WNBA Power Rankings: Aces, Valkyries, Mystics rise

You mightiness think, successful her eighth WNBA season, A'ja Wilson has seen it all. But she admits she and the Las Vegas Aces person faced caller challenges this year. Wilson's effect is portion of wherefore she's a three-time MVP: She is committed to figuring it out.

"That's erstwhile I person to beryllium not conscionable beryllium the vocal leader, but I person to amusement it. I person to stay calm truthful my teammates tin recognize that we're good," Wilson said Sunday. "Even though the situation's precise unfamiliar to me. I instrumentality this arsenic a large learning play for each of us."

The Aces are astatine .500, and past week was a snapshot of the inconsistency that has frustrated them this season. They cruised past the league's last-place team, Connecticut, 85-59 connected Wednesday. But the adjacent night, again astatine home, they mislaid 94-83 to Washington. Then connected Sunday, they bushed the hottest WNBA team, Phoenix, connected the roadworthy 84-81 to extremity the Mercury's six-game winning streak.

Who are the existent Aces? Both the truly bully and the not-so-good versions person alternated. As manager Becky Hammon enactment it aft falling to the Mystics, "My vexation has been seeing greatness successful moments and seeing implicit disasters successful moments. And however there's benignant of nary in-between. I conscionable privation solid, basal basketball: screen, container out. Things they've been proceeding their full lives."

The Aces did a batch right, Hammon said, successful cooling disconnected Phoenix. Can they physique connected that during their upcoming four-game travel against Eastern Conference teams Indiana, Connecticut, New York and Washington? Las Vegas made a commercialized with Dallas connected Monday for guardant NaLyssa Smith, who has had ups and downs successful her WNBA vocation but could assistance instrumentality astatine slightest a small value disconnected Wilson inside.

The Aces were 14-20 successful 2018, Wilson's rookie year, but they person had a winning grounds and made the playoffs each play since, including claiming 2 championships. It's understandable Aces fans person travel to instrumentality large teams for granted.

"And close now, we're conscionable not great," Wilson said. "And that's OK. It's not the extremity of the world. We inactive person the afloat imaginable to beryllium our best. But I can't beryllium rattled ... we request to larn however to excavation retired wins, however to play with our backs against the partition and inactive prevail."

1. Minnesota Lynx (14-2)

Previous ranking: 1

Next 7 days: vs. IND (July 1), vs. WAS (July 3), vs. GS (July 5), vs. CHI (July 6)

The Lynx mislaid their 2nd crippled of the play connected June 24, erstwhile they fell 68-64 astatine Washington with prima guardant Napheesa Collier retired (back). Collier returned arsenic effectual arsenic ever for Friday's 96-92 overtime triumph astatine Atlanta and Sunday's 102-63 romp against Connecticut. This is simply a engaged week for Minnesota with the summation of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup final, but the Lynx person the vantage of being location each week astatine Target Center.

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Napheesa Collier drops 26 successful Lynx's OT triumph implicit the Dream

Napheesa Collier shines with 26 points arsenic the Lynx amended to 13-2 aft a roadworthy triumph implicit the Dream.

2. Phoenix Mercury (12-5)

Previous ranking: 2

Next 7 days: @ DAL (July 3), vs. DAL (July 7)

The Mercury saw their six-game triumph streak snapped by Las Vegas connected Sunday, but they truly enactment connected a amusement successful the 2 games earlier that. In their 106-91 triumph implicit New York connected Friday, the Mercury acceptable franchise records for 3-pointers (18) and assists (30). The crippled earlier that, connected June 21 versus Chicago, they scored 107 points and deed 17 3s. Phoenix became the archetypal WNBA squad to marque astatine slightest 35 treys successful a two-game stretch. They were inactive beauteous bully from down the arc successful the 84-81 nonaccomplishment to Las Vegas (10-of-24 for 41.7%), but they changeable conscionable 27-of-71 (38%) overall.

3. Atlanta Dream (11-6)

Previous ranking: 4

Next 7 days: vs. SEA (July 3), vs. GS (July 7)

It really wasn't that bully of a week for Atlanta, which went 1-2. Tuesday's 68-55 nonaccomplishment astatine Dallas tin beryllium attributed to a mediocre violative effort (23.4% shooting) that seemed overmuch much similar the Atlanta of past play than of this season. But the Dream inactive determination up a spot successful the Power Rankings, considering their nonaccomplishment to Minnesota connected Friday was successful overtime and they bushed New York 90-81 connected Sunday. Brionna Jones tied her play precocious with 21 points against the Liberty.

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Brionna Jones with the hoop and harm for Atlanta

Brionna Jones finishes done interaction for the Dream vs. the Liberty.

4. New York Liberty (11-5)

Previous ranking: 3

Next 7 days: vs. LA (July 3), vs. SEA (July 6)

The Liberty astir apt are blessed they aren't playing for the Commissioner's Cup connected Tuesday: They get a small much clip to remainder and rejuvenate aft a hard roadworthy travel successful which they mislaid 3 of 4 games. This past week, they won astatine Golden State connected Wednesday but mislaid astatine Phoenix and Atlanta connected Friday and Sunday. The Liberty truly miss Jonquel Jones, who is out respective weeks with a sprained close ankle. But they present person 8 consecutive location games, breached up lone by the All-Star Game connected July 19. This period could spot the Liberty instrumentality person to form, adjacent if Jones doesn't instrumentality until August.

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Breanna Stewart drops 23 points successful Liberty's triumph vs. Valkyries

Breanna Stewart tallies a game-high 23 points arsenic the Liberty instrumentality down the Valkyries 81-78.

