Sky<\/a> were done rocking the Mercury with a 14-4 uppercut to start the third quarter Tuesday at PHX Arena, it definitely felt like their night.<\/p>\nNewcomer Ariel Atkins was getting loose for easy buckets. Fellow newcomer Kia Nurse was pouring in threes, a glorious site after the veteran shooter\u2019s 1-for-16 start to the season from long range. Point guard Courtney Vandersloot was in full command of her playmaking powers. Forward Angel Reese was in a fierce battle with Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, one of the WNBA\u2019s most physical players, and holding her own quite well.<\/p>\n
With all that, the Sky led 58-42 \u2014 a 16-point advantage, in case you were struggling with the math \u2014 and a first victory of this season was hanging right there in front of them, almost close enough to reach out and touch it, feel it, maybe even grab it.<\/p>\n
What could go wrong?<\/p>\n
But you know how that goes.<\/p>\n
Enter a bonkers 12-for-18 three-point binge in the second half for the Mercury (4-1), who caught and passed the Sky (0-4) early in the fourth quarter of a 94-89 win. Thomas, basketball\u2019s most intimidating point-forward, repeatedly freight-trained straight at Reese and into the heart of the defense before kicking the ball out to open, eager shooters. Had the game lasted another couple of hours, perhaps a Sky close-out would\u2019ve arrived on time.<\/p>\n
But the seriously flawed Sky \u2014 one of only two winless teams left in the league, Connecticut being the other \u2014 have yet to kick in even adequately on defense. They can\u2019t seem to stop turning the ball over, either, and they definitely haven\u2019t been able to hold a lead of any size.<\/p>\n
Lots of new pieces on the roster, a new coach and an extremely tough stretch of opponents to begin the season was always going to present a challenge. And it has, probably to a higher degree than anyone on the Sky saw coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt comes a time when the moral victories are [over],\u201d coach Tyler Marsh said. \u201cBut I know we\u2019re still keeping our heads high.\u201d<\/p>\n
And now come back-to-back games against the Wings and No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers, who started 0-4 themselves before ridding themselves of the stench of winlessness with a 109-87 romp over the hapless Sun. The teams meet Thursday at Wintrust Arena and Saturday in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Beating the Wings twice would completely turn around the feel of the early season. Losing to them twice, on the other hand, would equal all-out disaster. An 0-4 start already equals the worst in Sky history.<\/p>\n
No, it pretty much has to be winning time.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, we\u2019re not satisfied,\u201d Reese said. \u201cA lot of us are winners. All of us are winners. We want to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Atkins\u2019 21 points against the Mercury was a nice step forward. Nurse\u2019s four three-point makes \u2014 giving her 300 for her WNBA career \u2014 was a needed breakthrough. As Reese\u2019s productivity waned in the fourth quarter, center Kamilla Cardoso amped up her energy and effectiveness at the offensive end, another positive sign.<\/p>\n
No one is saying this has been all bad. And there\u2019s at least a decent chance it\u2019ll soon get better in the manner only winning games can reveal.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, we\u2019re on the right track,\u201d Nurse said. \u201cI feel excited about it, and I still feel very excited to be on this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Atkins led the mystics in scoring last season \u2014 she had 36 points in one game \u2014 is a two-time All-Star and has been first- or second-team all-defense five times. The more she taps into all that, the better.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve just got to keep fighting, honestly, and continue to get better and stick together,\u201d Atkins said. \u201cIt would be too easy to just kind of fold and be like, \u2018Aw, man.\u2019 This season\u2019s so long. We\u2019re three games, four games into the season? We\u2019re not going to fold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four straight opponents have topped 90 points against the Sky. Here\u2019s a wild idea: How about not letting it get to five?<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, we see we can score,\u201d Reese said. \u201cEverybody, from top to bottom, we can see we can score. We\u2019ve just got to defend. And once we [do] that, we\u2019ll be great.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are a whole bunch of stops on this train ride to \u201cgreat.\u201d The first one is \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 winning a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re all hungry,\u201d Reese said. \u201cWe believe in each other, which is the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n