The New York Liberty will travel to Chicago to play the Sky on Friday for the second half of the home-and-home regular-season series between the teams.
The Liberty (10-17), who have been off since their 83-80 home win over the Sky (21-7) last Saturday, are hoping to make it two in a row against the reigning WNBA champions.
New York’s win over Chicago last week snapped a brutal five-game losing streak, and Natasha Howard talked after that game about how the team took a big step forward with the victory.
Howard came through with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday against the Sky, and Sabrina Ionescu put together an all-around game of 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
Howard said she and Ionescu have been trying to provide leadership as the Liberty attempt to stay in the playoff hunt.
“It takes hard work,” Howard said. “We’re both really not vocal. We show everyone our game, but lately, we’ve both been very vocal, on the bench, in the huddle, and even on the court as well. That’s one thing we’ve both grown in this season, and that has really been helping us.”
For the Sky, they are looking to bounce back after a tough 93-83 loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the championship game of the Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday.
The league-leading Sky are facing the Liberty for the fourth time this season and hold a 2-1 record against their Eastern Conference foe in those matchups.
Chicago trailed 33-14 after one quarter against the Aces before staying close over the remaining three quarters.
But it’s consistency that the Sky are hoping to find as they push ahead over the final few weeks of the regular season.
“I’m not worried about our team when we face adversity. I’m worried about us getting into adversity,” said star Candace Parker, who scored a team-high 20 points in the Commissioner’s Cup game.
“It’s more not facing adversity. I think we’re built for that. But it’s not getting ourselves into it.”
