Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky found themselves overwhelmed by Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Friday night, as they suffered a tough 100-81 defeat on their home court. Clark, who has been on a tear this season, was the star of the night, putting up an impressive 31 points and dishing out 12 assists to lead the Fever to victory.
Reese, a standout for the Sky, did manage to notch another double-double, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds. However, her performance was overshadowed by accusations of “stat-padding,” as fans noticed that she remained on the court late in the game despite the Sky being down by a significant margin.
As the Fever pulled their starters with several minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Sky chose to leave Reese in the game. This decision raised eyebrows, with many speculating that it was an attempt to boost Reese’s stats in a game that was already out of reach.
“Angel Reese stat padding down 25 to get a double-double,” one fan commented on social media, echoing a sentiment that was widely shared online. Another fan questioned the coaching decision, tweeting, “Come on, leaving Angel Reese in down 25 while all of your other starters are on the bench? You can’t tell me it’s not about her stat padding. What kind of message does that send to the rest of the team?”
The criticism continued to pour in, with another observer noting, “The Angel Reese stat padding down 25 with no Fever starters in the game is next level.”
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`This isn’t the first time Reese has faced such accusations this season, and while some of the criticism may be warranted, it highlights a broader issue with the Sky’s approach in certain games. In this instance, it’s fair to question why the Sky chose to keep Reese on the floor when the outcome was no longer in doubt.
The debate over Reese’s late-game minutes may continue, but what’s clear is that the Sky need to find answers quickly if they hope to turn things around and avoid more lopsided losses like this one.
The focus on individual stats can only go so far when the team is struggling to secure victories.
