Scouting: Mystics @ Sky

Washington Mystics (15-5/14-16) at Chicago Sky (14-16)

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: UIC Pavilion

Skinny: It's now or never for the Sky, which needs to fight to the bitter end in order to clinch its first playoff berth in franchise history. Four Eastern Conference teams make the WNBA playoffs and the Sky is in fifth place but just a half-game out of third. The Sky has three of its last four regular-season games at home, beginning with a Mystics team that will be playing its second game in two days. The Sky is hoping that 6-foot-6 starting center Sylvia Fowles will be ready for the stretch run. She's missed the last five games with a left ankle sprain and it's probably no coincidence that the Sky is 1-4 during that span. The Sky needs Fowles' intimidating presence down low as well as her rebounding. At 8.6 rebounds per game, she's one of the best rebounders in the WNBA. The same can be said for Candice Dupree (7.9 rpg, team-best 15.5 ppg). Since its last home game one week ago, the Sky waived one of its founding players, forward Brooke Wyckoff. She went down with a season-ending knee injury against the New York Liberty. Washington, which has won only two of its last six games, gets 16.6 points per game out of guard Alana Beard.

Next: Sky at Detroit Shock, 5 p.m. Sunday