COLLEGE PARK, Ga.— The Sky healed half of their Achilles’ heel Sunday afternoon: they finally took care of the ball, committing single-digit turnovers for the first time all season.
How nice was it to let the offense actually flow?
“God, that did feel good, I’m not gonna lie,” Ariel Atkins said postgame. “Just to not have the ball in the other team’s hands for half the game.”
It’s been hard to see what this offense can really be, given the Sky have averaged a league-worst 18 turnovers per game. But Sunday’s performance offered a glimpse: a more balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures.
“The mindset from the jump was an increased level of focus,” Elizabeth Williams said. “We did a lot of things right.”
But the other half of their Achilles’ heel—giving up threes—continued to bite them. The Sky held a lead in the fourth quarter but couldn’t close it out, allowing Dream guards to hit six three-pointers in the final frame alone.
Lineup tinkering
Is the Kia Nurse experiment winding down?
Nurse has started most games for the Sky but has struggled to shoot—her main role on this roster. She’s shooting just 30.9% from behind the arc, which may not be enough to keep her in the starting lineup. Her minutes have been trending down since mid-June, and she logged a season-low 12 in Sunday’s 93–80 loss to the Dream.
Rachel Banham started in her place. She hit 2-of-5 from deep and played a steady game, though she didn’t make a slam-dunk case to claim the spot permanently.
“Rachel’s a safe play in the sense that she does a good job taking care of the ball,” head coach Tyler Marsh said. “She’s experienced. She’s been in that position before.”
Crucially, starting Banham at point guard allowed Atkins to play off the ball, where she’s been more effective. Still, the Sky’s backcourt rotation will probably remain fluid—at least until reserve point guard Moriah Jefferson is fully healthy.
Jefferson, who’s been dealing with a calf injury, was available Sunday for the first time in weeks but did not play.
In the frontcourt, Marsh said earlier this week he wanted to find more minutes for Williams—and that decision paid off. She scored 16 points and helped slow Atlanta’s imposing front line.
“I thought her energy was great,” Marsh said. “She was able to create angles inside, and she gives us a big boost off the bench.”
Williams helped limit Dream All-Stars Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones to 16 combined points.
“She’s always in the right place at the right time,” Atkins said of Williams postgame.
Reese recovering
Angel Reese suffered a minor leg injury Saturday against the Mercury and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. But she suited up and played through it. She struggled from the field again, shooting just 3-for-11, but still dominated the glass. Just shy of the 20-board mark, Reese finished with a season-high 19 rebounds.