TORONTO — You wouldn’t have known it if you were watching, but the Sky were handed a breather in their last three games, drawing the Mystics (4-5), Sun (2-10) and Tempo (6-5). None is a title contender.
They didn’t exactly pounce on the opportunity. They lost two of three and dropped to 4-7. The next four games offer no such mercy, with each opponent squarely in the title hunt.
First come the Dream, who have the second-best defense and second-best record in the league, at home Tuesday. What will former Sky star Angel Reese do against her old team, the worst defensive-rebounding team in the league?
After that, the Fever await at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. They have had their share of early dysfunction, sitting at a modest 5-5, but they still feature a trio of superstars, including Kelsey Mitchell, who loves playing the Sky. The last time the Sky beat the Fever? Two years ago.
Then come the Liberty, who have won four games in a row and have one of the most stacked rosters in the league.
Finally, there are the Wings. In the first meeting between the teams, they gave the Sky a lesson in the difficulty of containing a trio of shotmakers: Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Azzi Fudd. Since then, that trio only has gotten better.
So what positives can the Sky carry into that stretch after losing five of their last six?
Their defense and ball control are hanging in there. Though it no longer inspires the fear it did early on, the Sky’s defense still ranks eighth in the league. They play solid transition defense and have held opponents to 32.4% shooting from three-point range.
They also have taken care of the ball, ranking in top five in fewest turnovers. They don’t give away many possessions.
What it all means is they’re giving themselves a chance to win. If only they could put the ball in the basket. Alas, they’re shooting 35.8% overall and 23.9% from three, which both rank at the bottom of the league.
Stevens steps it up
One of the few Sky players who shot well against the Tempo was forward Azura Stevens. In her fifth game back from injury, she scored 18 points on 8-for-15 shooting. She also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
But she had no magic answer for the team’s rebounding struggles.
‘‘Rebounding is pretty simple,’’ she said after the game. ‘‘Just got to turn and hit your man. . . . It’s pretty much effort. I don’t think there’s a lot of skill behind rebounding.’’
Rookie returns
Another positive: Rookie Gabriela Jaquez is back. After missing four games with a hyperextended knee, Jaquez returned against the Tempo, posting 11 points and two steals in 19 minutes off the bench.
In her absence, coach Tyler Marsh had tinkered with the starting lineup, first turning to Natasha Cloud, then to Rachel Banham. Cloud gives the team more defense; Banham provides three-point shooting. Jaquez offers a bit of both.