Chicago Sky vs Seattle Storm Prediction, Odds & Angel Reese Injury Update
By Brady Trettenero in WNBA
Published:
- The Seattle Storm are heavy favorites against the Chicago Sky in Thursday’s WNBA matchup
- Chicago enters on a three-game skid, scoring just 65 points per game during that stretch
- See below for my Sky vs Storm prediction, best bet and Angel Reese’s injury update
The Chicago Sky host Seattle Thursday night at Wintrust Arena looking to snap a three-game losing streak. Both teams need wins badly as the playoff race tightens in the second half. Tip-off is set for 8:30 PM ET.
Chicago sits fifth in the East at 7-16, already four games back of the final playoff spot. Seattle holds third in the West at 14-10, but can’t afford many slip-ups with teams bunched together.
The Storm got embarrassed at home Tuesday, falling 87-63 to Dallas without Skylar Diggins. They’ll look to bounce back against a Sky team missing key players and struggling to score.
Sky vs Storm Prediction
Chicago’s offense has basically disappeared without Ariel Atkins. They’ve managed just 49 and 68 points in their last two games with their leading scorer on the shelf. Now Angel Reese is battling through a back injury that kept her limited on Tuesday.
The numbers don’t lie here. Chicago scores 103.0 points per 100 possessions with Atkins on the floor. Without her? That plummets to 90.8 per 100 possessions. That’s a brutal 12.2-point swing that tells you everything.
Chicago vs Seattle Scoring Stats
Seattle brings the third-best scoring defense in the WNBA. They allow just 78.5 points per game and rank fourth in forcing turnovers. That spells disaster for a Sky team that coughs it up 17.3 times per game, worst in the league.
The Storm have also been playing at the slowest pace over their last five games. Fewer possessions means fewer chances for Chicago’s already-struggling offense to find any kind of rhythm.
History backs Seattle after ugly losses, too. When the Storm drop games as heavy favorites, their next opponents average under 70 points. That pattern has held true in four straight instances this season.
Skylar Diggins should be back after missing Tuesday for personal reasons. Her return stabilizes Seattle’s offense and gives them another playmaker alongside Nneka Ogwumike, who dropped 22 in that loss to Dallas.
Chicago hasn’t beaten anyone decent in weeks. Their only win in the last eight games came against winless Connecticut. They’ve lost by 13 or more in each game during this current three-game slide.
Sky vs Storm Best Bet
- Sky Team Total Under 71.5 (-115 at Caesars)
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The Sky team total under jumps out as the best bet Thursday night. Chicago simply can’t score without their best players, and Seattle’s defense will make life even more miserable.
Look at Chicago’s recent scoring: 68, 49, and 78 points in their last three games. That averages out to just 65 points per contest. Two of those came without Atkins, and now Reese is dealing with injury issues.
Seattle held Chicago to 71 points in their last meeting, and that was with a healthier Sky roster. The Storm force turnovers at an elite rate, which plays perfectly against Chicago’s careless ball-handling.
The total opened at 161.5 and dropped all the way to 154.5, showing sharp money on the under. But the Sky-specific total remains inflated based on season averages that don’t reflect their current reality.
Chicago ranks 12th in scoring even at full strength. Without their top two scorers healthy, against an elite defense, playing at a slow pace? Everything points to another sub-70 point performance.
Take the Sky team total under and expect Chicago’s offense to struggle once again.
Angel Reese Injury Update
Angel Reese remains questionable for Thursday’s game with a back injury. The two-time All-Star gutted through the issue Tuesday against Minnesota, posting 11 points and 11 rebounds in the 91-68 loss.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh gave an update Wednesday on his star forward’s status.
“It was feeling a little tight coming out of the game the other day,” Marsh said. “I think she wants to be at her best self for her teammates. She’s a competitor, she wants to be out there and compete. She wants to be able to do it at 100%.”
Reese averages 13.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this season. She leads the WNBA in rebounding and has been Chicago’s most consistent player alongside Kamilla Cardoso in the frontcourt.
The injury first popped up before the All-Star break, forcing Reese to miss the 86-49 beatdown against Atlanta. Chicago got absolutely demolished without their star forward controlling the paint.
If Reese can’t go or plays limited minutes, Chicago loses their best rebounder and second-leading scorer. That would leave an already thin offense without two of its three double-digit scorers.
The Sky desperately need Reese at full strength to have any shot Thursday. But even if she plays, a nagging back issue could limit her effectiveness against Seattle’s physical frontcourt.
Sky vs Storm Odds
The spread opened at Storm -9 before moving to -10.5 as money poured in on Seattle. The total crashed from 161.5 to 154.0, indicating sharp action on the under. Chicago’s moneyline sits at +400, reflecting their slim chances without key players.
These teams split their final two meetings of the 2024 season. Chicago won 88-84 in Seattle before the Storm bounced back with an 84-71 victory. Both games came with much healthier rosters than what we’ll see Thursday.
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Odds as of July 24 at Caesars. Get the Caesars Sportsbook promo code before betting on Sky vs Storm tonight.
Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
