Valkyrie Set to Upend Sky in Stunning Showdown—What You Need to Know

As the WNBA season edges closer to its finish line, we find ourselves staring down an intriguing matchup: the spirited Valkyries versus the struggling Chicago Sky at 7:30 ET tonight. It’s game 33 of a 40-game grind—a point where every possession starts to feel heavier, and every win or loss echoes louder. Now, here’s a thought: in a league buzzing with emerging stars and controversy—from Paige Bueckers lighting it up, to referees somehow finding new ways to confound us—what does it say about the game that a brand-new expansion team like the Valkyries are not just surviving, but thriving? They’ve sold out every home game and rattled off three straight wins, all while juggling a revolving door of players. Meanwhile, the Sky—once a proud contender—appear to be going through the motions, trading away future hopes and limping through a brutal losing skid. Could the Valkyries’ chemistry and grit be a blueprint for success beyond raw talent? Or will the Sky’s roster shakeup mean we’re witnessing more heartbreak than heroics? Tonight’s clash isn’t just about the scoreboard—it’s about narratives colliding in a season that’s already kept us guessing. LEARN MORE

Valkyries vs. Sky, 7:30 ET

You may not be aware of it, but the WNBA is actually winding down. The teams have a 40 game season, and this will be game 33 for both that are in the contest. It has been an interesting season – one that has had a lack of Caitlin Clark, the emergence of Paige Bueckers, an increased focus on the referees being terrible, and the announcement of even more teams coming into the league. Tonight, one of the expansion teams, the Valkyries, takes on the Sky. 

The Valkyries are having a very strong inaugural season for the WNBA. This year, they have made noise for a few reasons – they sold out all of their home games, they’ve played better than expected, and they’ve also used an alarming amount of players on their roster. The team doesn’t have a ton of great talent, but they work well together. Their defense has improved over the course of the season, and they have figured out a way to find their offense. Their leading scorer is averaging just 12.2 points per game, so there is a bit of a balanced scoring for the team. The Valkyries have won their past three games. They were able to take down the Sparks and Sun with very little effort, and they outlasted the Mystics in their most recent game, winning by five. For the season, the Valkyries are averaging essentially the same amount of points as they are allowing each game. The top eight teams in the league make the playoffs, and as of right now, Golden State is sitting in seventh place. There are teams chasing them down, though.

The Chicago Sky are not one of the teams that are chasing down the Valkyrie. In fact, at this point, they should be actively trying to lose as many games as possible in an effort to get the #1 overall pick in the next draft. The question is if there is a true difference maker that will actually leave college and come to the league. We’ve had Clark and Bueckers the past two years, but Juju Watkins is the next most likely candidate to make a difference and she will probably miss the next season due to injury. But wait… the Sky did something very stupid and traded away their pick to the Minnesota Lynx. So even if they get the top pick, they are giving it to arguably the best team in the league. This franchise is essentially going nowhere at the moment. Angel Reese is their one draw, but she tends to get more hate than she deserves. I’ve used this analogy before, but Reese is portrayed as if she should be Jordan or Pippen, but the reality is that she is Dennis Rodman. Not great offensively, but has a good motor and keeps moving. She is leading the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double, so she isn’t worthless. Kamila Cardoso, who was drafted higher is kind of a waste out there. She tends to play well against teams that don’t have a good post player, but really struggle against those that do have a good interior presence. 

The Sky have lost their past three games, and they have lost 11 of their past 12 games. I’m not really sure why they are struggling quite so badly lately, but it has been ugly. Perhaps part of it is that Reese has been out for the Sky, and they are trying to figure things out offensively and defensively. When they are losing, these games haven’t been close, either. They have lost by nine, 22, 11, and 16 over their last four losses. I’m backing the Valkyrie to win this and cover. They have something to play for and there is very little to like about the Sky. Back the Valkyrie. 

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