2019 WNBA.com Power Rankings: Week 3

Brian Martin

Note: WNBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Tuesday during the season, are the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

Would you believe that we are already 15% of the way through the 2019 WNBA regular season? After this week’s 14 games across the league, we will be nearing the quarter pole of the season.

The fact of the matter is, there’s no time to waste in the WNBA. With a 34-game schedule, the importance of every winning or losing streak takes on added weight because there just isn’t a lot of time to recover from a tough stretch.

This week’s rankings show which teams have come together quickly on the court in the early weeks of the season and which teams are still trying to find their footing.

Toughest Call

Washington has the resume of a No. 1 team – 1st in net rating, 1st in effective field goal percentage, and undefeated with Elena Delle Donne in the lineup. But Connecticut, who was No. 1 last week, has not lost since and still owns the top record in the league at 5-1. The team gave Washington its only loss in the season opener (albeit it, without Delle Donne), so they get the edge this week.  The Sun host the Mystics tonight at 7:00 ET on CBS Sports Network.

Biggest Rise

Four teams made a two-spot jump in this week’s rankings, but it’s the Indiana Fever that made the leap into the top half of the rankings. Indiana enters this week at 3-2, which puts them already half way to last year’s win total. Outside of the rookies they added in the draft – none of which are playing more than 17 minutes per game – this is essentially the same roster from last year.

This rise is about the improvement of the players already on the roster and how well they are playing as a unit. After opening last season 3-23, the Fever went 3-5 in their final three games and showed signs of improvement late in the season. Those improvements have carried over to this season and the Fever are above .500 for the first time since Sept, 11, 2016 (16-15).

Biggest Fall

Las Vegas falls from No. 3 to No. 6 in this week’s rankings as our preseason predictions get overtaken by the results on the court. Obviously, on paper the Aces are a top tier team and will most likely finish near the top of the standings by the end of the season. They are simply too talented. Over the course of the season, they should figure things out. But it is going to take some time for everything to come together as they continue to integrate superstar Liz Cambage into the mix and bring her along slowly. Cambage played a season-high 25 minutes in Vegas’ loss to New York on Sunday, posting her first double-double of the season.

This Week’s Rankings

1. Connecticut Sun (5-1)

    • Previous Rank: 1
    • Last Week: (2-0) W vs. LAS 89-77; W at ATL 65-59
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 vs. WAS; Fri. 6/14 at MIN; Sun. 6/16 vs. SEA
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 98.8 (4); DefRtg: 90.0 (1); 8.7 (2); eFG%: 42.4 (10); Pace: 96.30 (6)

2. Washington Mystics (4-1)

    • Previous Rank: 4
    • Last Week: (3-0) W vs. CHI 103-85; W at NYL 94-85; W vs. DAL 86-62
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 at CON; Fri. 6/14 vs. SEA
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 114.6 (1); DefRtg: 100.3 (7); NetRtg: 14.3 (1); eFG%: 52.8 (1); Pace: 93.72 (9)

3. Los Angeles Sparks (3-2)

    • Previous Rank: 5
    • Last Week: (2-1) W at NYL 78-73; L at CON 89-77; W vs. MIN 89-85
    • This Week: Fri. 6/14 at PHX; Sat. 6/15 vs. NYL
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 93.1 (10); DefRtg: 95.7 (5); NetRtg: -2.6 (8); eFG%: 44.1 (9); Pace: 100.56 (2)

4. Minnesota Lynx (4-2)

    • Previous Rank: 2
    • Last Week: (1-2) L at SEA 84-77; W vs. PHX 58-56; L vs. LAS 89-85
    • This Week: Wed. 6/12 at NYL; Fri. 6/14 vs. CON; Sun. 6/16 vs. LVA
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.4 (7); DefRtg: 91.8 (2); NetRtg: 4.5 (3); eFG%: 48.6 (5); Pace: 93.40 (10)

5. Indiana Fever (3-2)

    • Previous Rank: 7
    • Last Week: (1-1) W vs. DAL 79-64; L vs. PHX 94-87
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 vs. SEA; Thur. 6/13 at DAL; Sat. 6/15 vs. CHI
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 105.9 (2); DefRtg: 102.3 (9); NetRtg: 3.6 (5); eFG%: 49.7 (4); Pace: 94.44 (8)

6. Las Vegas Aces (1-2)

    • Previous Rank: 3
    • Last Week: (1-1) W at ATL 92-69; L at NYL 88-78
    • This Week: Fri. 6/14 vs. NYL; Sun. 6/16 at MIN
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.9 (6); DefRtg: 92.7 (3); NetRtg: 4.2 (4); eFG%: 45.8 (7); Pace: 101.76 (1)

7. Phoenix Mercury (2-2)

    • Previous Rank: 6
    • Last Week: (1-1) L at MIN 58-56; W at IND 94-87
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 at CHI; Fri. 6/14 vs. LAS
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 100.7 (3); DefRtg: 101.0 (8); NetRtg: -0.3 (7); eFG%: 50.8 (2); Pace: 90.75 (11)

8. Seattle Storm (3-3)

    • Previous Rank: 8
    • Last Week: (1-1) W vs. MIN 84-77; L at CHI 78-71
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 at IND; Fri. 6/14 at WAS; Sun. 6/16 at CON
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.0 (8); DefRtg: 93.9 (4); NetRtg: 2.1 (6); eFG%: 45.9 (6); Pace: 94.60 (7)

9. Chicago Sky (2-2)

    • Previous Rank: 9
    • Last Week: (1-1) L at WAS 103-85; W vs. SEA 78-71
    • This Week: Tue. 6/11 vs. PHX; Sat. 6/15 at IND
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 95.5 (9); DefRtg: 102.4 (11); NetRtg: -6.9 (10); eFG%: 50.2 (3); Pace: 99.90 (3)

10. New York Liberty (1-4)

    • Previous Rank: 12
    • Last Week: (1-2) L vs. LAS 78-73; L vs. WAS 94-85; W vs. LVA 88-78
    • This Week: Wed. 6/12 vs. MIN; Fri. 6/14 at LVA; Sat. 6/15 at LAS
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.8 (5); DefRtg: 102.4 (10); NetRtg: -4.6 (9); eFG%: 44.3 (8); Pace: 99.00 (4)

11. Atlanta Dream (1-4)

    • Previous Rank: 10
    • Last Week: (0-2) L vs. LVA 92-69; L vs. CON 65-59
    • This Week: Sat. 6/15 at DAL
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 85.6 (12); DefRtg: 100.2 (6); NetRtg: -14.6 (11); eFG%: 39.9 (12); Pace: 97.08 (5)

12. Dallas Wings (0-4)

    • Previous Rank: 11
    • Last Week: (0-2) L at IND 79-64; L at WAS 86-62
    • This Week: Thur. 6/13 vs. IND; Sat. 6/15 vs. ATL
    • Team Stats: OffRtg: 88.3 (11); DefRtg: 104.4 (12); NetRtg: -16.0 12); eFG%: 41.2 (11); Pace: 89.70 (12)

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