Sky rely on Cardoso as Reese sidelined with back injury

The Chicago Sky remain in a difficult position as star forward Angel Reese sits out with a back injury, missing multiple games and leaving the team to navigate a rough stretch without one of the league’s top rebounders and playmakers. Reese has been listed as day-to-day, with no clear timetable for return, and did not travel to a recent game against Indiana while focusing on rehab. The Sky, who have struggled to maintain consistency in her absence, are preparing for a matchup against the Connecticut Sun, hoping for a difficult but necessary win to stabilize a season that has fallen well outside the playoff picture.

Reese’s absence has loomed large across Chicago’s results. Through the season, she has been the team’s engine, averaging 14.2 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and she has consistently drawn attention with her versatility and relentless rebounding. Coaches and teammates have repeatedly emphasized that her return will come only when she is fully ready, with the medical staff guiding the process to avoid aggravating the injury. In Reese’s absence, the Sky have leaned on other contributors to fill the interior demand and maintain a degree of...