Tonight, Angel Reese faces her former team, the Chicago Sky, for the first time since being traded to the Dream. With Atlanta built around a strong defensive identity and Chicago continuing to battle injuries, this matchup has all the makings of a physical, grind-it-out affair. Add in the extra motivation for Reese, and there should be plenty of intensity on both sides of the floor.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET with the Dream coming in as 8.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook and a total sitting at 165.5.
Let’s get into it!
Dream vs. Sky Preview
Atlanta’s defense has shined through the first month of the WNBA’s 30th season, holding opponents to the second-fewest points per game (79.3) while posting a defensive rating of 100.3, also second-best in the league. A huge factor in that success? Rebounding. The Dream rank second in the WNBA in rebounds per game (37.1), led by none other than Angel Reese and her 11.7 RPG. A real weapon, though, has been Rhyne Howard. The 26-year-old has been a destructive two-way force, averaging 18.0 points per game while adding a ridiculous 3.1 steals per game — the best mark in the league by more than a full steal. Howard is continuing to impress from beyond the arc as well, shooting 41.6% from three while maintaining strong volume.
While Reese contributes a healthy 13.3 points per game, Allisha Gray has been the true offensive engine balancing out Atlanta’s defense-first identity. Gray is averaging 19.7 points per game and has recorded five 20+ point performances, including three straight games of 24+ points to open the season. With Reese’s rebounding, Gray and Howard’s shooting, and Jordin Canada’s playmaking, the Dream are looking like one of the most complete teams in the league.
The Sky, on the other hand, haven’t had much luck since opening the season 3-1. Chicago lost its leading scorer, Rickea Jackson, to a torn ACL early in the year and has dropped six of its seven games since the injury. Veteran Skylar Diggins has been vocal about the team’s struggles, expressing disappointment following the Sky’s 85-68 loss to the Tempo and calling out the lack of heart and effort.
However, Kamilla Cardoso and Gabriela Jaquez continue to be bright spots for Chicago. Cardoso has emerged as the team’s primary rim protector, averaging 1.7 blocks and 9.6 rebounds per game, while Jaquez, fresh off a national championship run at UCLA, has provided a spark offensively. Although she hasn’t appeared in every game this season, the rookie is averaging 11.4 points per game and gives a struggling offense a much-needed scoring boost whenever she’s on the floor. Offensively, Chicago ranks in the bottom three of the league in both points per game (80.6) and offensive rating (98.1). Facing Atlanta’s suffocating defense will be a difficult challenge for an injury-riddled Sky squad that has looked out of sync for much of the past month.
Dream vs. Sky Best Bet, Pick
With Atlanta dominating on the defensive end and the Sky struggling to string together consistent offensive possessions, the under is the more appealing play tonight.
