Sky forward Angel Reese is focused on rehabbing her back, according to head coach Tyler Marsh. She missed Thursday’s shootaround and did not attend the game against the Dream, which could indicate a longer recovery. While the team continues to label her as “day-to-day,” Reese has now missed four consecutive games. Marsh said he didn’t know whether Reese would travel with the team to Indiana for their game against the Fever on Saturday.
The team was also reluctant to confirm injury details with leading scorer Ariel Atkins, who missed several weeks with a calf injury. The Sky called Atkins “day-to-day,” despite internal expectations that she’d miss at least four games. That timeline became clear when the team signed Marquesha Davis to a hardship contract, which could only be done if Atkins’ injury was longer term.
The team also avoided disclosing the nature of Atkins’ injury for weeks, eventually confirming it was her calf but never specifying which leg. Atkins shared details of her injury for the first time pregame against the Dream.
“I rolled my ankle one game, rolled my foot the next, and the muscle ended up giving out,” Atkins explained. “Once we got a little bit of swelling down, it was just a matter of managing the pain and making sure it got better every day.”
Avoiding confirmation of injuries or providing minimal details has become common league-wide. The IX’s Howard Megdal reported Wednesday that front-office sources described a “race to the bottom,” with teams increasingly withholding injury information from the public. The trend reportedly picked up after the 2023 Finals, when the Aces kept quiet about point guard Chelsea Gray’s injury. Marsh was an assistant coach with the Aces at the time.
No moves at the trade deadline
The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Sky stood pat.
Most of the big moves across the league were made by contenders looking to strengthen their rosters. The Lynx added 2024 Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington, while the Storm bolstered their lineup with All-Star Brittney Sykes.
Rebuilding teams, on the other hand, prioritized future assets. The Wings received Diamond Miller, a young player on a rookie contract, and a future second-round pick for Carrington. The Mystics received a 2026 first-round pick in return for Sykes.
The final trade before the deadline Thursday saw two rebuilding teams swap players, with the Mystics sending Aaliyah Edwards to the Sun for Jacy Sheldon.
The Sky would have been more likely sellers at the deadline, given their 8-21 record and slim chances of making the postseason. But Atkins said before the game that the playoffs remain the goal.
When Marsh was asked about the outlook for the rest of the season, he said, “continued improvement.”
“We talked at the beginning of the season about wanting to be playing our best basketball toward the end of the season and close the season out on a high note,” Marsh said.
Short-handed all around
While the Sky continue to miss Reese, the Dream have been without their star guard Rhyne Howard, who hasn’t played since July 11. Dream center Brittney Griner also missed Thursday’s game.
The Fever dominated the Sky in their fourth meeting. They’ve adapted to missing Clark, while the Sky dropped to 1-8 since the All-Star break.
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The Sky have dealt with more point-guard injuries than any other team this season. But if you feel sorry for them, you have to feel sorry for the point-guard-less Fever, too.
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The Sky have rediscovered their will to compete, which they had lost during an extended losing streak. But they still struggle with second-half adjustments.
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