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#2 Chicago Sky v #7 New York Liberty
The Chicago Sky had a much better regular season than their 16-16 record last year. Their 26-10 record this season is tied with the one-seeded Las Vegas Aces. After adding Emma Meesseman and Julie Allemand to the team while bringing back Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, the Sky made it clear they were looking to repeat.
It took a few games for the players to mesh, but the team took off once Kahleah Copper returned to the fold. Six players averaged double figures over the season: Candace Parker, Copper, Meesseman, Vandersloot, Quigley, and Azurá Stevens. They ranked second in points per game, first in field goal percentage, tied for second in offensive rating, fourth in defensive rating, and first in assist percentage. Chicago averaged a WNBA record-setting 24.3 assists per game.
The Liberty had a much more tumultuous season, finishing the year under .500 at 16-20. They were supposed to rely heavily on All-Star Betnijah Laney and Sabrina Ionescu this season. Laney getting injured early in the season killed that notion. They started the season 1-7, much like the Sky last season.
They got some reinforcements mid-season in Marine Johannés and Han Xu, who both ended up being key contributors to the team. Stef Dolson joined the team in free agency, adding more championship experience alongside Natasha Howard and Sammy Whitcomb.
A large reason the Liberty were able to make a playoff push this season was the stellar play of Sabrina Ionescu. She made her first All-Star game, won the skills competition (she lowkey cheated), and was the one that put the game away for A’ja Wilson’s team. Ionescu broke and matched many records this season; she became the first player in WNBA history with 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 200 assists. She led the league in 30-point games with four and was the first player to have a 30-point triple-double. She is tied with Candace Parker for the most triple-doubles in WNBA history with three. The Liberty led the league in three-pointers made and attempted.
Matchup:
The Sky and Liberty played four times this season, Chicago winning the season series 3-1. Chicago dominated and won the first matchup by 33 points. Chicago won the second game on a game-winning three by Courtney Vandersloot with 0.9 seconds left. That game was one of Ionescu’s triple-doubles, with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists. Meesseman and Vandersloot both had 20 for Chicago. The Liberty won the third matchup 83-80 after Sabrina Ionescu’s and-1 layup gave them an 81-80 lead with 9.7 seconds left. The fourth matchup was won by the Sky 89-81, without Parker.
Tariq: Outside of the first game, the Liberty played the Sky well, and I think they will in this series too. I think they can get a game, but I ultimately have the experience and ball movement of the Sky being too much for the younger, inexperienced, and inconsistent Liberty team.
The key for New York will be their three-point shooting, and the Sky’s need to be better than it was in their last few games, or New York will pull off the biggest upset of the playoffs. I love the individual matchups we will be able to watch on the big stage, especially now that Laney is back.
Sky in three
Bryce: This will be an interesting matchup to watch because of the players involved. The Chicago Sky have been running like a well-oiled machine all year. Their chemistry is unmatched, and they have a team built for a repeat. The Liberty, on the other hand, are young and inexperienced. They are more than capable of stealing a game in this series. Sabrina Ionescu has improved her play this season and showed up in the last meeting between the two. But ultimately, it won’t be enough for the Sky. They’re playing in a playoff setting, with the Sky having back-to-back home games.
Sky in two
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