Storm to face tough challenge at WNBA-leading Chicago

What will happen when the WNBA’s two hottest teams meet at Wintrust Arena in Chicago?

We will soon find out, as the Storm face perhaps their biggest challenge of the season when they play Wednesday morning (9 a.m.) against the Sky, the top team in the WNBA at 19-6.

Chicago has won four consecutive games, but so have the Storm, who are in third place in the WNBA at 17-8. The teams are tied for the league’s longest active winning streak.

It is undoubtedly a huge game for both teams, but Storm coach Noelle Quinn said after the team’s 81-65 home win over Indiana on Sunday that every game is big with 11 left in the regular season.

“This is the tail end of our season, and every matchup is like a playoff matchup in my opinion,” Quinn said. ” … So it is ‘take it one game at a time,’ but know that we have to just be sharp in our execution, no matter (the opponent), and be clean in every capacity of the game.”

Seattle has played Indiana once this season, with the Storm holding on for a 74-71 win at Climate Pledge Arena on May 18.

Center Ezi Magbegor led the Storm with a season-high 21 points.

Storm point guard Sue Bird was asked Tuesday if this game “was a bigger deal” or just another game, and she said it was a combination.

“I think we are all aware of seedings and we are all aware of being able to win the (season) series,” the point guard said. “It’s something we’ve mentioned, but it’s still the regular season, and we still have a bunch of games to go.”

Bird said what “is most interesting” about Wednesday’s game is that “neither team is who they are now.”

“This is like a totally different matchup than the first time, and it will be interesting to see how we measure up, considering they are the team at the top,” Bird said.

The Sky have gone 17-4 since that loss to the Storm, and they have been winning with balanced scoring. Six players average in double figures in scoring, with guard/forward Kahleah Copper leading the way at 14.9 points per game.

Point guard Courtney Vandersloot, the former Kentwood High School and Gonzaga star, is averaging 10.8 points and a team-best 6.2 assists.

Vandersloot has missed the past four games because of a concussion, and she is questionable to play Wednesday.

The Storm have won 12 of their past 15 games, and Quinn said it is crucial the team finishes strong going into the playoffs.

“I tell you guys all the time, you want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season,” Quinn said Sunday. “I don’t think that we’ve peaked quite yet. We’re still trying to figure things out. And in the midst of that, we’re finding ways to win and be very effective. So each and every game moving forward is very important. And we’re going to be present, be where our feet are, so we don’t want to look past any opponent (and) not think big picture too much.

“But just knowing (it’s) the last stretch, and we have to be mindful of the way in which we come into games and how we want to be effective on both ends of the floor.”

Bird said she thinks the Storm’s best basketball is ahead.

“I still don’t think we are a finished product,” she said. “I still think we have another level to get to, that we can get to.”