The Chicago Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury 77-66 on Tuesday in Phoenix, and the win came after a pregame change that reshaped the starting lineup. Skylar Diggins was scratched because of a right knee injury that surfaced before the game, so Courtney Vandersloot started at point guard and Natasha Cloud returned to the starting lineup on the wing.
The adjustment worked. Chicago closed the third quarter on an 11-2 run and went into the fourth with a 56-42 lead. The Sky also looked more connected on defense, something they had been trying to get back to after drifting away from the top-three defensive standard they showed early in the season.
Sydney Taylor led Chicago with 16 points and helped the Sky finish strong. The rookie guard said the group did a good job feeding off one another’s energy, handling Phoenix’s runs and staying connected through the late push. Chicago’s response mattered, especially on a night when the lineup was forced to change and the rotation had to adjust on the fly.
Defense set the tone
Natasha Cloud was direct about what the Sky want their identity to be. She said Chicago is a really good defensive team, added that the group started the season among the league’s best on that end, and noted that the Sky had gotten away from it before this win. She also said offense will always come from defense, which fits the way Chicago controlled the game once it settled in.
Cloud’s return to the starting lineup was one of the more important pieces of the night, while Courtney Vandersloot continued to be managed with a minutes restriction. Tyler Marsh liked what he saw from the new look, but he is still evaluating what will work going forward.
For Chicago, the result did more than just add another win. It snapped Phoenix’s three-game winning streak and gave the Sky a road victory in a game that was shaped by an injury, a lineup change and a stronger defensive effort. Chicago now has an LA trip coming next, so this was a useful step as the Sky try to carry that defensive standard forward.
