Record: 11-13
Playoff Position: 6th seed
Games Remaining: 10

PRECAPS: San Antonio Stars | Connecticut Sun | Dallas Wings | Washington Mystics | Seattle Storm | Phoenix Mercury | Chicago Sky | Indiana Fever| Atlanta Dream| New York Liberty | Minnesota Lynx

[wnba_video id=”36697″]

Pre-Break Recap

After finishing with the league’s third-best record a year ago, the Sky have been plagued by inconsistency so far this season. They followed up an opening night victory with a four-game losing streak and then a four-game winning streak. Their 105.5 defensive rating (third-worst in the league) hasn’t allowed for sustained success, but they still own the league’s fourth-best offense (105.3 offensive rating).

They rank fifth in scoring at 84.5 points per game, led by superstar Elena Delle Donne, who ranks second in the WNBA (21.2 PPG). Following a slow start, EDD found her groove in July, averaging 23.4 points on 50% shooting from the field and 43% from three-point range.

Pre-Break Highlight
EDD Sinks Game-Winner Over Storm’s Breanna Stewart

Breanna Stewart may be the WNBA’s latest rookie sensation, but Elena Delle Donne showed why she’s the reigning MVP during their epic matchup in Seattle. EDD poured in 35 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots on Chicago’s 91-88 win. She saved her best heroics for last, scoring the Sky’s final nine points and sinking the decisive three-pointer over Stewart’s outstretched arm with a second left.

[wnba_video id=”33716″]

3 Standouts

Elena Delle Donne

The Sky’s success starts and ends with 2015 WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne. Though she got off to a slow start, the superstar has really picked up her game as of late and was carrying the Sky on her back before the Olympic break.

She’s averaging 21.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game — both slightly down from her fantastic totals of a season ago — but her play has been sensational lately, as she’s scored 20 or more points in nine of her last 13 games.

EDD has had some signature moments this season, as well, including her 38-point game against the Lynx. The team will go as far as she takes them.

[wnba_video id=”36686″]

Cappie Pondexter

33-year-old Cappie Pondexter has been a model of consistency this season as the second-leading scorer on the Sky. Though she’s averaging a career-low 11.4 points per game in her second season in Chicago, her veteran presence and leadership has been extremely valuable.

The days of Pondexter being a leading scorer may be behind her, but the seven-time All-Star and two-time champ still brings so much to the table for the Sky. In June, she reached a rare milestone, becoming the seventh player to surpass 6,000 career points. Pondexter later passed Lauren Jackson for sixth on the all-time scoring list and has No. 5 Lisa Leslie in her sights.

[wnba_video id=”36688″]

Jamierra Faulkner

Third-year guard Jamierra Faulkner is averaging career-highs in points (8.7), assists (4.8) and field-goal percentage (44.8%). She has started 12 of 24 games this season for the Sky and has played a part in their resurgence of late, averaging over 10 points and nearly seven assists per game as a starter.

Faulkner is making the most of her opportunity, and her skills as a distributor have kept the offense flowing and everyone involved.

[wnba_video id=”36690″]

Season in Photos

Click here to view the full gallery

Post-Break Preview

The Sky are currently in sixth place, 1.5 games behind the fourth-place Dream yet just two games ahead of the eighth-place Mystics and Storm, making this an intriguing final stretch in the WNBA season. Up to five other teams could be vying for the final playoff seeds, so the Sky are going to have to come out of the Olympic break hot to hold on to their spot.

While Delle Donne has been highly effective in the Olympics off the bench for the USA, she’ll have to quickly change her focus back to chasing the Sky’s elusive WNBA championship. Chicago has the pieces in place to do just that.