Overview
- Portland’s expansion-era debut drew a sellout crowd of 19,335 at the Moda Center on Saturday night as the Fire hosted the Chicago Sky.
- Chicago unveiled a veteran core led by seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins after tying for the league low with 10 wins last season.
- Courtney Vandersloot remains out as she rehabs an ACL tear, and the Sky also sat DiJonai Carrington (foot) and Azurá Stevens (knee) to start a four-game road trip.
- Fire coach Alex Sarama has stressed a defense-first identity, with Portland selecting Bridget Carleton first in the expansion draft and adding pieces to grow the offense over time.
- The season opener aired on NBA TV with streaming on Fubo, and Portland now faces a home-heavy stretch that includes games against the Liberty and Sun.