Sky Claims Decisive Victory
Skylar Diggins Paces Chicago Sky to Dominant 101-78 Win Over Portland Fire
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The Chicago Sky snapped a six-game losing streak Wednesday night, routing the Portland Fire 101-78 at Wintrust Arena. Skylar Diggins led seven Sky players into double figures with 15 points and 6 assists, while Chicago shot 52% from the field and outscored Portland 56-0 in points in the paint, per CBS Sports.
The blowout win moves Chicago to 5-12 on the season. Portland, in its first WNBA season since folding in 2002, falls to 8-10 and has now lost six of its last eight games, according to The Hour.
Seven Sky Players Reach Double Figures in Rout
Chicago spread the scoring across its entire rotation. Sydney Taylor, a rookie guard, and veteran Jacy Sheldon each added 14 points. Center Kamilla Cardoso chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. The Sky also racked up 27 assists on 36 made field goals and collected 22 second-chance points, per Winnipeg Free Press.
Taylor has become a reliable secondary scorer. She put up a career-high 30 points earlier this month. After Wednesday's win, she said her mentality is to "put the ball in the basket" and called the victory "the right steps in the right direction for us," according to KDH News.
Sky Pulled Away With a 15-2 Third-Quarter Run
Portland briefly threatened to make it a game. The Fire tied the score at 50 early in the third quarter, fueled by center Megan Gustafson. She led all scorers with 17 points. Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, picked up in the expansion draft from the Los Angeles Sparks, added 13 points, per Yahoo Sports.
Chicago answered with a decisive 15-2 run to close the third quarter. Diggins drove that surge. Portland shot just 38% from the field for the game and went cold from three-point range, finishing well below their usual volume, according to CBS Sports.
Jackson Injury Forced Sky Into a 1-11 Skid
Chicago's season hit a wall in mid-May when forward Rickea Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Sky went 1-11 over the stretch that followed. The loss of Jackson stripped Chicago of its offensive identity and put extra pressure on veterans like Diggins and Natasha Cloud, per Twin Cities Business Radio.
Despite the rebuilding pains, Wednesday showed signs of growth. Cardoso had previously urged teammates to "flip the page" after a tough loss to Connecticut. Chicago responded with 56 points in the paint and a dominant all-around effort, according to The Hour.
Portland's Expansion Run Faces Its Toughest Stretch
The Portland Fire is one of three WNBA expansion teams added in the past two seasons. An 8-10 record is a strong start for a first-year franchise. But the Fire are now in the middle of a rough patch, dropping six of their last eight games, per KDH News.
Portland signed Gustafson to a two-year, $1.25 million contract to anchor the frontcourt. But Chicago's size and depth proved too much Wednesday. The two teams will meet again Friday in Chicago to close out their regular-season series, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
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