Kamilla Cardoso isn’t the Chicago Sky’s problem — and Tyler Marsh knows it

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Kamilla Cardoso isn’t the Chicago Sky’s problem — and Tyler Marsh knows it originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Sky have now lost three straight games, but head coach Tyler Marsh isn't interested in making Kamilla Cardoso the scapegoat. After Wednesday's 111-104 loss to the Toronto Tempo, criticism quickly surfaced following Cardoso's toughest game of the season. The third-year center finished with just two points on 1-of-5 shooting, along with five rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes. Marsh immediately pushed back on any suggestion that Cardoso was responsible for the defeat.

"This isn't a 'we lost because of Kamilla' type of vibe or game," Marsh told reporters. "We all could have played better defensively."

Lot of noise after loss​

The coach acknowledged the outside noise surrounding Cardoso, especially after the Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream during the offseason and handed a larger role to the 6-foot-7 center.

"I think that Kamilla feels the love, and she knows the love and the confidence that we have in her," Marsh said.

Despite her struggles against Toronto, Cardoso has been productive this season. Through seven games, she is averaging 13.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 51.6% from the field. Marsh called Wednesday's performance simply an off night.

"People are afforded these types of nights," he said. "She understands how important she is to us on both ends."

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Chicago must figure out a way to defend​

The bigger issue for Chicago was team defense. Toronto scored 111 points in the win, and Marsh made it clear the Sky's three-game losing streak goes well beyond one player's performance. His final message was perhaps the strongest.

"We love Kamilla," Marsh said. "She puts in the work every single day ... and she's not going anywhere."

For a young team trying to stop a skid, Marsh made one thing crystal clear: Cardoso remains a major part of Chicago's future.

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