Reese averaged 7-of-13 from the field, putting up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. But was that enough to sustain them from not falling? The Sky head coach, Tyler Marsh has often referred to the giveaways as an “Achilles heel” that has been preventing them from securing a win so far.
But what really pinched Reese was not the lost points, or the steals, or the blocks. It was the impeccable rebounding prowess that the Mystics showcased as collective team effort. “Coming down to it. That last shot at the end where they got the rebound and got the offensive rebound,” she started. “And I take that personally, especially for somebody named Kamilla… rebound really well.”
Reese emphasized that neither she nor Cardoso could rebound to their fullest. The Sky managed to convert just 3 points out of the Mystics’ turnovers. Moreover, she urged the entire roster to perform better and improve ball-handling as much as possible. And as they prepare to face Phoenix Mercury in game two of four, can the Sky avenge the loss and return?
While chances look bleak for the roster against Satou Sabally & Co., it will be interesting to watch how Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso rise above the turnover issue and work their rebounding to change the game in their favor. If at all.
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