The Chicago Sky are in the WNBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

The Sky ended their season with a record of 18-22. Chicago secured its spot in the playoffs with a win over the Minnesota Lynx earlier this month. They won six of their last eight games of their 2023 campaign, capping off their regular-season run with a 102-91 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

Chicago fought its way to playoff contention despite losing a few key players in the offseason.

Forward Candace Parker signed with the Las Vegas Aces in early 2023. Guard Courtney Vandersloot departed for the Liberty after spending 12 seasons with the Sky. Forward Azura Stevens set her sights on the bright lights of Los Angeles, signing a multi-year contract with the LA Sparks in February. Guard Allie Quigley decided to sit out the 2023 WNBA season the same month. General manager and head coach James Wade was hired by the Toronto Raptors to be an assistant coach in July.

“Us continuing to stay motivated, continue to just know that whatever adversity that hits us, we can handle it,” Sky guard Kahleah Copper said on Friday, via ESPN women's basketball reporter Alexa Philippou. “The thing that I like about this group is the personalities.

“You have people who haven't been on WNBA rosters, you have people who are underrated, you've got people who are overlooked, so putting that all together, and then all y'all talking about we're not going to make playoffs — that's just what we do. That's how we respond.”

Chicago will face off against the Aces in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs. Las Vegas went 3-0 against the Sky during the 2023 regular season. Chicago last faced the Aces in late August, where Las Vegas took a 94-87 victory in Wintrust Arena.

Will Chicago be able to pull off the upset against the reigning WNBA champions in the Las Vegas Aces?

Talented guard options

Chicago signed guard Courtney Williams in February. The former Connecticut Sun and Phoenix Mercury guard finished the 2023 season with averages of 10.4 points, six rebounds and 6.3 assists per game in 40 games. She earned her first triple-double in a June win over the Sparks and capped off the regular season with another against the Sun.

The Sky traded for guard Marina Mabrey in February. She has scored 20 points or more on eight occasions this season, including two 20-point performances against the Aces and a 36-point outing in a two-point loss to the Indiana Fever in June. Guard Dana Evans, who won a championship with the Sky in 2021, added nine points and three assists per game off the bench.

The three guards will play an important role when facing guards Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young in T-Mobile Arena.

Surge in perimeter shooting

The Sky are tied with the Aces for second place in the WNBA with a 37.2% 3-point percentage, according to WNBA.com. They hit a league-leading 44.3% of their 3-point attempts during their last five games, including 52.2% of their tries from the perimeter in their win over the Sun. Williams, Copper and Mabrey are all averaging 39% or more from the 3-point line this season. During the team's win over Minnesota, the trio hit 62.5% of their 3-point shots.

Mabrey set a franchise record for the most 3-point shots made in a single season earlier this month. The former Notre Dame guard made 89 3-pointers this season, putting her on pace with Young and Seattle Storm guard Sami Whitcomb. Mabrey hit 40.3% of her attempts in August and 41.4% in September.

The Sky must tap into the potential of their 3-point shooters when they face the Aces on Wednesday. Las Vegas took sixth place in the WNBA with a 34.3% opponent 3-point percentage. Chicago hit 54.2% of its long-range shots against the Aces in July, but sank 33.3% in their matchups in June and August.

Kahleah Copper

Copper, who signed a multi-year extension with the Sky on Sunday, leads Chicago with a career-high 18.7 points per game. She scored 37 points during July's game against the Aces, hitting 12 of her 18 shot attempts during the home matchup.

Copper had an impressive run after the WNBA All-Star break. She averaged 24.4 points in eight games after the break, according to Chicago Tribune Sky reporter Annie Costabile. The former Rutgers guard averaged 22.5 points per game in her last four games played.

“I really want to make it to the playoffs,” Copper said in August, via Costabile. “I want to win. Once you get a taste of winning, winning a championship and being a winner, that's the feeling you chase. In order for us to even scratch the surface, I have to be that for us.”

Copper was listed as probable/available for Wednesday's game, according to a Tuesday tweet from Winsidr writer Blake Silverman. Forward Alanna Smith was listed as questionable. Copper missed the team's season finale with a toe injury.