New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky Match Preview: Injury Report, Starting Lineup and Prediction

The season is in second gear, with the rookies going head-to-head with the seasoned masters of the league. Tomorrow, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will be waiting for Angel Reese and Co. at the Barclays Center, marking their third home game of the season. As for Chicago, it will be their second game on the road. However, the upcoming matchup against Connecticut will be the home debut for rookie Angel Reese.

Coming from last season’s defeat, the New York Liberty has got its game on since day one and is dominating at every game they have played. on the other hand, the Chicago Sky has a rebuilt squad that is blazing with lightning-fast speed.  Looking at the details of injuries, starting lineups, and other interesting insights for both teams, let’s explore the pregame scenario.

New York Liberty on a 4-game winning streak

Since the season took off, the New York Liberty has maintained a 4-game winning streak, and tomorrow will be looking to make it a 5-game one. Last year’s finals runner-up got back in action after facing a horrific pre-season defeat of 101-53 at the hands of the Chicago Sky. Maybe they were testing the waters with Chicago featuring, sensational rookies.

After that, there was no stopping for Liberty. In the season opener, they took over Washington with a close 85-80 victory. Then they had back-to-back 102-66 and 91-80 wins over Indiana. Their recent one was against Seattle, with which they gained strong winning momentum, grabbing a 74-63 victory. Liberty’s starting lineup includes the team’s leading scorer, Breanna Stewart, who averages 19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.8 steals per game.

Leading the team in rebounds is Jonquel Jones, with 9.5 rebounds along with 17.3 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. Moving on, Sabrina Ionescu has herself leading in dishing out impressive shots with 6 assists, along with 15.3 points, 4 rebounds, a steal, and 0.8 blocks per game. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, on the other hand, is looking sharp, averaging 14.5 points, 3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Courtney Vandersloot, despite being one of the starting five, plays the least time on the court at 25.5 minutes, within which, she is averaging 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Fortunately, there haven’t been any injuries on the Liberty’s roster and with that, let’s take a look on the other side.

Will Angel Reese and Co. be able to recreate its pre-season charm against New York?

Coming from an 83-74 victory, Chicago successfully avenged themselves over Dallas. Although they haven’t been able to get down on the court only twice, they are blasting off on the court with maximum energy, leaving the opponents in exhaustion from the constant chase for possession. Leading the squad in points is Marina Mabrey, who is averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 steals per game.

Followed by Diamond DeShields, who is demonstrating an impressive stat line at only 21 minutes of play with 15 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.5 steals, and a block per game. With her 6-foot-2 epitome, Elizabeth Williams is dominating with 9 rebounds and 3 blocks, along with 12 points, 2 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals per game. Now, Angel Reese is averaging 11.5 points and has tied her rebounding prowess with her teammate Marina Mabrey at 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a steal per game. Dana Evans on the other side is just getting started, registering 11 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 0.5 steals. and a block per game.

Although, things would have been much better if Kamilla Cardoso hadn’t been out with a shoulder injury. She sustained an injury in the preseason loss to the Minnesota Lynx earlier this month. However, the powerful center is set to make a return on June 1st, when Chicago will be hosted by the Indiana Fever at their home court at Bainbridge Fieldhouse. As for tomorrow, it is going to be an amazing entertainer for the fans as the rookies will be looking to make a deep impact while the veterans try to maintain their winning streak.