The blowout vs Indiana cost the Chicago Sky in more ways than one. Not only was it their worst scoring total since 2011. Not only did fans see Angel Reese put up just 4 points. But they also lost their floor general, Courtney Vandersloot, to an ACL injury for the season. The Tuesday night clash with the Liberty was supposed to be a bounce-back game. But deep down, everyone kind of knew how it was going to end.
The Liberty are 9-0 now. Two of those wins came at the expense of Chicago by a combined 44 points. Things went exactly as expected when the defending champs hosted the struggling Sky. Final score was 85-66 as Sky Town added another loss to the column.
Honestly, the game felt over before it even began. Within the first three minutes, Kamilla Cardoso was already on the bench. Angel Reese was visibly frustrated. The Sky were staring at a double-digit deficit before they could even blink. And it didn’t get better from there. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Liberty led by 34.
Now, to be fair, the Liberty have been torching teams all season. They came into this one averaging a 19-point margin of victory, so this wasn’t exactly shocking. But you know what was a pleasant surprise? Angel Reese’s bounce-back. After a rough few games – averaging just 9.1 points on 30.9% shooting – Reese finally took over. She dropped 17 points, grabbed 11 boards, shot 8-of-13 from the field, and even hit a three-pointer.
Chicago, USA, May 22, 2025: Angel Reese 5 Chicago Sky in action during the game between the Chicago Sky and New York Liberty on Thursday May 22, 2025 at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, USA. NO COMMERCIAL USAGE Shaina Benhiyoun/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx spp-en-ShBe-8P6A1946
Still, let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. The Sky have now lost four games by 15+ points, all of them to just two teams: the Fever and the Liberty. Their season opener was a 35-point beatdown by Indiana. Then came the first Liberty game… another blowout. Fast forward to the last rematch with Indiana. And now this.
Head coach Tyler Marsh didn’t hold back. “We can’t continue to beat ourselves,” he said. “I think that we’ve got to continue to give ourselves opportunities. There have been several games this season where we’ve had more offensive possessions than the opposing team, but we’ve hurt ourselves with turnovers.” Marsh emphasized that the team needed to give itself a real chance to stay in games and keep battling. He made it clear that they couldn’t afford to be the reason for their own losses. If they were going to lose, it had to be because the other team was simply better and made more shots.
That message was loud and clear. Because truthfully, the Sky have the pace and the potential to keep up. But their turnovers is like they’re handing opponents a fast pass to the scoreboard. They’re starting off sluggish, giving up easy points, and struggling to regroup in real time. Even Reese, who had a much better offensive night, still coughed up five turnovers. And that’s kind of the theme. As a team, the Sky are averaging 17.1 turnovers per game. That’s way too many for a squad trying to find rhythm.
If they want to turn this season around, the first step is obvious: cut those turnovers down to 14. Also, without Vandersloot someone has to step up and take charge as they need a steady hand, a go-to option, and most importantly, they need chemistry that clicks on the court. Because right now, it’s looking disjointed. Off the court though, that bond still seems to be intact as these players continue show up for each other.
Angel Reese honors Sloot while Atkins shuts down the noise
The Chicago Sky are already navigating a rocky season, but last week it hit a whole new low. That blowout loss to Indiana wasn’t just another mark in the L column, it came with star guard’s torn ACL. Losing Sloot doesn’t just hurt the roster; it hurts the soul of the locker room. And Angel Reese said it best. “It’s super unfortunate,” she said. “She works really hard, was a great leader for us, and she’s continued to be that for us. She’s done so much for our game and decided to leave a championship team, come to Chicago, and leave her legacy there.”
The loss of Sloot leaves a gap that no one player can fill.
Meanwhile, it looks like Reese, in her just second year, is already being asked to carry more – on and off the court. And that pressure is not always fair, per her teammate. The criticism she faces often bleeds far beyond her stats, and that’s exactly what teammate Ariel Atkins wasn’t about to let slide. After the Liberty loss, Atkins sat next to the Chi-Town Barbie and had had enough as she defended her teammate.
She pointed out that Reese is just a 23-year-old dealing with a lot of criticism on a daily basis, yet still showing up. Atkins said that while basketball-related questions were appreciated, all the other noise and negativity was irrelevant because the team was there to play the game and do their job. Atkins wasn’t done. Her voice grew sharper as she addressed the double standards that follow Reese, especially as a young, outspoken Black woman in the league.
Ariel Atkins on the criticism Angel Reese receives outside of basketball. pic.twitter.com/SGtmd1uBLA
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) June 11, 2025
“Her crown is heavy,” she continued as she emphasized how Reese had to build emotional walls around herself to cope with the constant scrutiny. Angel Reese later reposted a clip of Atkins’ comments on X and wrote, “Love my vet man.” This proves that through the noise, the injuries, and the growing pains, this team’s not breaking. Not without a fight.
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