After one other tough efficiency in opposition to the Indiana Fever on Saturday, the Chicago Sky want ahead Angel Reese to broaden her offensive sport.
The Fever crushed the Sky, 79-52, at United Center in Chicago. Star Fever guard Caitlin Clark did not play due to a left quad damage.
In 27 minutes, Reese grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds however scored simply 4 factors on 2-of-7 capturing from the sector and dedicated three turnovers. Regardless of the poor displaying from the 23-year-old ahead, Sky head coach Tyler Marsh did not blame her.
“I do not assume Angel struggled tonight. I believe we struggled as a crew,” he mentioned in a postgame news conference. “It isn’t about Angel being higher for us, it is us being higher for Angel, and everybody else round. And so, once more, it made it powerful for anyone to get a rhythm tonight.”
Reese’s supporting solid did not step up in opposition to the Fever. The Sky shot 3-of-15 from three-point vary, had 19 turnovers and had no gamers rating in double figures.
Whereas it is obvious the Sky lack the expertise to be a championship contender, Reese nonetheless deserves some criticism.
Earlier than the season, Reese told Jason Lieser of the Chicago Solar-Occasions that she would “proceed to get higher yearly.”
Reese’s offensive numbers, nevertheless, have dipped. Via her first seven video games this season, she has averaged 9.1 factors per sport on 30.9% capturing from the sector. Throughout her rookie season, the previous LSU standout recorded 13.6 PPG on 39.1% capturing from the sector in 34 video games.
Groups have seemingly realized Reese — who has made 4 three-pointers in two seasons — is not a risk as an out of doors shooter, and thus, they will clog the paint when she will get the ball.
Her incapability to complete by contact could possibly be exacerbating her issues. According to Basketball Reference, she’s capturing an abysmal 28.9% on pictures from zero to a few toes.
Clearly, Reese should enhance her capturing contact and develop extra artistic finishes to beat her second-year slide. If she does, that ought to assist the one-time All-Star get again on monitor.
