The final showdown between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever had one storyline after the next.
For the Sky, capping off a home stand in which they won three straight. Sydney Taylor’s individual dominance despite being on a minutes restriction due to a groin injury. Natasha Cloud bringing the noise. DiJonai Carrington‘s return from the injured list. Plus, wanting to finish the season on a high note.
Advertisement
For the Fever, it’s Caitlin Clark being Caitlin Clark. Aliyah Boston sidelined due to injury. Kelsey Mitchell in command. And Sophie Cunningham…no explanation needed.
All those factors burst the doors at Wintrust Arena off the hinges Sunday night.
The first half ended with the Sky leading 51-50. The pace on both sides was furious and neither was giving an inch. Cloud supercharged the offense by penetrating the paint and shooting from long range. Kamilla Cardoso was solid inside and on the boards. Aicha Coulibaly came off the bench to add additional strength and quickness at both ends.
It seemed as if the Sky had a chance. Until the 3rd quarter.
Advertisement
Mitchell and Clark lit up the Chicago skyline, hitting shot after shot as the Fever went on a 17-7 run that began at the close of the first half. However, the Sky clawed their way back towards the end of the quarter, and that was right when the intensity burst through seams.
With 1:22 left in the quarter, Cloud hit an off-balance spin shot in the lane to bring the Sky within six, 81-75. Then, she traded barbs with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, who was sitting under the basket. Kanter, who recently announced he was “entering” the 2027 WNBA Draft as part of an anti-transgender athlete crusade, was kicked out of the game and received boos from the stands. Kanter was wearing a shirt that read “Woman (noun) an adult female.”
The game resumed and Fever didn’t budge. They outscored the Sky 30-13 in the fourth quarter to secure a 113-90 win, eliminating the Sky from postseason contention.
Clark finished with 37 points, including eight 3-pointers. Mitchell came away with 30 points and six 3-pointers.
Advertisement
Cloud led the Sky with 16 points and seven assists; she was 7-for-9 from the field. Azurá Stevens added 14 points and eight rebounds. Cardoso scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line. Coulibaly added 12 points, as well as six boards. Carrington finished with seven points and three rebounds. Taylor finished with four points, going 0-for-9 from the 3-point line.
Afterward, Stevens talked about the lessons learned from this home stretch as they prepare to hit the road, emphasizing:
Not to get too down. We played two really great games. Tonight, we didn’t get it, but we have a couple road games coming up that we gotta regroup for and be ready for. So just not to take this one too hard.
Before the game, head coach Tyler Marsh said Taylor was a “big boost” for them given her recent string of individual performances, including the buzzer-beater win against the Golden State Valkyries last Friday.
Despite her struggles against the Fever, Marsh remained optimistic about Taylor, noting:
I think we’ve gotten so used to Sydney just being Sydney that we don’t give her the grace of having a game like tonight, and it’s unfair to her. We’re gonna keep trying to find ways to give her the ball and she’s gonna win some more games for us.
Cloud didn’t speak to the media about the incident with Kanter. According to Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, she met with the team and league security.
Marsh said to Salao, “We stand with Tash.”
Advertisement
He also provided a message to Kanter and others through Alissa Hirsh of the Chicago Sun-Times, stating, “If you come to a game, you should probably come to enjoy the basketball, and that seems pretty simple to me. I think these players deserve that, and have earned that.”
