Programming Note: The Sky Townies will be publishing EVERY GAME DAY OF THE PLAYOFFS. Let’s do this Skytown.
So, what’s the bigger Sky news from last week: that we clinched the eighth and final playoff spot, or that Kahleah Copper re-signed with the team?
I guess it depends on whether you think we can beat the Las Vegas Aces in the first round and make a real run this year, or whether you think we’ll be a quick exit and should start focusing on the off-season.
The Townies have a good feeling that we’ll split the first two games, which would force a Game 3 tie-breaker at home. That’s all we really want: one more chance to see the Sky play at home this season.
So how can we steal one on the road?
Lead Basketball Analyst:
It’s important to have a winning mindset. We didn’t beat the Aces in the regular season but we were in every game. They are a different team, and we are a different (and better!) team now. Our performance these past few games (4-1 baby!) should help with our mindset, but I think it’s really important that we think we can win.
Voice of Gen Z:
If A’Ja Wilson forgets how to play basketball.
I don’t know about you, but I think the Voice of Gen Z has the better take here. Like, what does a “winning mindset” even mean? With the Voice of Gen Z, we know exactly what she means: that Aces superstar A’Ja Wilson suffers a temporary illness lasting the exact length of our series that prevents her from remembering how to play basketball.
Doesn’t get any clearer than that.
Secret Weapons for the Sky’s 2023 Playoff Run
The truth is, a lot of WNBA experts probably don’t think we have much of a shot. Here’s the Her Hoop Stats newsletter on our first round match-up:
“On paper, this is the first-round series with the least amount of intrigue. The Aces were the best team in the league. The Sky just eked their way into the playoffs. Vegas was undefeated against Chicago in the regular season. It all adds up to a two-game sweep, right?
That’s not a trick question. This really does feel like a pretty quick series.”
Um….very little imaginative thinking there. Like, we get it Astute WNBA People. The Sky didn’t have the most impressive or consistent regular season, but we do have some secret weapons that could help us make a surprise run.
It’s already been the playoffs for us for a while now. Ever since we faced the then-eighth seeded LA Sparks on August 29th, pretty much every game has been do or die for the Sky. And it worked out: we were 4-1 over that stretch. So we just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing, whereas the teams that frolicked into the playoffs will have to make a big mental adjustment into do-or-die mode. (Despite me making fun of our Lead Basketball Analyst for her “mindset” point two paragraphs ago, I do think mindset is super important.) We’ve proven to the league—but more importantly to ourselves—that we can win under pressure. That’s what the playoffs are all about.
Our bench finished the season strong. Bench play is the Aces weak spot: they only have two players averaging more than nine minutes per game (Alysha Clark and Kiersten Bell). We have five. One of those five, Dana Evans, loves the playoffs, and the fourth quarter, and big time moments. She kept us alive in the second quarter against the Lynx last week, scoring eight key points when our starters were on the bench. Our back-up posts Ruthy Hebard and Sika Koné were also super effective in the regular season, shooting 58% and 53% from the field respectively. The Aces don’t even really have any back-up post players. So no, A’Ja Wilson probably won’t forget how to play basketball, but she might be a little tired from having played all game every game the whole season and now the playoffs, and that might give us a window of opportunity to dazzle with our youthful bench.
Three-point shooting. I have criticized the Sky for living and dying by three-pointers this season: we are 1-14 when we shoot below 33% from three, and 17-8 when we shoot above 33%. But another way to look at it is: that’s just how basketball works. It’s easier to win games when you shoot well from three, and harder when you don’t. Still another way to look at it is: we’re actually good at shooting threes! Overall, we finished third in the league in three-point shooting percentage at 37.2%. Our starting guards (Copper, Mabrey, Williams) are all shooting above 40% from three (and averaging at least two attempts per game). This is actually pretty amazing. In fact, five out of the eight playoff teams have no players shooting above 40% from three1. We are the only playoff team with three players shooting above 40% from three. The only team with two is the Aces (Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young). But if we can get past them, we’ll be ahead in a big way in the three-point shooting department.
Final Thoughts
The Townies will be watching tonight’s game at our Lead Basketball Analyst’s place. Like a true American or teenage boy, she will be serving Coors, Oreos, and Cheez-Its, so we did what any Sky fan would do and reached out to Mondelez International, the maker of Oreos, to please create a Sky-themed Oreo for our party.
Unfortunately the Tweet was taken down, possibly because Elon Musk prefers Chips Ahoy, so we may have to physically deliver our request to Mondelez HQ. If you know anyone at Mondelez, please DM us. We think these Oreos could take off in a big way.
Our first playoff game is TODAY Wednesday, September 13th @ 9 p.m. CT against the Las Vegas Aces. Watch on ESPN.
Based on players who are attempting at least two three-pointers per game.
The ESPN Daily podcast was kinder to the Sky in this match up, noting the almost win at home and Wilson seeming absolutely flummoxed in that game. This series feels more to me like where the Sky can (and I think will) make a statement about who this team is now and will be in the future. Hoping playoffs means more League Fits features for Courtney!