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M.A. Voepel, ESPN.com
LAS VEGAS– One word turned up once again and once again when WNBA gamers were asked at All-Star Weekend what their groups most required in the 2nd half of this season: consistency. However it’s the supreme “simpler stated than done” in a 12-team league with a lot competitive balance.
The Las Vegas Aces are the rock-solid first-place group once again in this week’s ESPN WNBA Power Rankings, and it does not promise they will be shaken from that perch. However no other area in the league standings, great or bad, is close to being secured right now.
The New York City Liberty and Connecticut Sun seem the very best bets to complete the league’s leading 3. The Liberty are 2-0 versus the Sun, with 2 more conferences in between the groups can be found in the routine season. Nevertheless, it’s likewise significant that Connecticut is done playing Las Vegas– the Sun went 1-2– while New york city still has 3 more matches with the Aces, all in August.
4th location might be a revolving door; 5 groups have actually remained in that slot in our 2023 Power Rankings.
And at the bottom, which groups will wind up in the possibly franchise-changing 2024 draft lottery game? The Indiana Fever (4) and Phoenix Mercury (3) have actually invested the most weeks in last location in our rankings, while the Seattle Storm begin the season’s 2nd half with the league’s worst record (4-16).
Consistency is so hard to obtain due to the fact that the league has a lot parity. The distinction in any offered video game may be which group is at house and/or has actually had the more difficult schedule that week. Not to point out the ups and downs that feature injuries, including what appears like the most typical condition this season: sprained ankles.
With fairly couple of video games a week back, there isn’t much motion in the Week 9 Power Rankings. However let’s take a look at what each group requires the most to be effective the rest of this season.
1. Las Vegas Aces
Record: 19-2
Previous ranking: 1
Today: at Seattle (Thursday), at Minnesota (Saturday)
Las Vegas hosted an effective All-Star Weekend, despite the fact that Group A’ja Wilson— which had all 4 Aces all-stars– lost the video game. Now it’s back to attempting to control for the Aces. Coach Becky Hammon continues to worry the group’s capability for enhancement on defense, a frightening idea for the remainder of the league that can’t decrease the Aces’ offense.
However while the Aces seek to sustain their offense a lot more by updating their defense, let’s emphasize another secret: playing well on the roadway. The Aces’ only losses so far are both far from Michelob Ultra Arena: at Connecticut and at Dallas. They open the 2nd half with a three-game trip and after that have a four-game roadway swing in August.
2. New York City Liberty
Record: 14-4
Previous ranking: 2
Today: vs. Dallas (Wednesday), at Washington (Friday), vs. Indiana (Sunday)
Group Breanna Stewart won the All-Star Video game, while guard Sabrina Ionescu won the 3-point contest with a show-stopping efficiency that may never be topped: missing out on simply 2 shots. Ionescu stated that although that triumph was simply in an exhibit, she can take a great deal of self-confidence from it into the season’s 2nd half.
And Ionescu likewise got straight to the point when asked what she believed was New york city’s most significant secret the remainder of the method.
” Keeping a lead,” Ionescu stated, in referral to how the Liberty had a hard time to liquidate their last 3 video games prior to the All-Star break, in spite of breaking bottom-tier groups Phoenix, Seattle and Indiana. New york city won all 3 however didn’t appear like the dominant group it can be.
” We’re simply continuing how to play well with one another, however not utilizing that as a reason when things aren’t working out,” Ionescu stated. “It’s a huge element into why a few of our video games wind up the method they do. However we comprehend it’s occurred one a lot of times, and we need to look inward and continue to construct that chemistry. I believe we will.”
3. Connecticut Sun
Record: 15-5
Previous ranking: 3
Today: at Phoenix (Tuesday), vs. Atlanta (Thursday), at Atlanta (Saturday)
No group has actually had a larger injury loss for the season than Connecticut with Brionna Jones However the Sun have actually carried on as finest they can, led by All-Stars Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner
Getting constant scoring from Tiffany Hayes is the most significant thing Connecticut requires now. In her 11th season in the WNBA and initially with the Sun, Hayes is coming off a 22-point efficiency last Wednesday in a win over Chicago. It connected her season high and is precisely what Connecticut requires from her.
