Note: Week 12 includes games played August 17-27. This list reflects games played August 17-20.

After spending the first three months at the top of the power rankings, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces were finally knocked off the perch this week by the New York Liberty – a team the Aces have played three times in the past two weeks, and will meet one more time before the month closes.

Aces vs. Liberty matchups this season

• June 29 (LV): Aces 98, Liberty 81
• August 6 (NY): Liberty 99, Aces 61
• August 15 (LV): Liberty 82, Aces 63 (Commissioner’s Cup Championship)
• August 17 (LV): Aces 88, Liberty 75
• August 28 (NY): Aces at Liberty (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Las Vegas is still in prime position to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 Playoffs and home-court advantage throughout the postseason – the Aces hold a three-game lead over the Liberty.

But the Aces’ loss to New York in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game, coupled with a loss to Los Angeles on Sunday, was enough to shake the aura of invincibility that has surrounded this Aces team for much of the season.

In addition to a new No. 1, this week’s power rankings (through games played on Sunday, Aug. 20) feature a new No. 3 and the first top-five appearance for the Sparks in nearly two months.

1. New York Liberty (25-7)

• Previous Ranking: 2
• Last Week: W at Aces 82-63 (CC), L at Aces 88-75, W at Mercury 85-63
• This Week: Thursday at Sun, Saturday at Lynx
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 108.1 (2); DefRtg: 99.1 (3); NetRtg: 9.0 (2); eFG%: 53.5 (2); Pace/40 Min: 80.60 (7)

While the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game does not count in the regular season standings or for team/player statistical purposes, it does hold weight in the power rankings. The Liberty were dominant in Las Vegas – handing the Aces their first loss at home all season – and holding the Aces’ high-powered offense below 65 points for the second time this season. With Jonquel Jones back in All-Star form after a slow start to the season, the Liberty are scratching at the potential that everyone saw when this team was put together during the offseason

2. Las Vegas Aces (28-4)

• Previous Ranking: 1
• Last Week: L vs. Liberty 82-63 (CC), W vs. Liberty 88-75, L vs. Sparks 78-72
• This Week: Tuesday at Dream, Thursday at Sky, Saturday at Mystics
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 113.4 (1); DefRtg: 96.7 (1); NetRtg: 16.7 (1); eFG%: 55.7 (1); Pace/40 Min: 82.12 (2)

Here is a look at Las Vegas’ record by month (including the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game): May 4-0; June 10-1; July 9-1; August 5-3. After being so dominant for much of the season, the Aces are hitting some adversity, including the absence of Candace Parker as she remains out indefinitely following foot surgery. They remain on track to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with eight games remaining.

3. Dallas Wings (18-14)

• Previous Ranking: 4
• Last Week: W at Sun 95-75, W at Mystics 97-84
• This Week: Tuesday at Minnesota, Thursday vs. Minnesota, Sunday at Mercury
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 106.0 (3); DefRtg: 102.2 (7); NetRtg: 3.8 (4); eFG%: 48.4 (7); Pace/40 Min: 82.03 (3)

The Wings bounced back from a three-game losing streak in a major way – with three consecutive wins, all by double-digits, and two coming against the Sun. Dallas is on a path to not only clinch a playoff berth for the third straight season but earn home-court advantage in the opening round by finishing with a top-four seed, which could help as they look to advance past the opening round for the first time since moving to Dallas in 2016.

4. Connecticut Sun (22-10)

• Previous Ranking: 3
• Last Week: L vs. Wings 95-75,  W at Sky 79-73
• This Week: Tuesday at Mystics, Thursday vs. Liberty, Sunday vs. Sparks
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 103.8 (4); DefRtg: 98.7 (2); NetRtg: 5.1 (3); eFG%: 49.6 (4); Pace/40 Min: 79.91 (8)

The Sun became the third team to clinch a playoff berth, joining the Aces and Liberty, and extending their run of postseason appearances to seven in a row. Connecticut got a much-needed win on Sunday in Chicago as the Sun snapped a three-game losing streak, a run of losses that included a pair of double-digit losses to Dallas. Despite those losses, the Sun still holds a commanding four-game lead over the Wings for the No. 3 spot in the playoff race.

5. Los Angeles Sparks (13-18)

• Previous Ranking: 8
• Last Week: W at Aces 78-72
• This Week: Wednesday vs. Mercury, Friday at Dream, Sunday at Sun
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.5 (11); DefRtg: 99.8 (4); NetRtg: -2.3 (7); eFG%: 47.2 (11); Pace/40 Min: 80.79 (5)

This week the Sparks put together their longest win streak since 2021 with four straight wins (the longest active streak in the league) and beat the Las Vegas Aces for the first time since 2019 (after losing 13 straight). The Sparks’ win streak helped them pass the Sky for sole possession of the final playoff spot if the season ended today. L.A. now holds a two-game lead over the No. 9 Sky and sits just one loss back of both No. 6 Minnesota and No. 7 Washington as the Sparks look to return to the postseason following a two-year hiatus.

