WNBA Power Rankings: Aces are No. 1, Sparks rise to No. 5 after clinching season series against Dallas
The Sparks are hoping their two-game winning streak courtesy of back-to-back comeback wins against the Dallas Wings is the start of something special this season. Despite being down two starters lately, Layshia Clarendon (foot injury) and Lexie Brown (non-COVID illness), they have found a way to win via career seasons from Nneka Ogwumike, Jordin Canada, and Destanni Henderson. Those efforts have the Sparks (7-7) at .500, fifth in the WNBA standings.
The rankings (and records through Sunday, June 25):
1. Las Vegas Aces (12-1): The Aces went 2-0 last week as A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were all named All-Star starters Sunday. Las Vegas is currently on a five-game winning streak as Kelsey Plum and Candace Parker are also having quality seasons to round out the team’s starting lineup. The Aces are a juggernaut, averaging a league-high 93.2 points and outscoring opponents by nearly 16 ppg.
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2. Connecticut Sun (12-3): The Sun went 3-0 last week, in an emotional stretch of games that saw two-time All-Star Brionna Jones go down with a season-ending Achilles injury. Meanwhile, do-it-all point forward Alyssa Thomas responded to not being selected as an All-Star starter with a 14-point, 11-rebound, and 12-assist triple-double in Sunday’s 96-72 victory over Chicago, which was her second triple-double in a three-game stretch.
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3. New York Liberty (9-3): The Liberty went 2-0 last week as Breanna Stewart was named an All-Star starter and team captain for the second consecutive year. New York’s starting lineup boasts five All-Star-caliber players as guards Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot appear to be on the short list to receive All-Star reserve selections.
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4. Washington Mystics (8-5): The Mystics went 1-1 last week, suffering a notably tough 89-88 overtime loss at New York on Sunday. Elena Delle Donne is the team’s clear-cut favorite to be selected as an All-Star reserve. Shakira Austin’s hip injury is concerning for a team that depends on the 6-foot-5 center’s versatility to make the game easier for Delle Donne and the rest of a talented squad.
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5. Sparks (7-7): The Sparks went 2-1 last week, ending their five-game homestand with back-to-back comeback wins against the Dallas Wings. Nneka Ogwumike was named an All-Star starter for the second consecutive season. Ogwumike, an eight-time All-Star selection, is averaging a career-high 20.2 points and 9.7 rebounds in her first 13 games this season, including seven double-doubles. Meanwhile, point guards Jordin Canada and Destanni Henderson were key contributors in helping the Sparks end their recent three-game losing streak. When it comes to potential postseason seedings, winning the season series and playoff tiebreaker against Dallas could come in handy.
However, if the Sparks want to crack the top four in the power rankings and the standings, they are going to have to beat one or more of the league’s top teams.
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6. Dallas Wings (6-8): The Wings went 1-2 last week. Dallas beat the Atlanta Dream, 85-73, at home on Tuesday but lost back-to-back road games at Los Angeles on Friday and Sunday. Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally were named All-Star starters, and Natasha Howard should also receive heavy All-Star reserve consideration.
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7. Atlanta Dream (5-7): Atlanta is on a two-game losing streak, but Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Cheyenne Parker should all receive major considerations to be selected as All-Star reserves.
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8. Indiana Fever (5-8): The Fever have already matched their win total from last season’s 5-31 showing. Rookie center Aliyah Boston was named an All-Star starter, averaging 15.6 points and 8.1 rebounds just 13 games into her pro career. Boston will be the first rookie to start the All-Star game since 2014. The Fever went 1-1 last week with an 80-68 win at Seattle 80-68 and a competitive 101-88 loss at Las Vegas. Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell appears on track for an All-Star reserve selection.
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9. Chicago Sky (5-9): Chicago is on a six-game losing streak after starting the season 5-3. All six of those losses have come to teams currently in playoff position: Las Vegas, the Sparks, Indiana, Washington (twice) and Connecticut. Chicago guards Kahleah Copper and Marina Mabrey are both averaging more than 16 ppg.
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10. Seattle Storm (4-9): Storm guard Jewell Loyd, who is leading the league in scoring (25.4 ppg), was of course named an All-Star starter. The Storm went 1-2 last week, including a competitive loss to Connecticut and a 23-point win against the Phoenix Mercury.
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11. Minnesota Lynx (4-9): Minnesota went 1-1 last week, pulling off its third straight win against the Sparks, 67-61 on Tuesday, but losing 89-68 at home to Connecticut. Lynx forward Napheesa Collier looks like a lock to be named an All-Star reserve soon after averaging 20.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg through 13 games.
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12. Phoenix Mercury (2-10): Phoenix fired second-year head coach Vanessa Nygaard on Sunday after the team’s 2-10 start. Nygaard, a coach with 20 years of experience including nearly a decade at the Windward School in Los Angeles, played five years in the WNBA, including the 2003 season with the Sparks. Mercury lead assistant coach Nikki Blue has been elevated to interim coach for the rest of the season. The good news for the Phoenix is that Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi are back in the starting lineup. Mercury point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, who is currently out on maternity leave, was recently seen working out in an Instagram video. Still, the team is on a five-game losing streak with pending home games against Dallas, Indiana and Minnesota this week.
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