Five weeks into the WNBA season, the Phoenix Mercury are blowing away a lot of predictions.
Questions about their roster turnover, lack of established chemistry and guard play landed them at No. 7 in our preseason rankings with a 49.8% chance to make the playoffs. Now, the Mercury are already more than halfway to the BPI’s projected 19.4 victories with 11 through their first 15 games, winning five straight to supplant the defending champion New York Liberty at No. 2 in the latest edition of our Power Rankings.
There was ample reason to expect a challenging start for the new-look Mercury. They said goodbye to two No. 1 draft picks who had become faces of the franchise — Diana Taurasi (retired) and Brittney Griner (free agency) — and returned only two players from last season in Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack, who were both sidelined with injuries to start this campaign.
But after trading for Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas in the offseason, that hasn’t happened. Sabally leads the team in scoring (19.3 points per game) and rebounding (8.1). Thomas has brought her stat-stuffing ways from 11 seasons in Connecticut to Phoenix with averages of 14.4 points, 8.9 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 10 games after missing five with a calf injury. And despite playing only three games so far, Copper has been a strong leadership presence.
Thomas played in just one of Phoenix’s four losses — twice to each of the Minnesota Lynx and the Seattle Storm — while Copper didn’t play in any. That’s not to take away from the Lynx, who remain our No. 1 team, and the Storm, who are back in the top five. But considering how well Phoenix has done despite not having the big three of Copper, Sabally and Thomas on court together much, look out for just how high the Mercury can peak.
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: @ WAS (June 24), @ ATL (June 27), vs. CON (June 29)
Napheesa Collier left in the third quarter of the June 17 game against Las Vegas with a back injury and did not play against Los Angeles on Saturday. The Lynx still won both, with Courtney Williams’ 20 points leading the way against the Aces and Kayla McBride’s 29 points pushing Minnesota past the Sparks. The victory over Las Vegas clinched Minnesota’s spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final as host against Indiana on July 1. We’ll watch to see how the Lynx manage Collier’s injury situation with a jam-packed July schedule looming.
Previous ranking: 4
Next seven days: vs. NY (June 27), vs. LV (June 29)
Phoenix extended its five-win streak this past week with victories over Connecticut, New York and Chicago, putting up a season-high 107 points against the Sky. Of the Mercury’s six WNBA rookies, only 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 another 29-year-old rookie — Kitija Laksa — leading Phoenix in 3-pointers with 29.
Satou Sabally leads the Mercury in scoring with 19.3 points per game. Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images
Previous ranking: 2
Next seven days: @ GS (June 25), @ PHO (June 27), @ ATL (June 29)
The Liberty announced Saturday that center Jonquel Jones, last year’s Finals MVP, will miss four to six weeks with a right ankle sprain. She sustained the injury June 5 and missed two games, including New York’s first loss of the season (June 14 at Indiana), before returning with a double-double in the June 17 win over Atlanta then reinjuring it in Thursday’s loss to Phoenix. The Liberty started a four-game trip on Sunday with a loss to Seattle that Sabrina Ionescu (neck) also missed. They also are without Leonie Fiebich, who is playing for Germany as it enters the quarterfinals at EuroBasket. So, the next few weeks could continue to be a challenge for the defending champions.
Previous ranking: 3
Next seven days: @ DAL (June 24), vs. MIN (June 27), vs. NY (June 29)
The Dream had a chance to advance to the Commissioner’s Cup final but ran into the Liberty in the only game of New York’s past five that Jonquel Jones was not injured. She played 25 minutes and had 10 points and 10 rebounds in New York’s 86-81 victory on June 17. But Atlanta didn’t seem to brood on that, going on to defeat Washington and Chicago. We keep highlighting the dramatic difference in the Dream’s offense. And here’s another example: They have hit the 90-point mark five times in 14 games after reaching it just three times all of last season.
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Previous ranking: 6
Next seven days: vs. IND (June 24), vs. CON (June 27), @ GS (June 29)
Nneka Ogwumike will turn 35 next week, but she’s still taking the kids to school. She totaled 77 points on 71.4% shooting and 24 rebounds in Seattle’s victories over Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York last week. It was her most statistically impressive three-game stretch since joining the Storm last season, when she was selected All-WNBA for the seventh time. Seattle has won six of its past seven games.
Previous ranking: 7
Next seven days: vs. NY (June 25), vs. CHI (June 27), vs. SEA (June 29)
Which is the only team to beat the surging Storm over the past three weeks? The Valkyries, who did so June 14. Golden State followed that up with a disappointing loss at Dallas on June 17. But it rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat Indiana on Thursday then dominated Connecticut by 24 points on Sunday. Kayla Thornton is playing like an All-Star for Golden State, which has won five of its previous six.
