Chicago Sky vs Portland Fire Picks and Prediction for Saturday May 9 2026
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The Chicago Sky and Portland Fire will meet on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 PM, and the matchup will be broadcast on NBA TV, Fox 12 Plus, and CW26. Chicago enters the season opener favored at -4.5 while Portland comes back as a +4.5 underdog. The total for the game is listed at 160.5 points. Check out our Free WNBA picks.
Previous Game Recap
Chicago enters this matchup after recently losing to Atlanta 87-78 in preseason action, while Portland recently lost to Los Angeles 85-75. The Sky fell behind early against Atlanta after scoring only 17 points in the first quarter and trailed by 13 at halftime before a stronger third quarter narrowed the gap briefly. Portland also struggled early in its game, scoring only nine points in the opening quarter before battling more evenly during the second half against Los Angeles.
Chicago received a huge scoring effort from Sydney Taylor, who led the Sky with 23 points while shooting 7-for-13 from the field and adding seven made free throws. Rachel Banham contributed nine points and knocked down all three of her attempts from beyond the arc, while Rickea Jackson also added nine points with three rebounds. Tonie Morgan finished with nine points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Hailey Van Lith added six assists during the loss.
Portland was led by Nyadiew Puoch, who scored 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting while hitting two three-pointers. Serah Williams also added 12 points along with eight rebounds off the bench. Carla Leite scored 11 points and dished out three assists, while Jordan Harrison contributed nine points and four assists. Haley Jones finished with eight points and two steals, but Portland committed 24 turnovers as a team in the loss.
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Chicago Searching for a Better Start
Chicago enters the regular season opener with a 0-0 record and a 0-0 away mark. The Sky recently lost to Atlanta 87-78 and recently lost to Phoenix 108-104 during preseason play. Dating back further, Chicago also recently lost to New York and twice recently lost to Las Vegas to close last season, giving the Sky five consecutive losses entering the opener.
The Sky scored 78 points in their most recent game while shooting 40 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range. Chicago connected on eight three-pointers and also grabbed 32 rebounds while finishing with 18 assists. The Sky were active defensively with eight steals and seven blocked shots, but turnovers were an issue as Chicago committed 17.
One positive sign for Chicago is the ability to create balanced offensive production despite the recent losses. The Sky had multiple contributors offensively against Atlanta and shot well from beyond the arc. However, slow starts have clearly hurt Chicago recently, especially after falling behind heavily in the first half against Atlanta.
Portland Opens at Home Looking for Momentum
Portland enters the season opener with a 0-0 record and a 0-0 home mark. The Fire recently lost to Los Angeles 85-75 after recently losing to Seattle 91-81. Portland has dropped both listed preseason games entering the home opener and now looks to respond in front of its home crowd at Moda Center.
The Fire scored 75 points against Los Angeles while shooting 44 percent from the field. Portland struggled from three-point range, making only four of 18 attempts for 22 percent shooting from deep. The Fire also finished with 30 rebounds and 15 assists but committed 24 turnovers in the loss.
The biggest issue for Portland based on the provided data has been ball security. The Fire committed 24 turnovers against Los Angeles, which consistently placed pressure on the defense throughout the game. Portland did show some balance offensively with several players contributing scoring, but the turnovers and outside shooting struggles remain concerns entering this matchup against Chicago.
Chicago Sky vs Portland Fire Picks and Prediction
Spread Pick:
- Chicago Sky -4.5
Chicago enters this matchup favored for good reason despite the recent losing streak. Chicago showed stronger perimeter shooting than Portland in its latest outing. The Sky also generated seven blocks and eight steals defensively against Atlanta, while Portland struggled badly with turnovers in its loss to Los Angeles. If Chicago avoids another slow start, the Sky should have a solid chance to cover the spread on the road.
Total Pick:
- Under 160.5
The total is set at 160.5 points, and the lean is toward the under. Chicago scored 78 points in its most recent game while Portland scored 75 in its latest outing. Both teams also enter this matchup after offensive inconsistencies during preseason play, and Portland especially struggled from three-point range. With both teams still trying to settle into rhythm early in the season, this matchup could finish below the posted number.
Final Score Prediction: Chicago Sky 81 – Portland Fire 74
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