5. Golden State Valkyries (9-7)

Previous ranking: 6

Next 7 days: @ MIN (July 5), @ ATL (July 7)

The enlargement Valkyries are successful the Power Rankings' apical 5 aft winning 7 of their past 9 games, including against Chicago and Seattle connected Friday and Sunday. But starring scorer and rebounder Kayla Thornton was injured successful their triumph against the Storm, and her presumption is uncertain. Plus, Golden State volition walk 10 of their adjacent 12 games connected the road.

6. Las Vegas Aces (8-8)

Previous ranking: 7

Next 7 days: @ IND (July 3), @ CON (July 6)

The Aces sent their 2027 first-round prime to Dallas for guardant NaLyssa Smith, who was the No. 2 enactment by Indiana successful 2022. Smith is having her worst play frankincense acold aft being traded by the Fever to the Wings successful February. She is averaging 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. But if she tin beryllium person to the violative menace she was crossed her archetypal 3 seasons -- erstwhile she averaged 13.5, 15.5 and 10.6 points, respectively -- she could beryllium invaluable to Las Vegas.

7. Washington Mystics (8-9)

Previous ranking: 9

Next 7 days: @ MIN (July 3)

Washington climbed 2 spots and astir jumped the Aces -- whom it defeated 94-83 connected Thursday successful Las Vegas. The Mystics besides bushed Minnesota 68-64 past week. The lone happening keeping Washington from going up 1 much notch was its 79-71 nonaccomplishment astatine Dallas connected Sunday -- the aforesaid time the Aces won astatine Phoenix. But the bottommost enactment is the Mystics are playing overmuch amended than galore expected. Rookie Sonia Citron has led the squad successful scoring implicit 3 of the past 4 games, averaging 19.8 points during that stretch.

8. Indiana Fever (8-8)

Previous ranking: 8

Next 7 days: @ MIN (July 1), vs. LV (July 3), vs. LA (July 5)

The Fever won 94-86 astatine Seattle connected June 24 past got quality that Caitlin Clark would beryllium retired again, this clip with a groin injury. Meanwhile, the five-game lack of DeWanna Bonner was resolved, arsenic Indiana waived her with the mentation from some parties that she wasn't a bully acceptable for the team. Indiana mislaid 85-75 astatine location to Los Angeles connected Thursday past bounced backmost Friday astatine Dallas with a 94-86 victory. Kelsey Mitchell led the mode with 32 points against the Wings. We volition spot which mentation of the Fever shows up against Minnesota for the Commissioner's Cup last Tuesday night.

9. Seattle Storm (10-7)

Previous ranking: 5

Next 7 days: @ ATL (July 3), @ NY (July 6)

The Storm got caught by 4 different teams that moved up, which helps explicate their large driblet aft losses to Indiana and Golden State past week. In betwixt those defeats was a triumph implicit Connecticut. Skylar Diggins was the biggest agleam spot, with a combined 64 points. If you person been pursuing the Power Rankings this season, you cognize the Storm person moved up and down much than immoderate different team. If they just good connected their upcoming East Coast swing, they volition ascent close backmost up again.

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Chiney Ogwumike congratulates her sister connected All-Star starting nod

On "Vibe Check," Chiney Ogwumike calls up her sister Nneka to congratulate her connected being a WNBA All-Star Game starter.

10. Dallas Wings (5-13)

Previous ranking: 10

Next 7 days: vs. PHO (July 3), @ PHO (July 7)

The Wings enactment unneurotic their 2nd bully week successful a enactment by going 2-1. They bushed Atlanta and Washington but mislaid to Indiana. Those results mightiness person moved them up a small much successful the Power Rankings prevention for their wide record. But Dallas has a accidental to amended that mark, particularly if defender Paige Bueckers, voted an All-Star starter arsenic a rookie, continues to play well. She has scored successful treble figures successful each 13 games she has played. The Wings traded for guardant NaLyssa Smith earlier this season, but they decided it wasn't moving retired and traded her to Las Vegas connected Monday.

11. Chicago Sky (5-11)

Previous ranking: 12

Next 7 days: @ MIN (July 6)

After losing six of 7 games, Chicago had a bully week successful winning 2 of three, some implicit Los Angeles. That vaulted the Sky implicit the Sparks successful the Power Rankings. Center Kamilla Cardoso had a career-high 27 points against L.A. connected Tuesday, earlier she near to play for Brazil successful the AmeriCup tournament. Forward Angel Reese has had 4 consecutive games with astatine slightest 16 rebounds; she has averaged 17.3 points, 17.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists during that stretch.

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Angel Reese powers Sky to triumph with 24-point double-double

Angel Reese posts 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists to pb Chicago past the Los Angeles Sparks.

12. Los Angeles Sparks (5-12)

Previous ranking: 11

Next 7 days: @ NY (July 3), @ IND (July 5)

Los Angeles dropped 2 games to Chicago past week but bushed Indiana successful betwixt aft the Fever mislaid Caitlin Clark (groin) to different injury. The Sparks got a glimpse astatine past glory with Candace Parker's jersey status ceremonial connected Sunday past a reminder of contiguous struggles erstwhile they fell 92-85 to the Sky.

13. Connecticut Sun (2-15)

Previous ranking: 13

Next 7 days: vs. LV (July 6)

The June swoon is implicit for the Sun, but July doesn't task to get immoderate better. They person mislaid 9 successful a row; their lone triumph of past period came June 6 against Atlanta. The Sun announced June 24 that defender Marina Mabrey -- who leads the squad successful scoring and assists -- would beryllium retired 2 to 4 weeks with a near genu injury. A agleam spot: Rookie guardant Aneesah Morrow had her archetypal WNBA double-doubles during Connecticut's past 2 games.