4 things to watch for in the Chicago Sky’s rematch with the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA semifinals, including a big frontcourt battle

The Chicago Sky will face the Connecticut Sun in a semifinal playoff series for the second year in a row as they strive to become the first WNBA team in two decades to win back-to-back titles.

The Sky rallied to top the New York Liberty 2-1 in the first round to advance, while the Sun beat the Dallas Wings in three games. Although the Sky swept the Sun in the four-game season series, they were tightrope wins with an average margin of 4.5 points. The Sun are looking to redeem themselves — not only for the regular-season losses this year but the playoff series in 2021.

Here are four things to watch for in the best-of-five series.

1. Can the Sky sustain first-round momentum?

After the No. 7 seed Liberty rallied for an upset in Game 1 of the first-round series, the Sky roared back into playoff mode with a pair of decisive wins to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Sky’s 38-point beatdown in Game 2 highlighted the strengths of the reigning champions. The question is whether the Sky can maintain that pace against the more physical Sun.

Kahleah Copper was the heart of the comeback for the Sky, averaging 18.7 points per game while blanketing star guard Sabrina Ionescu. Copper’s play opens up the rest of the Sky offense, allowing Courtney Vandersloot to facilitate from the point, providing outlets for posts Candace Parker and Emma Meesseman and opening chances for shooter Allie Quigley on the perimeter.

Copper missed one practice leading up to the semifinals with a non-COVID illness, but she returned to training Saturday and is expected to play Sunday in Game 1.

2. A familiar semifinal foe.

The series might feel like déjà vu for returning members of the Sun and the Sky, who met in the same round last year. The Sky won in four games en route to their first WNBA championship.

Last season, the Sky were the underdogs as the Sun brought the WNBA’s best record and had home-court advantage. The tables are turned this year after the Sky earned the No. 2 seed, but they hope to repeat their dominant 3-1 performance from the 2021 semifinals.

The Sun enter the series with a chip on their shoulder — they’ve made the semifinals four straight years but lost in consecutive postseasons. They advanced to the 2019 Finals but fell to the Washington Mystics in five games.

3. The Sun’s frontcourt creates a size challenge.

The Sun are led by a powerful frontcourt trio of All-Stars: Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas and Dewanna Bonner.

Thomas thundered into the postseason, recording a pair of triple-doubles in the final weeks of the regular season. Jones and Thomas both finished top five in the league in offensive rebounds , creating second-chance opportunities for the Sun.

Candace Parker, Emma Meesseman and Azurá Stevens are well-equipped to handle the Sun’s size in the paint. But the Sky defense will need a major adjustment after the first-round win over the Liberty, who required a heavier focus on guards and perimeter pressure.

4. Rebekah Gardner and Azurá Stevens are the Sky’s bench leaders.

The Sky don’t rely heavily on their bench for minutes or production, scoring 56% of their points from their five starters. But Gardner and Stevens will be key off the bench for the Sky to maintain defensive pressure without Parker and Meesseman on the floor.

The pair were the only two Sky players to score more than 20 points off the bench this season. A candidate for Sixth Player of the Year, Stevens brings both the speed and strength to provide defensive depth on Bonner and Jones. Although Gardner — who on Thursday was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team — is a smaller wing player, she is still adept at poking away balls in off-ball rotation and disrupting passes into the post to keep any of the Sun’s star centers from receiving easy looks down low.

The Sky could be missing another rotational post player in the matchup after Ruthy Hebard missed the two days of practice leading up to Game 1 with a non-COVID illness.

Series schedule

(2) Chicago Sky vs. (3) Connecticut Sun

Best-of-five series; all games on ESPN2

Game 1: 7 p.m. Sunday at Wintrust Arena

Game 2: 7 p.m. Wednesday at Wintrust Arena

Game 3: Noon Sept. 4 at Mogehan Sun Arena

Game 4*: 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at Mogehan Sun Arena

Game 5*: 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at Wintrust Arena

* — if necessary