In concerning the Sun after 10 seasons in Atlanta, Hayes most likely anticipated to be the 4th or 5th choice. However with Jones out, the Sun require more from everybody else. Hayes can blaze a trail.
4. Dallas Wings
Record: 11-9
Previous ranking: 4
Today: at New York City (Wednesday), vs. Los Angeles (Saturday)
All-Star Arike Ogunbowale believes a top-four surface in the league is obtainable, and the Wings’ efficiency over the previous couple of weeks supports that. Dallas has actually won 5 of its previous 6 video games; the only loss was to Las Vegas, however the Wings likewise beat the Aces because stretch.
Ogunbowale, fellow All-Star Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard have actually been Dallas’ huge 3 in scoring, which ought to continue. So ought to the Wings’ supremacy on the glass: Include center Teaira McCowan with forwards Sabally and Howard, and it’s clear why Dallas leads the league in rebounding.
However Dallas needs to be much better on the roadway to remain in the leading quarter of the standings. The Wings are 4-7 there, 7-2 in your home. It might be the indication of a great pattern for the Wings that half of their 4 roadway wins can be found in Dallas’ last 2 video games prior to the All-Star break: at Indiana and at Minnesota.
5. Atlanta Dream
Record: 11-8
Previous ranking: 5
Today: vs. Minnesota (Tuesday), at Connecticut (Thursday), vs. Connecticut (Saturday)
The Dream have actually won 6 in a row and appear on track to return to the playoffs for the very first time because 2018. Allisha Gray, Cheyenne Parker and Rhyne Howard were All-Stars and lead Atlanta in scoring and rebounding. The ongoing advancement of novice Haley Jones is a type in the 2nd half. She is balancing 3.2 helps per video game, and her capability as a playmaker is necessary to her getting as much court time as possible the remainder of the season. Novices can get tired in August, however that’s when Jones requires to thrive.
6. Washington Mystics
Record: 11-8
Previous ranking: 7
Today: vs. Indiana (Wednesday), vs. New york city (Friday), vs. Phoenix (Sunday)
Elena Delle Donne was the Mystics’ only All-Star, however she could not play in the video game due to the fact that of an ankle injury. With Ariel Atkins suffering an ankle injury in recently’s triumph over Seattle, Brittney Sykes is the only Washington starter who has actually gotten away the injury bug.
Washington’s most significant second-half secret is having all its beginners– that consists of Shakira Austin and Natasha Cloud, together with Delle Donne, Atkins and Sykes– as healthy as possible for the stretch run of the season and heading into the playoffs. While the Mystics do not always wish to take the postseason for given, they ought to exist unless the bottom falls out. So they do not wish to hurry anybody back for short-term gain. The Mystics have veterans such as Tianna Hawkins and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough who are proficient at assisting hold things together.
7. Minnesota Lynx
Record: 9-11
Previous ranking: 6
Today: at Atlanta (Tuesday), vs. Los Angeles (Thursday), vs. Las Vegas (Saturday)
Regardless of an 0-6 start to the season, the Lynx have actually put themselves in the playoff photo, led by All-Star Napheesa Collier Minnesota didn’t have the very best week prior to the All-Star Video game, getting clobbered initially by Las Vegas last Sunday (113-89) and after that by Dallas on Wednesday (107-67). Both video games were at Target Center, which raises a second-half secret: The Lynx need to play much better in your home.
They have actually been more effective on the roadway (5-4) than in your home (4-7). In 2015, Minnesota missed out on the playoffs for the very first time because 2010, and had similar records in your home (7-11) and away (7-11). The rest of this season, the Lynx need to money in more at Target Center.
