Chicago Sky feeling queasy after loss to Sun
The missed opportunities can be haunting.
Or at least sickening.
"It's nauseating," Chicago Sky coach Pokey Chatman said. "It makes me want to vomit."
The Sky clinched a spot in the WNBA playoffs on Saturday with a win in Atlanta. From now on, the goal is to snag that No. 1 seed.
An excellent opportunity to move a little closer to that goal slipped through the Sky's fingers Sunday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.
Up by as many as 12 points in the third quarter and 9 points in the fourth quarter, the Sky, currently sitting on the No. 2 seed, let the Connecticut Sun reel off a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter en route to a shocking 72-68 come-from-behind victory.
The loss dropped the Sky, which was playing without starters Elena Delle Donne (foot) and Cappie Pondexter (illness), to 18-12 and puts them a full 3 games behind the first-place New York Liberty for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Sky's next game is against the Liberty in New York.
Connecticut, which was down three starters, moved to 13-17 and stays in fifth place in the East.
The Sky advanced to the WNBA Finals last season with the fourth (and lowest) seed in the Eastern Conference. But that doesn't mean any of the players or coaches want to go that route again.
The Sky had to be road warriors in the playoffs last season.
"It's important (to get the No. 1 seed) and it's important to get homecourt advantage," said Sky point guard Courtney Vandersloot, who led the Sky with 18 points and 5 assists. "That's big in the playoffs. That's why this hurts."
The Sky was down by 3 points with 25.3 seconds remaining, but an Allie Quigley 3-point attempt was blocked by Connecticut forward Kayla Pedersen to essentially seal the win for the Sun.
Missing an opportunity to gain ground on New York with a win at home against one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference will sting longer than most losses.
"We're not that organization that wants to just get in (to the playoffs)," Chatman said. "We're trying to win this thing. I don't know any other way to verbalize it."
Forwards Jessica Breland and Tamera Young scored 12 and 10 points respectively for the Sky, which was held about 15 points below its scoring average.
Center Kelsey Bone topped Connecticut with 25 points while fellow starters Jasmine Thomas and Jennifer Lacy had 11 and 10 points respectively. Chelsea Gray was a difference-maker off the bench for the Sun. She finished with 15 points, including two 3-pointers.
Next game: Sky at New York Liberty, 6 p.m. Thursday, NBATV