When we reach the end of the WNBA regular season in September, you won’t be seeing the Chicago Sky or the Seattle Storm in the playoffs. The two teams have all but confirmed their spot in the lottery. However, there’s a lot to play for, as both teams look to jump-start their rebuild in the offseason. All of these players have jobs to compete for, and management will look for those who can be part of the future.
The Sky enter as 1.5-point road favorites with -120 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Storm are +100 underdogs, with the game total set at 178.5 points.
Let’s dive into a preview, prediction, and pick for this Sky-Storm matchup.
Sky vs. Storm Prediction, Preview
This will be the third time since July 15 that these two teams have faced off. Chicago took the first game at home, a high-flying 95-90 victory, on the back of Azura Stevens and electric rookie Sydney Taylor. But earlier this week, Seattle got their revenge at home with a 97-88 win. Dominique Malonga, the budding star center, was not to be denied with 26 points and 10 boards. DiJonai Carrington did her best for Chicago off the bench, but the team sorely missed Taylor.
Unfortunately for the Sky, they’ll have to play Sunday’s game without Taylor, too. She’s been a shot in the arm that their lackluster offense needed, and they couldn’t keep pace with Seattle without her. That places a lot of pressure on head coach Tyler Marsh to gin up some offense for a team that is limping to the finish line.
For the Sky, Carrington can be a significant key to victory. Her defense and energy are ever-present, but her offensive game is awfully up-and-down. After scoring 26 off the bench against the Storm, she was held to three points on 1-of-9 shooting by the Valkyries in their next game — a 20-point loss. But without Taylor, they need that kind of willingness to take shots and mix it up. The absence of Taylor, Rickea Jackson, and Skylar Diggins leaves the Sky without their three best offense generators; Natasha Cloud is a solid play connector, and Kamilla Cardoso can finish plays well, but someone has to stir the drink.
For the Storm, it’s about positioning Malonga to dominate the matchup against Cardoso. All manner of players are having trouble keeping her contained offensively, but it’s up to the playmakers to put her in good positions. Natisha Hiedeman has done an excellent job so far, with Jade Melbourne and Flau’jae Johnson acting as solid secondary playmakers. If Malonga can hand out buckets and keep Cardoso off the glass, Seattle has to like their odds here; there’s too much two-way perimeter talent on this team for a banged-up Sky squad to deal with.
Now that we know these teams a bit better, who will pull out the win, and how should we bet on this game?
Sky vs. Storm Pick, Best Bet
If Sydney Taylor were playing, I’d be bullish on the Sky as the road team. But without their budding star of a rookie, it’s hard to see how they keep up with Seattle. Both squads are top five in pace, which isn’t a surprise for young rebuilding teams, which negates a lot of the defensive talent on the floor. I’m counting on another high-octane shootout between these two teams, with the Storm edging out a win on pure talent.
