Natasha Cloud wants you to know she’s not trying to steal the nickname “The Engine” from Alyssa Thomas. Thomas, a six-time All-Star, earned it during her 2019 All-Star campaign for dictating how her team plays.
So when Cloud was asked about being the Sky’s engine after an 18-point performance against the Dream, she quickly interrupted.
“I don’t want no smoke, AT. That’s your [bleep],” she said, laughing. She offered some alternative nicknames instead: “energizer bunny” and “papi of the team.”
Call Cloud whatever you want. But the Sky’s success depends on her.
Ask any Sky player about the team’s veteran leadership and defensive identity — the assets that define them at their best — and Cloud’s name is the first out of her mouth.
When she’s humming, there’s no telling how far the Sky can go. Beat the Lynx on the road. Go toe-to-toe with the Dream.
When she’s sputtering, they stall out completely.
They got a taste of engine failure last week. Against the Tempo, Cloud shot 2-for-7 and turned the ball over three times.
Against the Mystics a few nights earlier, she got into early foul trouble, shot 0-for-4 and committed four turnovers. The Sky lost both games.
Cloud is far from the only Sky player who has struggled lately. The Tempo loss prompted a postgame callout from point guard Skylar Diggins, who said the team needed more effort, maturity and leadership across the board. The Sky had dropped six of their last seven.
Cloud said the team took the message to heart, and it lit a fire under them heading into the Dream game. The players sacrificed what was supposed to be an off day to watch film and walk through their game plan. They all took a good long look in the mirror.
“From top to bottom, from GM to coaching staff to players, we all had to have some accountability in our own homes first,” Cloud said. “But the mindset is: We’re not going on our own islands. We’re going to get through this storm together.”
Cloud’s own realization was that, as a leader, she has to be a stronger and more mature voice for the team. That starts with less jawing at the officials.
“The accountability for me is, I have to be great with my body language and controlling my water on the floor,” she said. “I need to be more poised. I can’t be arguing with refs all the time.”
Defensive-minded players like Cloud are adjusting to officiating that seems to be tilting back in favor of the offense this season. She had gotten heated with referees throughout. But her own play was wearing on her, too.
“There are some games [this season], I walk out where I’m like, I’m trash. Trash right now,” she said. “I needed to be held up the last few games. I’ve been struggling playing, not to the standard that I want to play.”
Cloud is averaging 10.3 points and 4.2 assists, but her 2.7 turnovers have dogged her, and her shooting has run hot and cold.
She said the challenge is to keep trusting herself — stick to her regimens and routines, slow herself down and let her defense bring her offense.
That’s exactly what she did against the Dream on Tuesday night.
She got to the line 10 times and finished with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Coach Tyler Marsh likes to deploy Cloud like a baseball utility player, someone who can fill any position, and she did it well.
The Sky still lost 82-75, letting a one-point lead slip away in the final three minutes. But Cloud thought their effort marked a turning point.
“We’re not happy with the loss,” she said. “I’ll never be happy with a loss. I’m a sore-ass loser, too. But what we all said in that locker room is, if we play this hard this consistently, we’re going to be in a really good position post-All-Star.”
Against the Dream, the Sky looked a lot more like the team that started the season 3-1 than the one that dropped seven of the next eight — connected, tough, letting their defense fuel their offense.
The Fever, Liberty and Wings are up next. To prove they’ve turned a corner, Sky will need the Cloud standard for all three.
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