The Chicago Sky faced an important test Thursday: Can this new-look roster withstand the absence of Kahleah Copper?
Copper was sidelined for undisclosed personal reasons, hyping her team from the sideline in street clothes in a rare absence that coach James Wade said he expects to be temporary.
Without Copper, the offensive answer for the Sky came in immediate form of guards Marina Mabrey and Dana Evans, who combined for 43 of the team’s 53 second-half points in a last-second 92-90 loss to the Indiana Fever.
It was a frustrating blow for the Sky, who fell to 4-6 and lost their third straight. But in the process, Mabrey and Evans took another step in cementing a key connection in the team’s backcourt.
The pair often split rotations, with Evans coming off the bench to replace Mabrey as primary ballhandler. But one of the most effective offensive looks for the Sky is pairing Mabrey and Evans together to create a fluid, fast-paced offense that can start with either guard at the point of attack.
In the 122 minutes Mabrey and Evans have shared the court this season, the Sky logged a 102.3 offensive rating — the third-highest for a Sky pairing that has played 100 or more minutes together. And that partnership is growing with time.
“It just relieves pressure for both of us,” Mabrey said. “We both are playmakers and decision-makers, so that (builds) that trust factor and chemistry. (Evans) just plays hard. She’s a hooper. She’s a baller. You can always feed off of that.”
The second half of Thursday’s loss showcased how the Sky can rely on Mabrey and Evans — individually and as a duo.
Mabrey rarely saw a shot she didn’t like in the third quarter. She knocked down a 3-pointer to force the Fever to throw bodies at her behind the arc, then began ripping through to attack the rim when the Fever bit on shot fakes, scoring 11 straight points in a 1-minute, 34-second span as she netted 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting in the quarter.
At the top of the fourth quarter, Mabrey sprinted full court, stuck out one hand to snag a rocketing pass like a wide receiver, then stepped back to collect herself for a half-second before draining her sixth 3-pointer of the night.
That shot ended Mabrey’s 36-point scoring spree, a career high for the guard. The Fever threw relentless pressure on Mabrey on the perimeter as an antidote, forcing the ball out of her hands to allow only one more shot in the final quarter.
Mabrey voiced frustration with the fourth-quarter officiating — “I guess I’ve got to stop making that arm bar look obvious,” she quipped after the game — but she also critiqued herself for not being involved in more off-ball action once the Fever committed fully to shutting down her shot.
“I can do a better screening when they’re face guarding me,” Mabrey said. “I can get people open rather than thinking to get open myself, going and screening for somebody or even screening my own man.”
Regardless, when Mabrey began to soak up the defensive spotlight, Evans was quick to capitalize on the space that opened up across the court.
Evans is quietly building one of the most consistent clutch-scoring resumes in the league, shooting at an 85.7% clip to average five points (third-best in the league) for the highest usage on the Sky in the final five minutes of games with a margin of five or fewer points. She scored 15 of her 21 points against the Dallas Wings in the fourth quarter, a run that was diminished when she missed one of two free throws with seven seconds remaining.
Yet while her missed free throw hurt, Thursday still showcased the Sky’s willingness to put the ball in Evans’ hands with the clock running down.
“Dana is ready for opportunities at all times,” Mabrey said.
The Sky are an undersized team, especially with Ruthy Hebard (pregnancy) and Isabelle Harrison (meniscus) sidelined for the bulk of the season. But they also succeed offensively by leaning into small-ball rotations with stretch forward Alanna Smith anchoring the frontcourt.
These looks especially help the Sky boost their long-range shooting. The Sky did not start the season as a high-volume 3-point-shooting team — taking the third-fewest attempts (20.6) in the league — but they are one of the most efficient with a second-best 35.4 percentage.
Evans and Mabrey are key producers from behind the arc, accounting for 9.6 of the Sky’s attempts (and 3.2 of their makes) per game. Their 9-for-17 shooting from 3-point range against the Fever allowed the Sky to stretch out the defense and limit its ability to pack the paint.
The pairing between Mabrey and Evans is new in Chicago, but the duo’s shared history dates to 2018 when the pair faced off in the ACC for Notre Dame and Louisville. Mabrey and Evans first forged their partnership during a brief span as teammates in 2021, when the Wings drafted Evans, then traded her to the Sky after six games.
Still, the two have played only minutes together in six games in a Sky uniform. And with both committed to the Sky through 2025, the growth of the pairing will be a key not only for this season but for the future of this new era for the franchise.
