Nothing came to the Sky’s rescue in their loss to the Storm last night. Not their strong home record against Western teams, not Seattle’s shaky stretch in the last 10, not even the history books from the past four seasons. And certainly not Angel Reese’s much-awaited return or pregame promise. Here’s all of it broken down for you-

• Better at Home vs. the West: Chicago has shown more success at Wintrust Arena against Western opponents. They have notched two wins over Dallas, plus statement victories against the Sparks and powerhouse Lynx. It was a proof they could have taken down contenders on any night.
• Storm’s Cold Streak: Seattle entered the night just 2–8 in their last 10. Their only bright spotwas  a narrow two-point win over Atlanta. Without that, they would have been riding an eight-game skid. Most of their recent losses were close, but their inconsistency was glaring.
• Recent History Favors Chicago: The Sky hadn’t been swept at home by Seattle since 2020. They dominated the matchup during their 2021 title run and continued splitting or winning series across the following seasons.

But none of it mattered even as Chicago’s first half against the Storm looked pretty promising. They were knotted at 20–20 after the opening quarter. But by the time the second one rolled around, Angel Reese’s pregame words were already starting to sound hollow. “I mean, we’ve been in games by two, three, four, five points and then they break loose in the second half,” she had said. Only this time, they weren’t trailing by two, three, four, or even five. Rather, Seattle blew the game open in the second, building a 12-point cushion before halftime.From there, it turned into a full-blown Storm show.

The Sky, who have made a habit of letting games slip in the third, watched that very storyline play out again, despite Angel Reese’s vow that it wouldn’t. “So, just being able to, uh, bring that fire third quarter,” she had promised. Instead, the gap only swelled to 16, and even a late 10-point push in the fourth couldn’t patch over the damage. The final score read 94-88. It may look like a narrow margin on paper, but it was a tough game that never really felt in Chicago’s grasp.

For Angel Reese, dropping a game right after returning from a seven-game absence with a back injury had to be frustrating. Moreover, her restricted minutes (25) only added to it. “I was trying to control what I can control tonight,” Reese told reporters after the game. “I was only supposed to play 25 minutes, and that sucks. I’m not a player that wants to be on a restriction of any kind. But I did what I could do to try and help the team win.” Still, despite the situation, she came back shining.

Angel Reese Shines Despite Chicago Sky’s Home Loss

The Sophomore forward made her return to game action on Tuesday night against the Seattle Storm after missing seven games. Even though the Sky ended up with a 94-88 loss, Angel Reese’s presence on the court was undeniable. She scored 19 points, pulled down 7 rebounds, delivered 4 assists, and also added a block in just 25 minutes of play. The team had managed only a 1-6 record without her during that stretch. This really underscores how critical she is to Chicago’s system on both offense and defense.

Reese had just gotten back to practicing over the weekend, but head coach Tyler Marsh said it seemed like she hadn’t missed a beat. “She fit right in like she hadn’t missed any time off. The chemistry’s still there with her teammates, she picked up on the stuff that we’re doing, picked up on the game plan going into tomorrow,” Marsh stated before the game tipped off. That strong chemistry was evident during the game, even if the final score didn’t go their way.

This season has been a tough one that has hardly gone according to plan for Chicago. Coming into the game, the Sky’s record was 8-25 and they are now 8-26. This even puts them teetering right on the edge of being eliminated from playoff contention. Still, when she has been healthy, Angel Reese has been a definite bright spot.

She is the team leader in scoring with 14.2 points per game and rebounding with 12.6 rebounds per game, and she also averages 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals. Her shooting efficiency is still a work in progress though. As she is shooting 44.4 percent from the field and only 20 percent from the three-point line.

But her impact also stretches far beyond the basketball court. She is already one of the most recognizable faces in the WNBA. Angel Reese is going to be featured on the cover of NBA 2K26. There she is rated a 90 overall, which is the 10th highest rating among all WNBA players in the game. That kind of spotlight, combined with what she produces on the court, makes her the central building block for Chicago as they move forward. And even though Tuesday’s loss was a tough one, Reese’s return was a signal of hope…