What Doomed the Chicago Sky Against Atlanta Dream originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Sky got off to a good start against the Atlanta Dream and even held a 34-28 lead at halftime. By the end of Thursday’s contest, however, the Windy City franchise had lost by 21 points, 86-65.
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Atlanta used a 32-18 third quarter to turn the tables against Chicago, and the team only continued to build on its lead en route to the dominant win.
Chicago scored a total of 31 points in the second half, shooting 13-of-30 from the field. No one scored more than 20 points for the team throughout the contest, with guard Rachel Banham finishing with the most points for the Sky with 18.
Tyler Marsh, Rachel Banham Point to Sky’s Shortcomings
Chicago Sky guard Rachel Banham leads the team in scoring against the Atlanta Dream.© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images


After the game, head coach Tyler Marsh shared his take on what caused the Sky’s loss. According to the Chicago tactician, they simply had a hard time getting “clean looks” against one of the top defensive teams in the WNBA.
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“I thought we struggled to get clean looks for the majority of the game,” Marsh stated, per Karli Bell.
Banham, meanwhile, pointed to the Sky’s fouls and their lack of free throws as major culprits in the loss. It’s worth noting that Chicago attempted just eight free throws and made four, while Atlanta had 25 freebies and made 21.
“We got to do a better job not fouling, especially when we know the refs are whistle happy.,” Banham explained.
“We just got to keep going at them and get some calls too and hopefully shoot more than eight free throws.”
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What Happened to the Sky in the Third Quarter Against Dream?
There’s no denying, however, that the turning point of the game was the third quarter when the Dream erased the Sky’s lead and got ahead entering the fourth quarter.
Banham expressed her belief that they became too complacent when they saw that things were working well for them in the opening half. Chicago shot 15-of-35 combined in the first two quarters.
“I think it’s our focus. When we have a lead we get a little too content and comfortable,” the veteran guard stated.
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It’s a sentiment that Marsh agreed with, noting, “I think that Rachel had it right. For whatever reason, we just haven’t had the same intensity coming out.”
Sky’s Fall Continue as Playoff Hopes Dim
The Sky dropped to 8-22 on the season with the loss, a further blow to their playoff hopes. They already had a slim chance (0.1%) of making it to the postseason entering the game, and their latest defeat obviously won’t help.
It also meant that Chicago has now dropped nine of its last 10 games, with no hope in sight.
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The Sky play the Indiana Fever next on Saturday, which should be an intriguing showdown considering the rivalry between the two teams.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
