Three games are on the schedule on Thursday in the WNBA. We begin in Connecticut, where the Sun host the Dream at 7 p.m. ET, then head to Chicago for a Midwest showdown between the Sky and the Fever at 8 p.m. ET and conclude the night’s action in Vegas, where the Aces face off against the Storm at 10 p.m. ET.
It’s a tale of two seasons, with Connecticut and Atlanta. The Sun are 8-2 and rolling, while the Dream are struggling to stack up wins and are currently 3-5.
Atlanta will need great games from their big three of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Cheyenne Parker to pull off an upset. Now, these three have been impressive all season long, but Connecticut is a complete team and big-heavy, so Parker will have her hands full in the post all night. We’ll see if anyone comes to her aid to help neutralize Sun forwards Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones.
Has there ever been a more fun 3-6 team than the Indiana Fever? With rookie Aliyah Boston’s dominant play and Kelsey Mitchell’s 17 points a game, the Fever have been fun to watch, even if it hasn’t resulted in wins.
They have “good losses” against the Phoenix Mercury, Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun, but ultimately, they are a young team that struggles to close out games.
That will have to change on Thursday if they want to beat the Sky on the road; a team as established as Chicago forces you to beat them. With a veteran coach in James Wade and star guards in Kahleah Copper and Marina Mabrey, it takes four quarters of complete basketball to get a win against Chitown. Will Thursday be a night where Boston shines and gets another quality win, or will Chicago continue to surpass preseason expectations?
The Aces are living up to the super team branding WNBA Twitter gave them when Candace Parker joined them in free agency. They are 8-1, have four players averaging double digits and have a fifth player just shy of ten points a game in Parker. The only blemish the team really has is a not-so-deep bench, but when your top seven players are this good, that’s an easy trade off to do.
So how can Seattle win on Thursday?
They’ll need Jewell Lloyd to play her best game of the season. She is currently averaging 24.7 points, the highest average in the league. If she can go for 30-plus, the Storm can win.
Game information
Connecticut Sun (8-2) vs. Atlanta Dream (3-5)
When: Thursday, June 15 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT
How to watch: WNBA League Pass
Sun injury report: none
Dream injury report: Aari McDonald (out; shoulder), Danielle Robinson (out indefinitely; knee), Iliana Rupert (out indefinitely; contract suspension)
Chicago Sky (5-5) vs. Indiana Fever (3-6)
When: Thursday, June 15 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL
How to watch: WNBA League Pass
Sky injury report: Rebekah Gardner (out indefinitely; foot), Morgan Bertsch (out; foot), Li Yueru (out for season; lower body), Isabelle Harrison (out indefinitely; knee), Ruthy Hebard (out indefinitely; personal)
Fever injury report: none
Las Vegas Aces (8-1) vs. Seattle Storm (2-6)
When: Thursday, June 15 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, NV
How to watch: WNBA League Pass
Aces injury report: Riquna Williams (out indefinitely; back)
Storm injury report: none