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Kayla Thornton drills dagger 3 for Valkyries in OT
Kayla Thornton connects on a 3-pointer in the final minute to give the Valkyries a six-point lead over the Sparks.
Previous ranking: 8
Next seven days: vs. CON (June 25), vs. WAS (June 26), @ PHO (June 29)
Our staff analyzed what’s been plaguing the Aces, who are 3-5 in June. Some of their woes were abated with the return of three-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who missed three games in concussion protocol. She had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a 90-83 loss to Seattle on Friday then 24 and seven in an 89-81 victory against Indiana on Saturday. The defense that served Las Vegas so well in recent years was humming the way it used to, especially in the second half against the Fever, as the Aces avoided what would have been their first four-game losing streak under coach Becky Hammon.
Previous ranking: 5
Next seven days: @ SEA (June 24), vs. LA (June 26), @ DAL (June 27)
Sunday was bleak for Indiana basketball fans: The Fever lost their 16th consecutive game to the Aces then the Pacers lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals while Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon.
In the fourth quarters of last 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 in the Fever’s three games over the past seven days, but she was just 1-of-17 from 3-point range in the two most recent contests. The Fever have been without DeWanna Bonner the past four games for personal reasons, and her absence hurts their defense and depth.
Sophie Cunningham’s takedown of Jacy Sheldon near the end of the June 17 win over the Sun sent a message to teams that choose to get extra physical with Clark, while Aliyah Boston’s combined 52 points and 31 rebounds across the previous three outings was a bright spot.
Previous ranking: 10
Next seven days: vs. MIN (June 24), @ LV (June 26), @ DAL (June 28)
It was a good week for the Mystics, who nearly edged ahead of the Fever in these rankings. Washington beat Chicago and Dallas (in overtime), but arguably even more impressive was taking Atlanta to the wire on the road before falling 92-91 on Friday. Brittney Sykes scored a season-high 32 points against the Sky, Shakira Austin put up a career-high 28 versus the Dream and rookie Sonia Citron had a season-high 27 against Dallas. Citron also made the game-winning 3-pointer versus the Wings.
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Sonia Citron’s clutch OT 3 proves to be winner for Mystics
Rookie Sonia Citron drills her fourth 3-pointer of the game to give the Mystics the lead for good.
Previous ranking: 13
Next seven days: vs. ATL (June 24), vs. IND (June 27), vs. WAS (June 28)
After starting the campaign 1-11, Dallas had its best week yet with wins over Golden State and Connecticut as well as an overtime loss at Washington. That the Wings had a good chance at a 3-0 week is saying something after how much they have struggled. Paige Bueckers — who registered a combined 61 points, 15 rebounds and 16 assists over the three contests — is reestablishing herself in the Rookie of the Year race after missing time with concussion protocol and illness.
Previous ranking: 9
Next seven days: @ CHI (June 24), @ IND (June 26), vs. CHI (June 29)
The Sparks didn’t have Kelsey Plum (leg) against the Storm on Tuesday, but she returned with 15 points versus the Lynx on Saturday. Both outings resulted in losses. Los Angeles hasn’t been that bad of an offensive team, but it needs to improve on defense. The Sparks’ net rating of minus-7.1 is third worst in the league, ahead of only the Sky and the Sun.
Previous ranking: 11
Next seven days: vs. LA (June 24), @ GS (June 27), @ LA (June 29)
Chicago lost to Washington, Phoenix and Atlanta but stayed out of the Power Rankings cellar because Connecticut had a worse week. Plus, the Sky beat the Sun on June 15. A silver lining for Chicago: Kamilla Cardoso has scored in double figures over four of the past five games. Cardoso shot 69.2% from the field last week, but she still isn’t getting enough touches.
Previous ranking: 12
Next seven days: @ LV (June 25), @ SEA (June 27), @ MIN (June 29)
Connecticut has lost six in a row following an 0-4 week against Indiana, Phoenix, Dallas and Golden State that dropped the Sun to the bottom of the Power Rankings. The Sun still made headlines after the grabbing, pushing and eye poking in their contentious loss to the Fever on June 17, when Marina Mabrey shoved Caitlin Clark to the floor from the blindside but didn’t get ejected. Having the league’s lowest-scoring offense (71.8 PPG) continues to make things tough for Connecticut.
