Storm and Sky looking to clean up late-game messes

Field Level Media|published: Tue 14th July, 13:27 2026

Jul 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot (22) reacts during the second half against the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Poor execution late in games has plagued the Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm during the first two months of the WNBA season.

Host Chicago and Seattle will try to regroup when the teams meet in a Wednesday matinee.

The Sky (7-16) return to Wintrust Arena on the heels of a 1-3 road trip whose record might have been flipped.

After a 12-0 fourth-quarter run helped force overtime at Las Vegas on July 3, the Sky managed just four points in the extra session and lost by eight. On Sunday, Chicago led by eight points in the fourth quarter at Dallas before falling 96-91.

Sydney Taylor paced Chicago with 20 points against the Wings while Azura Stevens (18 points, 13 rebounds) and Kamilla Cardoso (12 points, 13 rebounds) notched double-doubles.

"It's just not making the plays when we need to," said Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot. "That's what great teams do. You saw it in Vegas. You saw it in Dallas. Great players, great teams, make great plays in that moment, and we just haven't done it yet.

"It's nobody's fault. At some point, all of us have made a mistake that we wish we could have taken back. It's little things like that that seem to slip away."

The Storm (6-19) can attest. Coach Sonia Raman sounded remarkably like Vandersloot when sizing up Seattle's 84-79 loss on Sunday at Washington.

"I thought we were right there and just couldn't get over the hump," Raman said.

Seattle, which led by six early in the fourth quarter, committed eight of its 19 turnovers in the final period and scored just 11 fourth-quarter points on 4-of-14 shooting.

Still, there were things to be encouraged about, including a career-best 31 points from eight-year veteran Natisha Hiedeman. She has contributed at least 15 points in four straight games.

Dominique Malonga added 10 points and 15 rebounds for her first double-double since June 27 and fifth this season. Malonga chastised herself for fouling out, however, and pledged to improve her discipline going forward.

"I need to be able to stay on the floor," she said. "I need to be able to just be clean with my game overall, especially when it comes down to crunch time."

--Field Level Media

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