Power Rankings: Mercury overtake Liberty with five-game winning streak

Five weeks into the WNBA season, the Phoenix Mercury are blowing distant a batch of predictions.

Questions astir their roster turnover, deficiency of established chemistry and defender play landed them astatine No. 7 successful our preseason rankings with a 49.8% accidental to marque the playoffs. Now, the Mercury are already much than halfway to the BPI's projected 19.4 victories with 11 done their archetypal 15 games, winning 5 consecutive to supplant the defending champion New York Liberty astatine No. 2 successful the latest variation of our Power Rankings.

There was ample crushed to expect a challenging commencement for the new-look Mercury. They said goodbye to 2 No. 1 draught picks who had go faces of the franchise -- Diana Taurasi (retired) and Brittney Griner (free agency) -- and returned lone 2 players from past play successful Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack, who were some sidelined with injuries to commencement this campaign.

But aft trading for Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas successful the offseason, that hasn't happened. Sabally leads the squad successful scoring (19.3 points per game) and rebounding (8.1). Thomas has brought her stat-stuffing ways from 11 seasons successful Connecticut to Phoenix with averages of 14.4 points, 8.9 assists and 7.2 rebounds successful 10 games aft missing 5 with a calf injury. And contempt playing lone 3 games truthful far, Copper has been a beardown enactment presence.

Thomas played successful conscionable 1 of Phoenix's 4 losses -- doubly to each of the Minnesota Lynx and the Seattle Storm -- portion Copper didn't play successful any. That's not to instrumentality distant from the Lynx, who stay our No. 1 team, and the Storm, who are backmost successful the apical five. But considering however good Phoenix has done contempt not having the large 3 of Copper, Sabally and Thomas connected tribunal unneurotic much, look retired for conscionable however precocious the Mercury tin peak.

1. Minnesota Lynx (12-1)

Previous ranking: 1

Next 7 days: @ WAS (June 24), @ ATL (June 27), vs. CON (June 29)

Napheesa Collier near successful the 3rd 4th of the June 17 crippled against Las Vegas with a backmost wounded and did not play against Los Angeles connected Saturday. The Lynx inactive won both, with Courtney Williams' 20 points starring the mode against the Aces and Kayla McBride's 29 points pushing Minnesota past the Sparks. The triumph implicit Las Vegas clinched Minnesota's spot successful the Commissioner's Cup last arsenic big against Indiana connected July 1. We'll ticker to spot however the Lynx negociate Collier's wounded concern with a jam-packed July docket looming.

2. Phoenix Mercury (11-4)

Previous ranking: 4

Next 7 days: vs. NY (June 27), vs. LV (June 29)

Phoenix extended its five-win streak this past week with victories implicit Connecticut, New York and Chicago, putting up a season-high 107 points against the Sky. Of the Mercury's six WNBA rookies, lone Megan McConnell didn't play professionally overseas. The 24-year-old Monique Akoa Makani and the 29-year-old Kathryn Westbeld are among their starters, with different 29-year-old rookie -- Kitija Laksa -- starring Phoenix successful 3-pointers with 29.

3. New York Liberty (10-3)

Previous ranking: 2

Next 7 days: @ GS (June 25), @ PHO (June 27), @ ATL (June 29)

The Liberty announced Saturday that halfway Jonquel Jones, past year's Finals MVP, volition miss 4 to six weeks with a close ankle sprain. She sustained the wounded June 5 and missed 2 games, including New York's archetypal nonaccomplishment of the play (June 14 astatine Indiana), earlier returning with a double-double successful the June 17 triumph implicit Atlanta past reinjuring it successful Thursday's nonaccomplishment to Phoenix. The Liberty started a four-game travel connected Sunday with a nonaccomplishment to Seattle that Sabrina Ionescu (neck) besides missed. They besides are without Leonie Fiebich, who is playing for Germany arsenic it enters the quarterfinals astatine EuroBasket. So, the adjacent fewer weeks could proceed to beryllium a situation for the defending champions.

4. Atlanta Dream (10-4)

Previous ranking: 3

Next 7 days: @ DAL (June 24), vs. MIN (June 27), vs. NY (June 29)

The Dream had a accidental to beforehand to the Commissioner's Cup last but ran into the Liberty successful the lone crippled of New York's past 5 that Jonquel Jones was not injured. She played 25 minutes and had 10 points and 10 rebounds successful New York's 86-81 triumph connected June 17. But Atlanta didn't look to brood connected that, going connected to decision Washington and Chicago. We support highlighting the melodramatic quality successful the Dream's offense. And here's different example: They person deed the 90-point people 5 times successful 14 games aft reaching it conscionable 3 times each of past season.

5. Seattle Storm (9-5)

Previous ranking: 6

Next 7 days: vs. IND (June 24), vs. CON (June 27), @ GS (June 29)

Nneka Ogwumike volition crook 35 adjacent week, but she's inactive taking the kids to school. She totaled 77 points connected 71.4% shooting and 24 rebounds successful Seattle's victories implicit Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York past week. It was her astir statistically awesome three-game agelong since joining the Storm past season, erstwhile she was selected All-WNBA for the seventh time. Seattle has won six of its past 7 games.

6. Golden State Valkyries (7-6)

Previous ranking: 7

Next 7 days: vs. NY (June 25), vs. CHI (June 27), vs. SEA (June 29)

Which is the lone squad to bushed the surging Storm implicit the past 3 weeks? The Valkyries, who did truthful June 14. Golden State followed that up with a disappointing nonaccomplishment astatine Dallas connected June 17. But it rallied from a double-digit shortage to bushed Indiana connected Thursday past dominated Connecticut by 24 points connected Sunday. Kayla Thornton is playing similar an All-Star for Golden State, which has won 5 of its erstwhile six.

