WNBA Power Rankings Week 6: Liberty Dominate, Fever Fall

The top storylines in Week 6 of the 2024 WNBA season are Angel Reese continuing to put up big numbers, the Indiana Fever sliding again while the New York Liberty keep on rolling.

Reese’s Chicago Sky squad avenged two early-season losses to Caitlin Clark and the Fever by picking up an 88-87 win last weekend. Reese delivered 25 points and 16 rebounds, which preceded another double-double in a loss to the Las Vegas Aces. The former LSU standout has tied Candace Parker with a record nine consecutive double-doubles in a single season.

At the top of the league standings, New York has won three games in a row (not including a loss in the Commissioner’s Cup final). Not far behind are the Connecticut Sun and Minnesota Lynx.

Here is a look at the latest WNBA power rankings.  

1. New York Liberty (15-3, 1st Eastern Conference) 

The Liberty’s winning streak features three victories by double-digits, including a 96-75 rout of the Atlanta Dream this past Sunday. Sabrina Ionescu has been in especially fine form, with at least 19 points in seven of the last eight contests and at least 23 in four straight.

2. Minnesota Lynx (13-4, 1st Western Conference) 

Minnesota got upset by the Dallas Wings on Thursday, but winning the Commissioner’s Cup just two days earlier is a valid excuse. The Wings had previously won six games in a row and nine of 10. A huge rematch at New York is coming up on Tuesday night.

3. Connecticut Sun (14-4, 2nd Eastern Conference) 

Tears of the Sun.... From out of nowhere, they are coming in droves. Connecticut was 13-1 through 14 games but has suddenly lost three of four following Friday’s 78-74 upset at the hands of the visiting Atlanta Dream. Now it has to go on the road for two straight, including a big one at Minnesota on Thursday.  

4. Las Vegas Aces (9-6, 3rd Western Conference) 

Don’t write off the two-time defending WNBA champions just yet. Since losing four of five, Las Vegas has won three straight. It has not lost to anyone other than New York since June 11. A’ja Wilson is playing like she wants to win a third MVP Award, leading the league in both scoring (28.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.3 rpg).

5. Seattle Storm (11-6, 2nd Western Conference)

Seattle holds a one-game lead over Las Vegas in the standings, but it isn’t playing great basketball at the moment and a head-to-head loss against the Aces on June 19 remains notable. The Storm recently victimized Indiana and have won two straight, but they are also a modest 2-2 in their last four overall. 

6. Phoenix Mercury (9-8, 4th Western Conference) 

The Mercury continue to rise. They were 4-6 through 10 games but have won five of their last seven, including victories over New York, Minnesota and Seattle. Their only losses during this stretch have come to the Lynx and Aces. Brittney Griner is averaging almost 20 points per game and delivered her first double-double of the season in Friday’s drubbing of Los Angeles.

7. Atlanta Dream (7-9, 3rd Eastern Conference) 

Don’t say the WNBA is predictable. In addition to Dallas’ upset of Minnesota, Atlanta went on the road and surprised Connecticut to tip off its weekend in style. To say the result was much needed for the Dream would be an understatement, and that had previously dropped three in a row and seven of nine. 

8. Chicago Sky (6-10, 4th Eastern Conference) 

The Sky were bidding for their first three-game winning streak of the season on Thursday but lost at home to Las Vegas 95-73. Nonetheless, Reese maintained her momentum with 18 points and 11 boards. Chicago now faces a tough schedule with Minnesota on Sunday and three of its next four on the road. 

9. Indiana Fever (7-12, 5th Eastern Conference) 

Indiana has been all over the place in the early stages of the Clark era. It started 1-8, won six of its next eight and has now lost two in a row. Clark has gone four straight games without reaching the 20-point mark, the longest such drought of her young career. The Fever will try to get back on track at Phoenix on Sunday.  

10. Washington Mystics (4-14, 6th Eastern Conference)

Break up the Mystics! After starting the season 0-12, they won four times in the span of five games. After that they pushed Connecticut to overtime before falling 94-91 on Thursday. The bad news is that Brittney Sykes (11.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.7 apg) is out through the Olympic break because of a foot injury. 

11. Los Angeles Sparks (4-14, 6th Western Conference) 

Things are not getting any better for the Sparks. Their losing streak has continued since star rookie Cameron Brink was lost for the season due to a torn ACL last week, now standing at seven games following Friday’s setback at Phoenix. They will have a good chance to end it, though, hosting Washington on Tuesday. 

12. Dallas Wings (4-13, 5th Western Conference) 

Dallas doesn’t quite have the worst record in the association, but when you lose two straight against Washington – including one by 28 points – then you find yourself in the cellar of the power rankings. Not even a surprising win over Minnesota can do anything to change such a distinction.