Cloud's Career-High Performance
Natasha Cloud's career-high 33 points power Sky past Liberty in decisive win
Natasha Cloud made sure her former team remembered her. The ex-Liberty guard dropped a career-high 35 points, nine rebounds, and six assists to lead the Chicago Sky past the New York Liberty 93-86 on Tuesday night, according to Yahoo Sports.
Cloud matched her previous best of 31 points early in the game, then blew past it. The Sky picked up their 14th win of the season — and their first against New York — despite the Liberty never trailing by more than 11 at halftime.
Cloud Torches Her Former Team All Night Long
Cloud spent last season with the Liberty before signing with Chicago. On Tuesday, she made them pay. She scored from all areas of the floor, racked up nine boards, and dealt six assists. Winnipeg Free Press noted she matched her old career-best of 31 on a single jumper before pushing past it.
The performance was the best of her WNBA career. It came against a team that knows her game well — and still had no answer. The Sky outscored the Liberty in the second half to erase New York's early momentum and pull away for good.
Liberty Defense Crumbles as Injuries Pile Up
New York's defense was a serious problem all night. The situation was made worse by injuries to two key players — Leonie Fiebich and Satou Sabally — who were unavailable, according to NY Post. Losing two starters made it nearly impossible to guard Chicago's attack.
Chicago also won the rebounding battle by a wide margin — 44 to 35. Giving up nine extra possessions on the boards hurt New York's chances. The Liberty trailed by eight points entering the fourth quarter and never found a way back.
Liberty Trailed by 11 at Half and Never Recovered
New York went into halftime down 11 points. The gap tightened a bit heading into the final period, but the Liberty could not string together enough stops or scores to take the lead. Chicago controlled the pace and protected the ball well down the stretch.
The final score — 93-86 — looks close, but the Liberty were chasing the game for most of the night. Cloud's dominance set the tone early and the Sky never let New York breathe, per Canadian Yahoo Sports.
Three Games Left Before FIBA Break, Coach Stays Confident
The Liberty have three games left before the FIBA World Cup break. Despite the loss, coach DeMarco said the team is ready to finish the stretch strong, according to NY Post. New York will need to shore up its defense fast if it wants to stay sharp heading into the break.
The Sky, meanwhile, have now beaten the Liberty for the first time this season. Cloud's 35-point night gives Chicago real momentum. For New York, getting Fiebich and Sabally healthy before the break is now the top priority.
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