2023 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 3

Brian Martin

Can the announcers jinx travel between leagues? During Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the broadcast team of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson promoted the upcoming WNBA schedule on ESPN, during which Van Gundy floated out the idea that the Aces may run the table and not suffer a loss this season.

And, just like when a player goes to the free throw line and the play-by-play announcers mention how they haven’t missed a free throw in 30 straight attempts, and they immediately miss, the Aces would lose the very next game after Van Gundy’s comment.

That loss came to the Connecticut Sun, fueled by DeWanna Bonner’s career-high 41 points. And, of course, the Sun were ready with a response after the win.

Rankings and stats through games played on Sunday, June 11

  1. Las Vegas Aces (8-1) 
  • Previous Ranking: 1
  • Last Week: (2-1) W at Sun, 90-84; L at Sun, 94-77; W vs. Sky, 93-80
  • This Week: Thursday vs. Storm, Sunday vs. Lynx
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 109.5 (1); DefRtg: 94.4 (2); NetRtg: 15.0 (1); eFG%: 55.3 (1); Pace/40 Min: 83.61 (3)

As mentioned above, the Aces suffered their first loss of the season, ending Van Gundy’s prediction of a perfect season. However, Las Vegas remains atop the power rankings as they split a two-game series with the Sun in Connecticut and bounced back from the loss with a 13-point win over the Sky.

  1. Connecticut Sun (8-2)
  • Previous Ranking: 2
  • Last Week: (2-1) L vs. Aces, 90-84; W vs. Aces, 94-77; W at Dream, 89-77
  • This Week: Thursday vs. Dream, Sunday at Sparks
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 101.4 (4); DefRtg: 97.0 (3); NetRtg: 4.4 (3); eFG%: 47.4 (7); Pace/40 Min: 80.50 (11)

The two-game set between the Sun and Aces this past week gave us a look at the top two teams through the first quarter of the 2023 season. In 10 games played so far this season, the Sun have had six different players lead them in scoring for a game already: Bonner (three times), Tiffany Hayes (twice), and once apiece from Alyssa Thomas, Natisha Hiedeman, Brionna Jones and Rebecca Allen.

  1. New York Liberty (6-2)
  • Previous Ranking: 3
  • Last Week: (2-0) W at Dream, 106-83; W vs. Wings, 102-93
  • This Week: Tuesday vs. Dream, Sunday vs. Mercury
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 106.7 (2); DefRtg: 97.8 (4); NetRtg: 8.8 (2); eFG%: 53.8 (2); Pace/40 Min: 80.81 (8)

Sabrina Ionescu’s offense has been a bit up and down as the new-look Liberty continue to build together early in the season. After consecutive games with five and four points scored, Ionescu erupted for a career-high 37 points in New York’s win over the Dream on Friday as she knocked down a franchise record eight 3-pointers.

 

  1. Washington Mystics (5-3)
  • Previous Ranking: 5
  • Last Week: (2-0) W at Storm, 73-66; W at Storm, 71-65
  • This Week: Tuesday at Fever, Friday vs. Mercury, Sunday vs. Sky
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 93.3 (11); DefRtg: 90.3 (1); NetRtg: 3.1 (4); eFG%: 44.2 (11); Pace/40 Min: 80.94 (6)

Elena Delle Donne missed her first game of the season on Sunday due to neck tightness, but the Mystics were still able to pick up their second win of the weekend against the Storm in Seattle. After opening the season 1-2, the Mystics have won four of their last five games and look to keep that run going Tuesday in Indiana. The question is, will Delle Donne be available to play?

  1. Dallas Wings (5-4)
  • Previous Ranking: 7
  • Last Week: (2-1) W vs. Mercury, 84-79; W vs. Mercury, 90-77; L at Liberty, 102-93
  • This Week: Wednesday vs. Sparks, Saturday vs. Storm
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 102.1 (3); DefRtg: 99.9 (7); NetRtg: 2.2 (5); eFG%: 45.0 (10); Pace/40 Min: 84.83 (1)

The Wings swept a two-game set with the Mercury at home before visiting the Liberty in a matchup between the only two players in the league averaging a 20-10 (New York’s Breanna Stewart and Dallas’ Satou Sabally) and the first WNBA meeting between the Sabally sisters. New York rookie Nyara had four rebounds in eight minutes off the bench, while Satou finished with 17 points and 11 boards in the Dallas loss.

  1. Los Angeles Sparks (4-4)
  • Previous Ranking: 6
  • Last Week: (1-2) L at Storm, 66-63; W vs. Sky, 77-62; L at Lynx, 91-86
  • This Week: Wednesday at Wings, Friday vs. Lynx, Sunday vs. Sun
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 99.8 (5); DefRtg: 99.2 (6); NetRtg: 0.6 (6); eFG%: 47.5 (6); Pace/40 Min: 81.35 (5)

The Sparks sandwiched losses to the bottom two teams in the power rankings (spoiler alert) in Seattle and Minnesota with a home win over Chicago as L.A. continues to try to find consistency early in the season. The most consistent player for the Sparks has been former MVP Nneka Ogwumike, who has scored at least 16 points in every game this season. The Sparks have faced the easiest schedule so far this season based on opponent win percentage (44.6%).