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Kayla Thornton drills dagger 3 for Valkyries successful OT

Kayla Thornton connects connected a 3-pointer successful the last infinitesimal to springiness the Valkyries a six-point pb implicit the Sparks.

7. Las Vegas Aces (6-7)

Previous ranking: 8

Next 7 days: vs. CON (June 25), vs. WAS (June 26), @ PHO (June 29)

Our unit analyzed what's been plaguing the Aces, who are 3-5 successful June. Some of their woes were abated with the instrumentality of three-time MVP A'ja Wilson, who missed 3 games successful concussion protocol. She had 20 points and 14 rebounds successful a 90-83 nonaccomplishment to Seattle connected Friday past 24 and 7 successful an 89-81 triumph against Indiana connected Saturday. The defence that served Las Vegas truthful good successful caller years was humming the mode it utilized to, particularly successful the 2nd fractional against the Fever, arsenic the Aces avoided what would person been their archetypal four-game losing streak nether manager Becky Hammon.

8. Indiana Fever (6-7)

Previous ranking: 5

Next 7 days: @ SEA (June 24), vs. LA (June 26), @ DAL (June 27)

Sunday was bleak for Indiana hoops fans: The Fever mislaid their 16th consecutive crippled to the Aces past the Pacers mislaid Game 7 of the NBA Finals portion Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn close Achilles tendon.

In the 4th quarters of past week's defeats to Las Vegas and Golden State, Indiana was outscored by a combined 26 points. Caitlin Clark had 51 points and 25 assists combined successful the Fever's 3 games implicit the past 7 days, but she was conscionable 1-of-17 from 3-point scope successful the 2 astir caller contests. The Fever person been without DeWanna Bonner the past 4 games for idiosyncratic reasons, and her lack hurts their defence and depth.

Sophie Cunningham's takedown of Jacy Sheldon adjacent the extremity of the June 17 triumph implicit the Sun sent a connection to teams that take to get other carnal with Clark, portion Aliyah Boston's combined 52 points and 31 rebounds crossed the erstwhile 3 outings was a agleam spot.

9. Washington Mystics (6-8)

Previous ranking: 10

Next 7 days: vs. MIN (June 24), @ LV (June 26), @ DAL (June 28)

It was a bully week for the Mystics, who astir edged up of the Fever successful these rankings. Washington bushed Chicago and Dallas (in overtime), but arguably adjacent much awesome was taking Atlanta to the ligament connected the roadworthy earlier falling 92-91 connected Friday. Brittney Sykes scored a season-high 32 points against the Sky, Shakira Austin enactment up a career-high 28 versus the Dream and rookie Sonia Citron had a season-high 27 against Dallas. Citron besides made the game-winning 3-pointer versus the Wings.

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Sonia Citron's clutch OT 3 proves to beryllium victor for Mystics

Rookie Sonia Citron drills her 4th 3-pointer of the crippled to springiness the Mystics the pb for good.

10. Dallas Wings (3-12)

Previous ranking: 13

Next 7 days: vs. ATL (June 24), vs. IND (June 27), vs. WAS (June 28)

After starting the run 1-11, Dallas had its champion week yet with wins implicit Golden State and Connecticut arsenic good arsenic an overtime nonaccomplishment astatine Washington. That the Wings had a bully accidental astatine a 3-0 week is saying thing aft however overmuch they person struggled. Paige Bueckers -- who registered a combined 61 points, 15 rebounds and 16 assists implicit the 3 contests -- is reestablishing herself successful the Rookie of the Year contention aft missing clip with concussion protocol and illness.

11. Los Angeles Sparks (4-10)

Previous ranking: 9

Next 7 days: @ CHI (June 24), @ IND (June 26), vs. CHI (June 29)

The Sparks didn't person Kelsey Plum (leg) against the Storm connected Tuesday, but she returned with 15 points versus the Lynx connected Saturday. Both outings resulted successful losses. Los Angeles hasn't been that atrocious of an violative team, but it needs to amended connected defense. The Sparks' nett standing of minus-7.1 is 3rd worst successful the league, up of lone the Sky and the Sun.

12. Chicago Sky (3-10)

Previous ranking: 11

Next 7 days: vs. LA (June 24), @ GS (June 27), @ LA (June 29)

Chicago mislaid to Washington, Phoenix and Atlanta but stayed retired of the Power Rankings cellar due to the fact that Connecticut had a worse week. Plus, the Sky bushed the Sun connected June 15. A metallic lining for Chicago: Kamilla Cardoso has scored successful treble figures implicit 4 of the past 5 games. Cardoso changeable 69.2% from the tract past week, but she inactive isn't getting capable touches.

13. Connecticut Sun (2-12)

Previous ranking: 12

Next 7 days: @ LV (June 25), @ SEA (June 27), @ MIN (June 29)

Connecticut has mislaid six successful a enactment pursuing an 0-4 week against Indiana, Phoenix, Dallas and Golden State that dropped the Sun to the bottommost of the Power Rankings. The Sun inactive made headlines aft the grabbing, pushing and oculus poking successful their contentious nonaccomplishment to the Fever connected June 17, erstwhile Marina Mabrey shoved Caitlin Clark to the level from the blindside but didn't get ejected. Having the league's lowest-scoring discourtesy (71.8 PPG) continues to marque things pugnacious for Connecticut.