Five things to know before Chicago Sky begin WNBA Finals

The Chicago Sky return to the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday afternoon. Chicago will start the best-of-five on the road Sunday and Wednesday before returning the series to Chicago’s Wintrust Arena on Friday, Oct. 15, and Sunday., Oct. 17. Here are five things to know about the Sky before they tip off.

1. How they got here

Chicago qualified for the postseason as the No. 6 seed after finishing the regular season with a 16-16 record. The Sky defeated both the Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx in single-elimination games before taking down the top-seed Connecticut Sun 3-1 in the semifinals.

2. Back to the Finals

The Sky will make their second trip to the WNBA Finals in their 16-year history — they lost to the Phoenix Mercury in three games in 2014. This is the third straight season Chicago has made the playoffs and the team has qualified seven of the last nine years. The team is 13-15 overall in the playoffs.

3. Coming home

Naperville Central alumna Candace Parker decided to come back home when she signed a two-year contract with the Sky during the past offseason. The former McDonald’s All-American and 2008 No. 1 draft pick returned to the Chicago area after a 13-year run with the Los Angeles Sparks, where she won a championship and two MVP trophies. She is a six-time All-Star, including this season.

4. Local products

Chicago’s roster features four players from the Chicago area. Guard Dana Evans (Gary, Indiana), Ruthy Hebard (Chicago), Allie Quigley (Joliet) all join Parker as local players. Quigley played for DePaul University and has been with the Sky since 2013.

5. Playing healthy

The Sky’s record might not paint their full picture. Chicago lost seven straight games in May, all without Parker and five without Quigley, two of their top-three scorers. The team is 20-9 in the regular season and playoffs with Parker in the lineup.