Angel Reese Lifts Sky in Power Rankings
Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky are approaching the All-Star Break, but they are slowly finding their rhythm.
Despite starting out 7-14 on the season, the Sky are showing signs of growth, especially within the last week or so.
CBS Sports writer Jack Maloney conducted a recent power rankings where the Sky came in at No. 10 on the list.
"The Sky won back-to-back games for the first time since May and picked up by far their best victory of the season with an upset over the Lynx," Maloney wrote.
"In fact, that was their first win against a team above them in the standings; their previous six wins were all against the Sparks, Wings and Sun. Angel Reese put up 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Lynx to record her eighth consecutive double-double and continue her impressive mid-season resurgence. She's averaging 17.6 points, 15.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 48.6% shooting over that stretch."
The only teams to rank below the Sky were the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun, all of whom are under the seven-win mark.
This season has shown that the Sky remain a long-term rebuilding project. While Reese has found her bread and butter on the glass, the team still needs another playmaker or two in the backcourt to make things easier for the frontcourt players.
If the Sky want to make the playoffs, they will have to make a considerable jump in the second half of the season. They currently sit three games behind the expansion Golden State Valkyries for the final spot in the postseason picture.
The Sky have one final game before the All-Star Break as they host Rhyne Howard, Brittney Griner and the Atlanta Dream. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.