One of them is chasing the top, the other one is just trying not to hit the bottom. We all know who’s who. It’s 10–4 vs. 3–8 tonight in Chicago, and the Sky are running out of clouds to hide behind. Angel Reese and her squad are riding fresh off a close 5-point loss against the Mystics. Whereas the Mercury are burning red hot with 4 consecutive wins over the league’s best teams.

Last time the two matched up, Phoenix lit up the Footprint Center with 94 points and handed Chicago a loss despite a late push. That was May 28. Now, the rematch shifts to Wintrust Arena, and a change in venue might not be enough to flip the script for Chicago. Because the stakes are high for Mercury, and even higher for Kahleah Copper today. As she’s suiting up against her former squad once more, this time on their home ground.

Will the Sky hold their ground, or come crashing down over Chicago? Let’s break it down…

Injury Report

Chicago Sky:

• Courtney Vandersloot: Out for Season (ACL tear)
• Moriah Jefferson: Out (Leg injury)

Courtney Vandersloot tore her ACL on June 7 and is done for the season. Her absence has surely been weighing heavily on Chicago, which has been able to win only once since their star guard got ruled out. Whereas Moriah Jefferson’s status remains questionable for Saturday’s game, as reported by Karli Bell of Marquee Sports Network. The Sky have been managing without her since the start of the season.

Phoenix Mercury:

• Lexi Held: Out
• Megan McConnell: Out (right knee injury)

The Mercury announced that Megan McConnell is slated to miss 3-4 weeks this season due to her knee, as reported by Desert Wave Media on 5th June. Whereas Lexi Held is also out. The good news is that Kahleah Copper is probably playing tonight after sitting out in the last game against the Liberty, which they eventually won anyways. She was out due to Left knee injury-management. However tonight, against her former squad, Copper’s intel and experience could come into play very well.

Predicted Starting 5

Chicago Sky:

• Angel Reese
• Kamilla Cardoso
• Rebecca Allen
• Kia Nurse
• Ariel Atkins

You can expect Angel Reese to set the tone once again with her rebounds and high-energy plays. Kamilla Cardoso should be a force in the paint, controlling things on both offense and defense. Ariel Atkins will lock down the perimeter while also chipping in as a reliable second scorer.

Rebecca Allen should stretch the defense with her shooting, and Kia Nurse should bring quick bursts of energy off the bench. Speaking of the bench, Hailey Van Lith might see more minutes as a sparkplug scorer. While Michaela Onyenwere could be called on for tough defensive assignments and some physical play inside.

Phoenix Mercury:

• Alyssa Thomas
• Kathryn Westbeld
• Satou Sabally
• Kahleah Copper
• Monique Akoa Makani

The Mercury will once again lean on Alyssa Thomas as their main playmaker despite being a forward. Kahleah Copper, if back in the starting lineup, will be the go-to scorer against her old team. Whereas Satou Sabally will hold things down as the offensive focal point and top rebounder. Coming off the bench, Kitija Laksa should give them that instant offense, particularly from beyond the arc.

With their main roster intact, the Mercury look stronger than ever, and with the edge that Kahleah Copper brings over the Sky, they might bag this win tonight. If that happens, Chicago Sky’s noisy locker room could fall even further apart. However, if Angel Reese is able to pull the franchise back into game tonight, it’s still not too late for them. The odds are not in their favor though. ESPN’s matchup predictor shows a 53.3% chance for the Mercury to take it home tonight. And if history is proof, the Sky haven’t really been able to defy the unfavorable odds in past, so they might disappoint the home crowd yet again, tonight.