Game Preview: Fever Face Sky in First Chicago Showdown This Season

 Game Preview: Fever Face Sky in First Chicago Showdown This Season

Starting Lineups:

Indiana Fever (7-10)

Guard: Caitlin Clark (16.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.2 apg)

Guard: Kelsey Mitchell (16.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Center: Aliyah Boston (12.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.5 apg)

Guard: Kristy Wallace (5.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Forward: NaLyssa Smith (11.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Chicago Sky (5-9)

Guard: Marina Mabrey (15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.1 apg)

Guard: Dana Evans (10.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.7 apg)

Guard: Chennedy Carter (13.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.4 apg)

Forward: Angel Reese (12.4 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.9 spg)

Center: Kamilla Cardoso (8.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.0 apg)

Game Status Report

Indiana:

Temi Fagbenle – OUT (Left Foot)

Chicago:

Elizabeth Williams – OUT (Knee)

Diamond DeShields – PROBABLE (Ankle)

Game Overview:

The Indiana Fever (7-10) continue their road trip with their first visit of the season to Chicago to face the Sky at Wintrust Arena. This game marks the third matchup of the year between the two teams, with Indiana having won the previous two encounters. The game tips off at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Indiana is riding a four-game winning streak, their first since August 2015, and has defeated the Sky twice this season. In their last meeting at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indiana secured a 91-83 victory, and earlier in the season, they edged out Chicago 71-70.

Both teams are entering this matchup with momentum. Indiana defeated the Atlanta Dream 91-79 on Friday, with standout performances from NaLyssa Smith (21 points), Kelsey Mitchell (18 points), Caitlin Clark (16 points), and Aliyah Boston (10 points). The Fever outscored the Dream 48-26 in the paint and distributed a season-high 24 assists.

Caitlin Clark continues to make history, becoming the fastest rookie in WNBA history to reach at least 250 points and 100 assists in 17 games. If she scores 24 points and grabs eight rebounds against the Sky, she'll set a new record for reaching 300+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 100+ assists in just 18 games, surpassing Shannon Johnson’s record of 22 games.

The Chicago Sky (5-9) broke their four-game losing streak with an 83-72 win over the Dallas Wings. Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter led with 19 points each, Dana Evans added 12, and rookie Angel Reese collected a career-high 18 rebounds and 16 points. The Sky dominated the paint, outscoring the Wings 48-22.

In their previous matchup against Indiana, the Sky saw six Fever players shoot 50% or better, with Caitlin Clark scoring a game-high 23 points and tying her career-high with nine assists. Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith also contributed significantly, combining for 32 points. For the Sky, Mabrey and Carter led the scoring, with Reese and Kamilla Cardoso each recording double-doubles.

Indiana will aim to extend their winning streak, while Chicago looks to build on their recent victory as both teams vie for a crucial win in the 2024 Copa América season.