  1. Chicago Sky (5-5)
  • Previous Ranking: 4
  • Last Week: (1-2) W vs. Fever, 108-103; L at Sparks, 77-62; L at Aces, 93-80
  • This Week: Thursday vs. Fever, Sunday at Mystics
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.4 (10); DefRtg: 99.1 (5); NetRtg: -2.8 (7); eFG%: 47.7 (5); Pace/40 Min: 80.89 (7)

The Sky opened the week with an overtime win over the Fever in a game they trailed by double digits in the second half to improve to 5-3 on the season. Chicago followed up that win with consecutive road losses in Los Angeles and Las Vegas to close the week at .500. Marina Mabrey had a great week for Chicago, averaging 18.7 points on 47.4% FG, 41.7%  3P and 93.8% FT shooting splits.

  1. Atlanta Dream (2-5)
  • Previous Ranking: 8
  • Last Week: (0-2) L vs. Liberty, 106-83; L vs. Sun, 89-77
  • This Week: Tuesday at Liberty, Thursday at Sun, Sunday at Fever
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 98.3 (8); DefRtg: 102.9 (9); NetRtg: -4.6 (8); eFG%: 46.9 (8); Pace/40 Min: 83.93 (2)

The Dream enter this week riding a three-game losing streak, with each of the losses coming to a top-three team in the power rankings (Las Vegas, New York, and Connecticut). The two most recent losses to the Liberty (-23) and Sun (-12) were not close, and they are the two teams the Dream open this week against as they look to snap this streak.

  1. Phoenix Mercury (2-5)
  • Previous Ranking: 9
  • Last Week: (1-2) L at Wings, 84-79; L at Wings, 90-77; W at Fever, 85-82
  • This Week: Tuesday vs. Storm, Friday at Mystics, Sunday at Liberty
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 98.4 (7); DefRtg: 104.9 (10); NetRtg: -6.4 (10); eFG%: 51.3 (3); Pace/40 Min: 80.70 (10)

After suffering consecutive losses in Dallas to open the week, the Mercury snapped a three-game losing streak with a three-point win over Indiana behind a season-high 29 points from Brittney Griner. Phoenix will look for its first back-to-back wins of the season when they open the week Tuesday against Seattle before heading East for stops in Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn.

  1. Indiana Fever (2-6)
  • Previous Ranking: 10
  • Last Week: (1-2) L at Sky, 108-103; W at Lynx, 71-69; L vs. Mercury, 85-82
  • This Week: Tuesday vs. Mystics, Thursday at Sky, Sunday vs. Dream
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 99.4 (6); DefRtg: 105.1 (12); NetRtg: -5.8 (9); eFG%: 48.2 (4); Pace/40 Min: 78.95 (12)

The Fever earned their second win of the season as they rallied past the Lynx in Minnesota behind Kelsey Mitchell’s 22 points and double-doubles from NaLyssa Smith and Aliyah Boston. In her first eight career games, Boston is shooting 64.7% from the field, just 0.1% behind Griner for the best mark in the WNBA. No team has played more close games than the Fever this season, with their last six games being decided by five points or less. Indiana is 2-4 in those games. Couple Indiana’s close games and their second-ranked strength of schedule (58.6 opponent win percentage), and there are signs of a breakout coming.

  1. Minnesota Lynx (2-7)
  • Previous Ranking: 11
  • Last Week: (1-1) L vs. Fever, 71-69; W vs. Sparks, 91-86
  • This Week: Friday at Sparks, Sunday at Aces
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.7 (9); DefRtg: 105.0 (11); NetRtg: -7.3 (11); eFG%: 46.8 (9); Pace/40 Min: 80.72 (9)

The Lynx honored Sylvia Fowles by retiring her No. 34 to the rafters on Sunday, and coupled the celebration with their second win of the season as Minnesota rallied past the Sparks to earn a 91-86 win. This week, the Lynx have a rematch with the Sparks in L.A. before heading to Las Vegas to take on the league-leading Aces. If you haven’t watched this feature on Fowles yet, take a few minutes and enjoy this retrospective of her career.

 

  1. Seattle Storm (1-6)
  • Previous Ranking: 12
  • Last Week: (1-2) W vs. Sparks, 66-63; L vs. Mystics, 73-66; L vs. Mystics, 71-65
  • This Week: Tuesday at Mercury, Thursday at Aces, Saturday at Wings
  • Team Stats: OffRtg: 90.2 (12); DefRtg: 102.3 (8); NetRtg: -12.1 (12); eFG%: 43.6 (12); Pace/40 Min: 81.64 (4)

The Storm opened the week by earning their first win of the season over the Sparks behind a 25-point night from league-scoring leader Jewell Loyd (26.0 ppg). On Sunday, the Storm honored Sue Bird by retiring her No. 10 but were unable to pull off a miracle rally against the Mystics as the Storm cut a 28-point deficit to three but could not close it out. Seattle’s schedule so far this season has had its advantages (six of their first seven games at home) and disadvantages (having the toughest strength of schedule with a combined opponent win percentage of 63.8%). Up next for the Storm is a three-game road trip, beginning Tuesday in Phoenix. But before that road trip begins, here’s one more jersey retirement video to enjoy.

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. 

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