Chicago Sky scouting report
Chicago Sky (13-14) at Los Angeles Sparks (13-13)
When: 9 p.m.
Where: Staples Center
TV: ESPN2
Recent results: On Saturday, the Sky lost to the Detroit Shock 76-67; on Sunday, the Sparks defeated the Atlanta Dream 91-87.
Skinny: This looks like a different Los Angeles Sparks team than the one the Sky defeated in Chicago (75-63) in late July. The Sparks, who dropped to 5-10 with the loss to the Sky, have won seven of their last nine games, including five straight. They're also back in the playoff picture, sitting in third place in the Western Conference. One big difference for the Sparks is the return of Lisa Leslie, who sat out the Sky game, and much of the first half of the season with a knee injury. She scored 28 points in a recent win over the Minnesota Lynx and leads the Sparks with 14.5 points per game. Leslie's partner in crime, Naperville native Candace Parker, is also starting to heat up. Parker missed part of the season because she was on maternity leave. She was slow out of the gate upon her return, but is coming off a 23-point game against Atlanta. Parker is averaging 11.6 points per game. The Sky could use a consistent effort against the Sparks. In its last two games, both losses, the Sky has given up second-half leads. Forward Candice Dupree has done her part to contribute night in and night out. She leads the team with 15.3 points per game. Sky center Sylvia Fowles (ankle sprain) is listed as day to day.
Next: New York Liberty at Sky, 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Patricia Babcock McGraw