Seven games without Angel Reese is seven too many for the Chicago Sky. Tyler Marsh and his crew have been trying to fill the void that AR left behind for the last two weeks, but to no avail. Around the All-Star Break, the six-foot-two center started struggling with a back injury. Some called it a workload issue, while others attributed it to the wear and tear that a post player should get used to. But this injury was definitely more than just a simple tweak… 18 days is a long time, after all.

After all, you can call Angel Reese’s back issues whatever you want, but Tyler Marsh still lost his most valuable player. The thing about the All-Star forward is that her rebounding, hustle, and defense affect the game at a level we’ve not really seen before. Not to mention, AR put up around 14 points inside the paint, solidifying her offensive presence more and more every day.

Chicago, in Angel Reese’s absence, has only won a single game this season. Their recent 1-6 run over the last two weeks just showed how integral the six-foot-two center is to the team. Luckily, the latest updates about Reese’s availability are quite uplifting! Yesterday, Angel Reese’s status was bumped up from ‘out’ to ‘questionable’, and now the Sky HC is hinting at a possible return! “I think that we’re hopeful… it’s looking pretty good right now.” Marsh said per Underdog WNBA on X.

Of course, nothing is confirmed so far. According to sources, it’s going to be a game-time decision for Tyler Marsh and the Chicago Sky coaching staff. On one hand, playing Angel Reese would mean that the team can win a few games in the latter half of the season. However, with just ten games left in the season, there’s definitely some risk involved as well.

It’s not like Chicago is on the verge of a playoff appearance; they’re far from it! However, racking up too many losses might signal a change of guard within the organization, which no one wants. But what does head coach Tyler Marsh think about the conundrum of playing his star for the rest of the season? And is Reese truly ready to return to the hardwood floor? Let’s find out!

Chicago HC stuck in a tight spot because of Angel Reese’s injury

Let’s be real, we all thought this was the Chicago Sky’s year. Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese formed quite a scary duo in the front court, while Courtney Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins seemed like the perfect set of guards to go along with them. However, injuries and circumstances made it impossible for the team to play up to its potential. Currently, the Sky stands 8-25, fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Out of the aforementioned players, only Cardoso is fully healthy. Vandersloot tore her ACL at the beginning of the season, Angel Reese is dealing with some back troubles, and Ariel Atkins is injured alongside rookie HVL. While the Chicago Sky center is about to make her return to the court, fans have been wondering why a simple back strain took so long to recover.

Tyler Marsh cleared the air after his most recent four-game losing streak. “It (Reese’s leg) was feeling a little tight during the game the other day…I think she wants to be at her best self for her teammates. She’s a competitor, she wants to be out there and compete, she wants to be able to do it at 100%.” He said, and honestly? It makes a lot of sense.

The Chicago Sky head coach has a bright vision for this team up ahead, and for that, he needs these last few games to go as well as possible. “With 11 games left, we don’t want it to be a game where people are just looking to play Chicago… We want to know there’s going to be a fight each night.” Basically, when you play a scrappy team like the Sky, you’re going to feel every minute!

It’s going to be interesting to see how the Chicago Sky ends up handling the Angel Reese situation. While playing her would be highly beneficial to the team’s financial success, a consideration of slow and steady recovery is even more important for Chicago’s future plans and scenarios. Now, the burning question: Will Angel Reese be back against Seattle on Tuesday? Are we finally gonna get to see the Bayou Barbie in action again? Only time will tell.