2023-08-28 13:00:00
MA Voepel | ESPN Aug 28, 2023, 09:00 ETRead: 7 min.
The New York Liberty remains No. 1 in the ESPN WNBA Power Rankings, but the key matchup of the week will be once morest the Aces on Monday.
When Las Vegas Aces entered their August 6 game once morest the New York Libertythe defending WNBA champions were 24-2 with a commanding lead over second-place Liberty, then 21-6.
When they play their fourth game on Monday in Brooklyn (7 pm ET on ESPN Deportes), New York might make things tighter with just two weeks left in the regular season.
The Liberty, who won that game on August 6, 99-61, remain second in the standings, but are the #1 in ESPN’s WNBA Power Rankings for the second week in a row. At 27-7, he’s closing in on the Aces (30-5). But do they really have time to catch up? New York has six games left (two on the road), while Las Vegas has five to play (two on the road).
Chelsea Gray #12 of the Las Vegas Aces dribbles the ball during the 2023 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship once morest the New York Liberty on August 15, 2023 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.David Becker/NBAE via Getty pictures
The Commissioner’s Cup final does not count in the standings. Still, Las Vegas’ loss to New York in that game means the Aces have lost three of the last six times they’ve taken the court, Aug. 15-26. Las Vegas had lost just three games before that in a span of nearly three months.
Is there a problem with the Aces? Or is it more regarding their opponents?
Las Vegas continues to lead the WNBA in points per game (92.8). But as coach Becky Hammon always emphasizes, when the Aces’ defense isn’t up to scratch, it can have a big impact on their offense. They have been held to less than 80 points in each of their five losses, and in three of those games they scored below 60 points (which was also the case in the Commissioner’s Cup final).
Last week showed the Aces at their best offensively with 112 points, including a WNBA-record 53 by A’ja Wilson, once morest the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, but also at their worst with 62 points in a loss. once morest the Washington Mystics on Saturday.
Meanwhile, New York has clearly improved with Jonquel Jones coming back on his feet and the Liberty (who had more new pieces to add than Las Vegas this season) settling into better chemistry.
The Los Angeles Sparks and Mystics, the other teams that beat the Aces during this recent stretch, are playing with urgency as they try to secure playoff spots. The Mystics also finally had what seemed like a completely healthy team when they beat the visiting Aces.
By early August, most thought there was no chance the Aces would finish anywhere but first. It’s still likely to happen, especially considering their last three games are once morest the Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury (twice), teams that were knocked out of the playoffs on Sunday.
But the Aces, looking a little less invincible this month, have made things a little more intriguing.
1. New York Liberty
Record: 27-7
Ranking anterior: 1
This week: vs. Las Vegas (Monday, 7 pm ET on ESPN Deportes), vs. Connecticut (Friday), at Chicago (Sunday, 3 pm ET on ESPN3)
It took a comeback from a 20-point deficit, a late steal by Courtney Vandersloot and overtime for the Liberty to beat Connecticut 95-90 on Thursday. But a win is a win, and the Liberty followed up by dismantling Minnesota 111-76, New York’s highest point total all season. Breanna Stewart scored 38 points once morest the Lynx despite not playing in the fourth quarter, her sixth 30-plus point game this season.
2.Vegas Aces
Record: 30-5
Ranking anterior: 2
This week: at New York (Monday, 7 pm ET on ESPN Deportes), vs. Washington (Thursday), vs. Seattle (Saturday)
The Aces gave up 100 points to Atlanta and 87 to Chicago last week, but they won those games. Then, not much went right Saturday in the third of four straight road games for Las Vegas. True, the Aces were up once morest a high-energy Washington team. But his 30.8 shooting percentage was the worst of the season, and 14 assists tied his season low.
3. Connecticut Sun
Record: 24-11
Ranking anterior: 4
This week: vs. Phoenix (Thursday), in New York (Friday)
It was a near-perfect week for the Sun, who picked up wins once morest Washington and Los Angeles but let slip what looked like a win once morest New York. Still, it’s a good sign that they were in position to beat the Liberty. Alyssa Thomas has 25 double-doubles in 2023, the most of any player in a WNBA season.
