On July 11, the New York Liberty will face the Chicago Sky at Barclays Center. Since both teams are coming off victories, it is going to be a tough match. Notably, Sabrina Ionescu’s defensive play contributed to Liberty’s recent win against Connecticut Sun. A Chicago Sky rookie, on the other hand, extended a WNBA record in the last game against Atlanta Dream.
Moving on, New York (18-4) will present a tough challenge as they attempt to add a win. Now that Liberty will host Angel Reese’s team Sky, let’s look at the players sitting out of the roster for the current fixture because of an injury.
Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty: Injury Report
New York Liberty is coming up to lock horns against Angel Reese’s team with their #8 forward Nyara Sabally, who is out because of a back injury. Another player whose status reads day-to-day is Betnijah Laney-Hamilton as she is dealing with a knee injury.
Chicago Sky (9-12), on the other hand, will play without one of their important players, Elizabeth Williams. Notably, the Chicago Sky forward last played on June 6 in a game against the Washington Mystics where she suffered an injury that resulted in a torn meniscus. Now that she has undergone successful surgery, it is likely that she will sit out the remainder of the season.
“[Williams] has had an amazing season…It’s absolutely a tough thing to hear, but we know [Williams] is strong, powerful, confident. We know she’ll be OK, so it’s really next man up,“ Sky’s coach Teresa Weatherspoon told Suntimes.com.
Here, Teresa Weatherspoon hinted at Williams’ caliber on the court as Sky’s forward, who played nine games this regular season. Notably, Williams played for an average of 27.7 minutes and an impressive 10 points per game. But all this came to a halt in a game against the Washington Mystics. However, Sky’s ready with a backup plan.
Who’s going to win in Chicago Sky versus New York Liberty?
Despite of Williams’ absence, Sky’s roster is filled with immense talent. Most probably, Elizabeth Williams’ center position will be taken over by Kamilla Cardoso. Though her average of 8.3 points and 8.0 rebounds is quite less than Williams’, she has proved her worth in the last few games. In a game against Sun, she accumulated 10 points in 30 minutes. And she’s not alone.
via Imago
She’ll be accompanied by top scorers of the last game Chennedy Carter and Angel Reese. While Carter secured a tally of 19 points, Reese featured 11 points and 13 impressive rebounds. And for Reese in their last matchup against Chicago Sky. And for the upcoming matchup, the Chicago Sky rookie would be looking to add her 15th consecutive double-double.
Notably, Reese already has a record of 14 double-doubles (the highest by any WNBA rookie in history), which she accomplished in the final seconds of gameplay against Atlanta. Coming back to the teams, Liberty stands in the first position in the Eastern Conference with a .818 PCT and 18 wins, whereas Sky stands in third place under Connecticut with 9 wins and a .429 PCT. Even glancing at the ESPN matchup predictor, Liberty has an 83.2% chance of seeing victory.
Despite the prediction being in favor of the Liberty, Chicago Sky would look to take over the No.1 New York Liberty. But, the question still remains the same: which team will add another win? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video:
