Quick Three: Sky 97 Wings 92
The long-awaited first win of the Tyler Marsh era comes on the back of a dominant fourth-quarter finish from Chicago.
After an 0–4 start to the season, the Sky finally secured the win they’d been chasing for nearly two weeks, taking down the Wings at home on Thursday night. Many of the improvements seen in Tuesday’s loss to Phoenix carried over, but this time, it was a dominant fourth-quarter finish that made the difference. Let’s dive into how the Sky battled their way to their first victory of the season:
1. Ariel Atkins Continues Elevating Her Impact
After beginning to find her footing in Tuesday’s loss to the Mercury, Atkins gave the Sky a full glimpse of her capabilities in Thursday’s win. She was more consistently involved in the offense than in the first three games—taking 14 shots—and delivered her most impactful performance as a creator, dishing out a season-high six assists. Most importantly, she rose to the occasion in the clutch, giving the Sky exactly what they needed down the stretch.
While Tuesday’s game against Phoenix was a step forward, Atkins took just three shots in the final quarter—all from beyond the arc, two of which came in the frantic final 20 seconds as the Sky searched for a miracle comeback. Tonight was different. She remained involved throughout the fourth and, crucially, all of her attempts came from the mid-range—where she’s looked most comfortable early in her Chicago tenure. Her final bucket, a virtual dagger with 16.3 seconds left, was a perfect example of why GM Jeff Pagliocca invested so heavily to bring her in. With the game on the line, Chicago had moved the ball exceptionally well but, if we’re honest, no one looked terribly interested in taking the decisive shot. With Dijonai Carrington—one of the league’s best perimeter defenders—closing in and five seconds on the shot clock, Atkins sold a pass fake, slid into the open space, and buried a jumper to push the lead to an insurmountable five.
At the same time, Atkins was—almost single-handedly—tasked with guarding the red-hot Arike Ogunbowale at the other end of the court. To be fair, Ogunbowale largely won that battle (37 points, 6-of-12 from deep), but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort or defensive pressure. Atkins stayed attached to her hip throughout the fourth quarter and, when the Sky needed it most, came up with back-to-back stops. Both possessions ended with Dallas pleading for free throws—and not without reason—but Atkins’ ability to stay in a great scorer’s space and contest without fouling speaks to why she’s such a trusted defender. The Sky can’t expect her to be this effective on both ends in the clutch every single night, but the fact that she’s willing to shoulder that responsibility—and live with the result—is exactly what makes her such a valuable addition.
2. Cardoso Making Progress in the Details
While Atkins did the business late, it was Cardoso who set the tone early—at least until foul trouble forced her to sit after picking up three quick ones. Like Atkins, there were stretches in the season’s opening games where Cardoso didn’t feel involved enough, but the fourth quarter against Phoenix and the opening frame tonight suggested a shift in that trend. Unsurprisingly, she finished with the team’s second-best plus-minus (+6), and if not for a flat stretch late in the third—when she shared the floor in an interesting but slightly clunky tandem with Elizabeth Williams—she might’ve pushed closer to Rebecca Allen’s team-best +16 mark.
But for Cardoso, it’s not just about the stats—it's the types of plays she makes that really matter. Take her role in the final play, for example:
Then, flash back, just two days to a, frankly, forced shot in a similar scenario:
Now, I’m—of course—obliged to point out the difference in context. Tonight’s play comes out of a timeout (read: possibly designed), and Atkins’ shade toward Reese effectively eliminates the dump-off pass. It’s also a completely different stage in the game. However, if there’s any chance that Cardoso had the option to read and react when she got the ball on the roll, she made an absolutely perfect decision tonight. I’ve praised her passing abilities many times over the last year and change, so this skill shouldn’t come as a surprise. Yet, the ability to make the right decision in the heat of the moment during a close game is something else entirely. The Sky were a poor clutch team a season ago, and while Cardoso was actually their most effective option in Tuesday’s loss, that particular shot selection probably wasn’t the best given the lack of precision behind it. Tonight, on the other hand, she showed poise and composure when it mattered most.
These small details—of which there are still many to improve upon (check out the difference in match-up recognition and decision-making in the two plays below)—take time to develop. Yet even bit by bit, seeing Cardoso make decisions of this quality with so much on the line is a promising sign for Chicago’s future.
3. Marsh & Reese Finding Their Stride
It’s a bit predictable, I suppose, but after the Sky’s 0-4 start, Tyler Marsh and Angel Reese were the two individuals drawing the most criticism. Some of that came naturally from their visibility, which made them easy targets, but both also had clear areas where they struggled and deserved scrutiny—though not to the overwhelming extent it sometimes felt. Tonight, however, both began to show signs of moving closer to their potential, even with Reese’s unexpected absence of nearly 10 minutes on the bench in the second half.
For Marsh, the biggest positive tonight was the team’s early offensive execution. In the first half—especially the first quarter—there was plenty of off-ball movement and clear intentionality from the players handling the ball. Of course, these improvements could stem from better player execution rather than coaching alone, but it was encouraging to see the level of offensive design the team will have once everyone fully adapts to Marsh’s concepts. That said, there were moments—particularly in the third quarter—when a blended rotation and perhaps a dip in focus led to lapses in attention to detail and offensive stagnation. This adaptation process takes time. A year ago, the Sky often lacked ideas, never mind execution. Tonight, the ideas—beyond just the sets for Rebecca Allen’s threes, which have been consistently strong—were evident, and Marsh should take confidence in how his coaching contributed to this first victory.
For Reese, this was the perfect example of a “role player” game—one that showcases what she contributes beyond the points column. She took just six field goal attempts, made only two, and finished with a modest six points, yet remained a significant difference-maker for the Sky—especially after returning from her absence with about five minutes left in the game. Defensively, there were moments when Myisha Hines-Allen got the better of her; in fact, I don’t feel Reese’s defensive start this season has quite matched the high standard she set last year. Still, she provided her usual presence on the boards (9 rebounds) and was a willing distributor when needed (5 assists). With the addition of Atkins and plenty of strong scoring opportunities created for a 6’7” big like Cardoso, Reese no longer needs to carry the burden of being a primary scorer. Tonight demonstrated just how impactful she can be by focusing her efforts on the areas where she possesses the greatest advantages.