4. Dallas Wings
Record: 19-16
Ranking anterior: 3
This week: in Indiana (Friday), vs. Indiana (Sunday)
The Wings went 1-2 following two losses to the Lynx and a win in Phoenix, but dropped just one spot in the Power Rankings. Dallas lost Satou Sabally, who suffered an ankle injury late in Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota, and did not play Thursday or Sunday. We’ll see if he returns this week; the Wings currently lead by two games over the Lynx for fourth place.
5. Los Angeles Sparks
Record: 15-19
Ranking anterior: 6
This week: vs. Chicago (martes), vs. Seattle (jueves) vs. Washington (domingo)
The Sparks went 1-2 and extended their winning streak to six in a row before losing at Connecticut on Sunday. Tuesday’s matchup once morest Chicago is important as the Sky also continue to fight for a playoff spot. The Sparks want to make the most of three home games this week, as they will then finish with three away games.
6. Minnesota Lynx
Record: 17-18
Ranking anterior: 7
This week: at Washington (Tuesday), vs. Atlanta (Friday), vs. Phoenix (Sunday)
Since beginning the season at 0-6, the Lynx have reached .500 three times: going 9-9, 13-13 and 17-17. But the Liberty’s blowout victory on Saturday prevented the Lynx from reaching a winning record for the first time in 2023. Minnesota has just two of its five games remaining at Target Center, but that’s not a bad thing considering the Lynx have a better record outside of home (10-7) than at home (7-11).
7. Washington Mystics
Record: 16-18
Ranking anterior: 8
This week: vs. Minnesota (Tuesday), at Las Vegas (Thursday), at Los Angeles (Sunday)
The Mystics lost to Connecticut on Tuesday. But then, for the second time since late June, they had starters Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins and Shakira Austin healthy enough to play Saturday once morest the Aces, and that made a world of difference. Delle Donne’s total of 21 points in the win marked the first time she had led Washington in scoring since June 30. The Mystics need good vibes to continue four of their last six tours, including visits to Las Vegas and New York.
8. Atlanta Dream
Record: 16-19
Ranking anterior: 5
This week: vs. Phoenix (Tuesday), in Minnesota (Friday)
It’s been a tough month (2-8) for the Dream, who went 0-3 last week. That included Sunday’s loss at Indiana, when Atlanta led by eight points with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game. The Dream have Rhyne Howard back (nose/face injury), but they need to regroup and finish strong.
9. Chicago Sky
Record: 14-21
Ranking anterior: 11
This week: in Los Angeles (Tuesday), vs. New York (Sunday, 3 pm ET on ESPN3)
The Sky went 2-1 last week following a five-game losing streak, beating Seattle twice and losing to Las Vegas. He’s still in the playoff race, but he doesn’t have much room for error the rest of the way. Chicago is 2-1 once morest the Sparks, and Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles feels like a must-win for the Sky.
10. Indiana Fever
Record: 11-24
Ranking anterior: 10
This week: vs. Dallas (Friday), in Dallas (Sunday)
The Fever have won three straight for the first time since July 2021. They went 2-0 last week, beating Seattle and then rallied in the fourth quarter once morest Atlanta. Guard Kristy Wallace hit six 3-pointers for Indiana once morest the Dream, three of them in the final minute and 10 seconds. The victory helped Indiana avoid playoff elimination for the seventh consecutive year. Aliyah Boston suffered a thumb injury Sunday and postseason elimination is almost certain to come. But at least this was an upbeat week for Indiana.
11. Seattle Storm
Record: 10-25
Ranking anterior: 9
This week: in Los Angeles (Thursday), in Las Vegas (Saturday)
Last week ended the Storm’s slim playoff hopes, as the team lost twice to Chicago and once to Indiana. Jewell Loyd still had 77 points in the three games, but she will miss the postseason for the first time since her rookie year in 2015.
12. Phoenix Mercury
Record: 9-25
Ranking anterior: 12
This week: in Atlanta (Tuesday), in Connecticut (Thursday), in Minnesota (Sunday)
The league’s longest active playoff streak ended when Phoenix was eliminated in Sunday’s loss to Dallas following falling to Los Angeles earlier in the week. The last time the Mercury failed to make the postseason was in 2012; the following year they selected Brittney Griner as No. 1. Griner returned to action Sunday following missing three games due to health and safety protocols. The Mercury have a lot to figure out for 2024, including whether to keep interim coach Nikki Blue.
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