Angel Reese’s Record Night for the Wrong Reasons: Breakdown of the Sky’s Historic Woes and Indiana’s Storming Rebound
If there’s a mantra for the 2025 WNBA season so far, it’s “expect the unexpected.” While fans hoped for a star-studded shootout between rookie sensations and veteran icons, the latest chapter brought a different kind of history – one the Chicago Sky (and especially Angel Reese) would probably rather forget. Meanwhile, in sharp contrast, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever proved why they’re turning heads as championship dark horses. Let’s break down two nights that tell the whole story for both franchises.
Angel Reese: From Rising Star to Unwanted Spotlight
Angel Reese entered the WNBA with massive expectations after dominating headlines at LSU and carrying her college squad deep into the tournament. Her rookie year with the Sky showed promise, averaging over 13 points and being a nightly double-double threat. But her early-season sophomore slump has become the stuff of viral lore.
Against the New York Liberty, Reese had what might be the lowest point of her professional career:
0-for-8 from the field
Just 2 points, both from free throws
Missed multiple point-blank layups—four in a single possession
Five turnovers, only one assist
A whopping 12 rebounds (8 offensive) that, frankly, were the result of repeatedly missing the initial shot
If rebounding your own misses was a stat that told the real story, Reese would be in the MVP race. But it’s what happened after those rebounds—missed bunnies, blocked shots, and frustration mounting with every possession—that made this a night to forget.
Viral clips of the sequence, where Reese missed shot after shot under the basket, racked up millions of views. Social media was ruthless, with many posts ranging from memes to outright derision. Even more damning, Reese went 0-for-7 on shots within four feet, tying the worst such mark in the WNBA over the past ten years. No defender hounded her—these were open looks any high school hopeful dreams about.
Chicago’s Historic Futility
Reese’s rough patch was only one part of a much larger disaster. The Sky, who had playoff ambitions after trading for Ariel Atkins over the winter, are instead setting futility records:
Lowest cumulative point differential (-60) over the first two games in WNBA history
Averaging a mere 66 points per game while giving up nearly 100
A mindboggling 24 turnovers against New York, leading to 27 Liberty points
Shooting just 23% on shots within five feet against the Liberty (4-for-17)
The Sky’s issues transcend Angel Reese. This is a team without an identity or clear offensive system. Even veteran leaders have admitted publicly that the offense is out of rhythm and “trying to make the wrong play.” Head coach Tyler Marsh keeps doubling down on Reese as a point forward, but with the Sky barely able to complete a possession without a turnover or a comical miss, every experiment seems destined for the blooper reel.
Liberty’s Record-Breaking Barrage
Salt on the wound: New York wasn’t just playing an inept opponent—they capitalized on every Sky mistake, draining a league-record 19 three-pointers in a single game. When your defense allows that kind of freefiring, it’s time for an existential team meeting.
Meanwhile, clips of Courtney Vandersloot standing wide open, hands up, waiting in vain for a pass, have become emblematic of Chicago’s chaos. Their offense looks less like a system and more like five strangers running pickup ball.
Social Media Reaction: Savage and Swift
Within minutes of the final buzzer, fans across the basketball world flooded platforms with disbelief and outright mockery. Reese’s performance, coupled with the Sky’s meltdown, became instant meme fodder. Quips like “she plays volleyball all day” and “snatching rebounds like ex’s snatch hoodies” captured the gallows humor seeping into WNBA discourse.
Inevitably, this led to deeper questions: Can Reese be a starting cornerstone when she’s this offensively raw? Is Chicago’s entire team construction fundamentally flawed? Compilation videos of missed layups and turnovers only heightened the negativity.
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Caitlin Clark and the Fever: A Study in Resilience
On the other end of the spectrum, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever gave WNBA fans a masterclass in resilience. After a rough opener, Clark’s team bounced back against the Atlanta Dream with a gritty, mature win. Clark—while not posting video game numbers—directed the offense with poise, made her teammates better, and controlled the game’s tempo.
Indiana’s supporting cast—Lexi Hull, Aaliyah Boston, Sophie Cunningham, and Kelsey Mitchell—stepped up huge. Boston clogged the paint and powered through for clutch buckets. Hull and Cunningham provided energy and timely scoring off the bench, underscoring Indiana’s impressive depth.
“We had each other’s back a little bit more,” said head coach Stephanie White—a subtle dig at the type of chemistry the Sky so desperately lack.
Team Chemistry: The Deciding Factor
The difference in chemistry and structure between Indiana’s coordinated attack and Chicago’s chaotic helter-skelter could hardly be more stark. The Fever, riding the high of a signature bounce-back win, looked every bit the playoff threat fans hoped for when they drafted Clark. Chicago? They’re facing existential questions just two games in.
What’s Next?
For the Sky, something has to give—either a shakeup in the rotation, a new offensive philosophy, or perhaps soon, a humanitarian intervention. Angel Reese herself will be under a microscope until she silences the doubters and shows that her success in college can translate at the game’s highest level.
For Indiana, the future looks far brighter. If this team keeps combining Clark’s leadership with efficient role-player production, there’s no ceiling on what they can achieve—especially in an Eastern Conference suddenly wide open for new contenders.
Final Thoughts
Basketball is a game of momentum and opportunity. Right now, Angel Reese and the Sky are careening into the abyss of historic underachievement, while the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark are proving that grit and growth pay off in the long run.
