Sky's the Limit? Reese's Rough Night Rocks the WNBA
Okay, let's talk about last night's game. It wasn't pretty for Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. Their 99-74 loss to the New York Liberty was a complete blowout, and the internet, well, the internet went wild.
Reese's Night to Forget (and the Internet's Reaction)
Reese had, honestly, one of the worst games of her young WNBA career. She went 0-for-8 from the field. Zero. For. Eight. I mean, seriously. There was this one sequence – now a viral video – showing her missing several point-blank shots. She was swarmed by the Liberty's defense, but still...ouch. The comments online? Let's just say they were not kind. People were questioning everything from her shot selection to her offseason training. One fan even said, "Angel Reese I usually defend u but that was so unnecessary," highlighting the frustration among even loyal supporters.
Even though her shooting was abysmal, Reese still grabbed 12 rebounds (eight offensive!). That was one of the few bright spots in a game where the Sky committed 23 turnovers and let the Liberty shoot nearly 56% from three. Yes, you read that right – fifty-six percent. New York hit a WNBA-record 19 three-pointers; it was a total domination.
The Sky's Bigger Picture Problems
Reese's struggles are part of a larger issue. The Sky are 0-2 and have had some serious offensive problems in their first two games. They're still trying to find their rhythm under new coach Tyler Marsh, and this young team clearly needs some time to gel. Even with off-season additions like Kia Nurse and Ariel Atkins, the offense hasn't clicked yet. Add in the fact that they have a mind-boggling -60 point differential through two games (a new WNBA record!), and things look pretty bleak.
Courtney Vandersloot, a veteran point guard, pointed out some key areas the team needs to improve: "We are trying to figure out spacing. We haven’t figured out how we can position our post players so it benefits us." This is crucial given that they have a talented but still developing post presence with Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
Rookie Hailey Van Lith showed some flashes of brilliance – particularly her assist numbers – but even she wasn't enough to save the Sky from this disaster. I don't think anyone expected this sort of start from them. Let's face it, their first two opponents (the Fever and Liberty) are strong teams, but even so, this wasn't just a case of losing to a superior team; it was getting completely blown away.
Looking Ahead
Look, the season is still young. It's way too early to panic, but there are some serious questions the Sky need to answer. Can they improve their spacing and offensive flow? Can Reese find her rhythm? Can they shore up those turnovers? There's talent here, but right now, it's not showing.
The Sky's next game is against the Los Angeles Sparks, and that is probably their chance to get back in the game and show everyone they're not ready to give up. I think everyone is keeping their fingers crossed.
