Top 3 takeaways from first two Chicago Sky games

The Chicago Sky start the season 0-2 with two blowout losses, 93-58 to Indiana and 99-74 to New York in their home opener. No one expected these explosive losses off the jump by the Sky, so what's standing out as main points?

Defensive Identity Needs Work

The talk all of training camp was about adjusting and changing the offensive identity of the Sky off of last year's team. The Sky brought in the shooters and the veteran leadership offensively to help guide the younger players to becoming professionals.

Well, the shots haven't been falling. They shot 29.7% from the floor against Indiana and 36.2% against New York. If the shots aren't falling, then the defense needs to be there and limit opponents from having open looks and driving lanes.

That, as well, has not been present. The Fever put up an astounding 93 points, and the Liberty followed suit with 99.

While these are two teams that will most likely finish in the top 4 of the league, there were a copious amount of missed rotations, recoveries and lack of defensive communication in both games. Players weren't getting back quickly to limit easy buckets. Driving lanes were as wide as the Kennedy Expressway at midnight. The three-point line was left unattended at times, giving opponents free range to shoot uncontested.

While all of that will come with more time together and building chemistry, the defensive identity is still lacking. If this continues beyond next week, then it's time to do some re-evaluating.

Too Much Thinking Offensively

I touched on it briefly, but the offensive mindset is starting to show too easily. What does that mean? You can see the wheels turning in Sky players on the offense, thinking too much.

When you're thinking while playing, mistakes happen. That showed in turnovers in both games. The Sky had 19 total turnovers against the Fever which Indiana turned into 24 points. Against New York, it was 24 total turnovers that the Liberty turned into 27 points. The Sky need to find ways to value the basketball.

"A lot of [the turnovers] are just dumb plays," Courtney Vandersloot said after the Liberty loss. "I think offensively, we haven't really found our groove yet, and I think we're a little out of rhythm trying to make plays but making the wrong play. I think it comes with time. We got to work on our chemistry offensively, when we get things moving, things going."

The shooting and shot selection did show signs of improvement. Against Indiana, the Sky looked rushed, taking shots too early in the shot clock or 3-pointers in transition that just wouldn't hit. While some of the looks were good, the ball just wouldn't find the bottom of the net.

Against New York, the shot selection was not nearly as rushed. Some of that credit goes to the Liberty's tough defense in limiting any good looks for a majority of the shot clock. When there were good looks, again, ball just wouldn't fall.

That second quarter was incredibly rough with the Sky being outscored 28-9 in the quarter, creating a deficit that the Sky just could not chip away. The shot selection was much better, but the ball just would not fall. The 10 turnovers in that quarter alone also didn't give the Sky the ability to run many offensive sets.

Rebecca Allen Proving Herself

A bright spot coming from the Sky's 0-2 start? Rebecca Allen.

Over the two losses, she's put up 18 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist. Now, while her scoring may not show it to start, what she does off the stat sheet is what's impressive.

She's got a quick first step that puts defenders on their heels. Her driving ability and step-back hesistation creates the right amount of space for a good look. She's got phemenoal court vision to help move the ball and move it quickly.

Defensively, her length is disruptive with hands in passing lanes. She pokes the ball out and away to help create the transitional game, and she's doing this all off the bench.

"I'm just trying to be assertive as well," Allen said after the loss to New York. "Defensively, I want to be disruptive. It's part of my game that I'm trying to build on. Sometimes, it is just coming out there, and maybe it's moving the ball quickly or boxing out, going in for the rebounds. So I'm trying to do a little effort plays as well, but I also just want to be a good energy for everyone who needs to really lift each other up in this moment."

The Sky hit the road this weekend looking for their first win against the Los Angeles Sparks. Tip time is set for 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 25.

Tune in every Monday for a new episode of Courtside with Karli Bell.