Sky-Wings Preview
The Chicago Sky are on the verge of matching the worst six-game start in franchise history from back when they were an expansion team. They'll seek to avoid a fifth straight defeat Sunday in their first trip to Arlington to face the Dallas Wings. Chicago (1-4) has matched its worst start since 2010 and has not lost five of six to start a season since the franchise began 1-13 in 2006. The Sky have lost all four games with star forward Elena Delle Donne since routing Connecticut 93-70 in their May 14 opener without her. Delle Donne is the reigning MVP after she averaged 23.4 points a season ago, a mark that's down to 19.8 this season. She scored 27 and grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out with 1:28 to play in Friday's 79-78 loss at San Antonio. Chicago has played once with their full lineup since point guard Courtney Vandersloot has missed the last three games with an ankle injury. Jamierra Faulkner has filled in adequately in her place and is second in the league in field-goal percentage at 59.0. Faulkner scored nine points with a career-high 11 assists Friday. The Sky began the season ranked third in the Associated Press WNBA Power Rankings and have slipped to No. 7. Dallas (3-2) began the year ranked seventh and is now fourth, although the Wings fell 102-93 to surprising Atlanta on Friday. Plenette Pierson and Aerial Powers had 16 points apiece. Courtney Paris had 11 points and 14 rebounds. She's second in the league in rebounding with 11.8 per game and third in field-goal percentage at 58.3. The Wings played Friday without Skylar Diggins, who has seen action just once after tearing her ACL last year. She logged 12 minutes in last Saturday's 82-77 win over the Stars in the home opener, but Dallas is being careful with the player selected No. 3 in the draft by the franchise in 2013 after Chicago took Delle Donne at No. 2. These teams split two meetings a year ago, with Delle Donne totaling 61 points. The Wings - then the Tulsa Shock - didn't have Diggins or star Odyssey Sims in a 92-71 loss in the last meeting Sept. 11. Sims is averaging a team-high 17 points. |