Sky spoil Portland Fire's WNBA debut 98-83 as Cardoso goes for 22 and 14

The Portland Fire returned women's pro basketball to the city after a 24-year absence — and the Sky crashed the party. Chicago beat Portland 98-83 in front of a sellout 19,335 at Moda Center, with Kamilla Cardoso going for 22 and 14 and Skylar Diggins adding 21 and 11.

The Fire showed fight. Down 17, they ripped off a run and tied it at 70 with 8:39 left in the fourth before Chicago pulled away. Portland's expansion roster is going to grow into itself, but the energy in the building was the real story. The WNBA is in 14 cities now — a year ago it was 12.

For Chicago, this is the Cardoso era starting in earnest. Without Reese (now in Atlanta), the offense flows through her in the post. 22 and 14 in Game 1 is the floor, not the ceiling.