One thing that might have opened up the Sky’s offense this season was the pick-and-roll between point guard Courtney Vandersloot and center Kamilla Cardoso.
Vandersloot reads the floor better than almost anyone, and Cardoso is quicker than most players her size. Cardoso quickly became a favorite target for the veteran floor general.
But Vandersloot’s season-ending knee injury cut the partnership short. Now Cardoso is getting far fewer pick-and-roll opportunities.
In Vandersloot’s absence, the Sky have leaned on a less common scoring method, at least in modern basketball: the big-to-big connection. Entering the game Tuesday against the Mystics, forward Angel Reese had dished out 11 assists to Cardoso this season, the most between any two players on the team.
‘‘Historically, that’s what basketball was,’’ head coach Tyler Marsh said. ‘‘It’s migrated away from that, so what we’re doing is now unique to the league. We try to use that to our advantage.’’
Marsh said the Sky are starting to better understand the spacing required when Reese and Cardoso are on the floor together.
‘‘Me and ’Milla have figured it out,’’ Reese told the Sun-Times, referring to their ability to read and react off each other.
The Sky really need to get Cardoso involved. She’s their most efficient scorer, shooting 50.5% from the field. Vandersloot often emphasized how dangerous the Sky could be when playing through Cardoso. Other coaches have taken notice.
‘‘She’s getting close to being one of those players that’s just a bucket if you guard her one-on-one,’’ Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson said.
Cardoso described herself as a ‘‘transformed’’ player after returning from her offseason overseas. She definitely has improved, averaging 10.9 points on more shooting attempts than last season.
But there are still nights when she fades from the game. Some of that, Marsh acknowledged, is because of foul trouble.
Staying on the floor is key. Without doing so, Cardoso won’t be able to broaden her game and become more suited for today’s positionless style.
Mystical connections
There’s a strong Sky connection on the Mystics’ bench. Former Sky assistant Johnson is their head coach, and Emre Vatansever — a former Sky interim head coach — is his assistant.
They’re leading the youngest team in the league (average age: 24.9 years). But their oldest player — center Stefanie Dolson — was a key piece of the Sky’s 2021 championship team.
Dolson’s favorite memory from that title run? The Finals clincher against the Mercury.
‘‘That game was incredible,’’ Dolson told the Sun-Times. ‘‘Chance the Rapper being here. All those missed layups by Phoenix. They missed, like, three in a row. I’ll never forget it.’’
Dolson still keeps in touch with Vandersloot and her wife, Sky great Allie Quigley. She visited with them and their daughter the night before the game.
‘‘They’re meant to be parents,’’ she said.
Tough schedule
Marsh thinks the Sky have dealt with a tough schedule to start the season, but it won’t be getting any easier.
According to one site that tracks opponent winning percentage, the Sky have the toughest remaining schedule in the league. Their next two games are against the Mercury at home Saturday and the Dream on the road Sunday. Both are among the top four teams in the WNBA standings.