6. Atlanta Dream (16-16)

• Previous Ranking: 7
• Last Week: W vs. Sky 78-67
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Aces, Friday vs. Sparks, Sunday at Fever
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 98.8 (9); DefRtg: 100.7 (5); NetRtg: -1.9 (6); eFG%: 47.7 (10); Pace/40 Min: 82.80 (1)

Similar to the Sun, the Dream picked up a win over the struggling Sky this past week to snap a three-game losing streak. The win got the Dream back to .500 on the season with eight games to play, as they look to lock up their first postseason berth since 2018. After a seven-game win streak from June 30-July 18, the Dream have not been able to win consecutive games – going 4-8 over their past 12 outings. Accomplishing that feat this week will require a win over 28-4 Las Vegas, a team that Dream have yet to beat this season in three tries.

7. Minnesota Lynx (15-17)

• Previous Ranking: 5
• Last Week: W at Storm 78-70; L vs. Storm 88-74
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Wings, Thursday at Wings, Saturday vs. Liberty
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 99.3 (8); DefRtg: 105.5 (11); NetRtg: -6.3 (11); eFG%: 48.0 (9); Pace/40 Min: 79.67 (10)

The Lynx split a home-and-home series with the Storm, with the road team winning both games. The Lynx have struggled offensively since the calendar flipped to August, averaging just 74.7 points per game as they have gone 2-4 in six games. Minnesota has another home-and-home on the schedule this week, this time with Dallas, a team that handed the Lynx their worst loss in franchise history the last time they met on July 12.

8. Washington Mystics (15-17)

• Previous Ranking: 6
• Last Week: W at Fever 83-79, L vs. Wings 97-84
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Sun, Saturday vs. Aces
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 99.7 (6); DefRtg: 101.2 (6); NetRtg: -1.6 (5); eFG%: 48.3 (8); Pace/40 Min: 80.95 (4)

This past week saw Ariel Atkins, Shakira Austin, and Elena Delle Donne return to the court after extended absences due to injury, while Kristi Toliver remains sidelined. Washington is playing it cautious with their returns, with each playing about 15 minutes per game, and Austin and EDD sitting Sunday’s loss to Dallas. The Mystics find themselves in the middle of a crowded group battling for playoff position. Washington has eight games remaining on the schedule to reintegrate their starters back into the lineup (and hopefully at full minutes) as they prepare for the postseason.

9. Seattle Storm (10-22)

• Previous Ranking: 10
• Last Week: L vs. Lynx 78-70, W at Lynx 88-74
• This Week: Tuesday at Sky, Thursday at Fever, Sunday vs. Sky
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.6 (12); DefRtg: 102.4 (8); NetRtg: -5.7 (10); eFG%: 47.0 (12); Pace/40 Min: 80.73 (6)

The Storm split a home-and-home series with the Lynx this past week, to improve to 6-3 over their past nine games following their 10-game losing streak that spanned a month from late June to late July. The odds of Seattle making a postseason run are small, but if they hope to pull off the improbable, then they have to take advantage of this week’s schedule with two games against a struggling Sky team and one against a Fever team below them in the standings.

10. Chicago Sky (12-20)

• Previous Ranking: 9
• Last Week: L at Dream 78-67, L vs. Sun 79-73
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Storm, Thursday vs. Aces, Sunday at Storm
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 99.6 (7); DefRtg: 104.3 (9); NetRtg: -4.7 (8); eFG%: 49.2 (5); Pace/40 Min: 79.77 (9)

After scoring 104 points in each of their games during a three-game win streak from July 30 to Aug. 6, the Sky have yet to reach 80 points in the five games that followed – all of which were losses. Chicago holds the longest active losing streak in the league and has fallen two games behind Los Angeles for the final playoff spot. Throughout the season, the Sky have swayed back and forth between win streaks and losing streaks; can they do it again and bounce back from this five-game skid in time to keep their playoff hopes alive?

11. Indiana Fever (9-24)

• Previous Ranking: 12
• Last Week: L vs. Mystics 83-79, W at Mercury 83-73
• This Week: Thursday vs. Storm, Sunday vs. Dream
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 101.2 (5); DefRtg: 106.3 (12); NetRtg: -5.1 (9); eFG%: 49.0 (6); Pace/40 Min: 79.05 (11)

After going just 1-9 in July (part of a 1-12 stretch of play that began on June 24), the Fever have gone 3-5 through eight games in August, including a win over Phoenix on Sunday that saw Kelsey Mitchell score a season-high 28 points and surpass 3,000 career points. Indiana is one win away from reaching double-digit victories for only the second time in the past seven seasons.

12. Phoenix Mercury (9-23)

• Previous Ranking: 11
• Last Week: L vs. Liberty 85-63, L vs. Fever 83-73
• This Week: Wednesday at Sparks, Sunday vs. Wings
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.7 (10); DefRtg: 105.3 (10); NetRtg: -7.6 (12); eFG%: 49.8 (3); Pace/40 Min: 78.83 (12)

The Mercury have dropped three straight games due in large part to some ice-cold shooting from 3-point range. Over the past three games, the Mercury has shot just 12-of-68 (17.6%) from long range. Meanwhile, Brittney Griner has missed the past two games while in health and safety protocols, so her availability for this week’s games against the Sparks and Wings remains unknown.

Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.