8. Chicago Sky
Record: 8-12
Previous ranking: 8
Today: at Phoenix (Thursday), at Seattle (Saturday)
It would be a huge achievement for the Sky to make the playoffs this year considering their workers losses in the offseason and coach James Wade’s departure for the NBA in late June. All-Star Kahleah Copper will keep doing her thing; she leads Chicago at 17.3 PPG. However veterans Courtney Williams and Elizabeth Williams, both in their very first season in Chicago, might play crucial functions the remainder of the method.
They are 2nd and 3rd on the group in rebounding, behind Alanna Smith, who is having her development season in the WNBA. And they are 4th and 5th for the Sky in scoring. They are likewise actually great communicators. Courtney Williams talks more– colleagues count on her continuous positive chatter– however both have a great deal of experience and a strong understanding of the video game.
9. Phoenix Mercury
Record: 4-15
Previous ranking: 9
Today: vs. Connecticut (Tuesday), vs. Chicago (Thursday), at Washington (Sunday)
Phoenix’s All-Star, Brittney Griner, summarized the Mercury’s second-half requirement succinctly: “Get more calls!” Certainly, the Mercury have actually been brief on wins, and they have actually not beat any group presently in the leading 6 in the standings. It’s prematurely to state, “Wait till next year,” due to the fact that with gamers such as Griner and Diana Taurasi, it still may be possible to enter the playoffs. Complete stranger things have actually occurred.
However the ongoing advancement of forward Michaela Onyenwere is among the most essential elements of the Mercury’s 2nd half. She was Novice of the Year in 2021 after being the No. 6 choice by New york city and among the couple of brilliant areas in a bad draft. Part of a multiteam sell February, her 3rd WNBA season has actually been her finest. She’s balancing 10.6 PPG this season, 14.2 over the last 5 video games.
10. Los Angeles Triggers
Record: 7-13
Previous ranking: 10
Today: at Minnesota (Thursday), at Dallas (Saturday)
The Triggers are another group that simply can’t appear to capture lots of breaks when it concerns health. Just 2 gamers have actually appeared in every video game: Dearica Hamby, who delivered in March, and novice Zia Cooke The Triggers’ finest gamer is All-Star Nneka Ogwumike, who has actually missed out on simply one video game and is balancing almost a double-double (19.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG).
While the Triggers do not wish to miss out on the playoffs for a 3rd successive year– that would be extraordinary for the franchise– they are on a six-game losing streak that has actually put them in the lottery game in the meantime. That would not be the worst thing for Los Angeles, however a second-half secret is colleagues assisting Ogwumike more. She is having fantastic season, however she can’t do it all for Los Angeles.
11. Seattle Storm
Record: 4-16
Previous ranking: 11
Today: vs. Las Vegas (Thursday), vs. Chicago (Saturday)
Like Ogwumike, the Storm’s Jewell Loyd is having an exceptional private season in a tough year for her group. This was anticipated after Sue Bird’s retirement and Breanna Stewart’s departure in totally free firm. The Storm are most likely to miss out on the playoffs for the very first time because 2015, and Loyd is a totally free representative in 2024.
The most essential element of the 2nd half of this season is more about taking a look at the franchise’s future than the outcomes of this specific group. How well the Storm’s more youthful gamers– consisting of All-Star Ezi Magbegor— continue to establish may affect Loyd’s totally free firm choice.
12. Indiana Fever
Record: 5-15
Previous ranking: 12
Today: at Washington (Wednesday), at New York City (Sunday)
The Fever had 2 All-Stars, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, and now have the league’s longest losing streak at 8 in a row. Indiana got problem recently that NaLyssa Smith, its second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, would be out a minimum of 2 weeks due to the fact that of a tension fracture in her left foot. Could the Fever be back in the lottery game for a seventh year in a row?
The Fever have actually likewise revealed indications of being great group. Or, a minimum of, not a bad one. The type in the season’s 2nd half is to not let things snowball as they did last season, when Indiana went 5-31 and lost its last 18 video games.