The pass to Dearica Hamby came through the double team. (0:29) Bill was back in Las Vegas over the weekend and talked about how he liked what he was seeing. His successor feels the same way. The Phoenix Mercury has looked good to everyone except them. Las Vegas is 6-1 and has three wins over the Mercury. Phoenix broke the hearts of the Aces last season with a 3-2 playoff semifinal series upset. He got a nice welcome back from the organization and explained to the media that he no longer had the energy to keep coaching. The baton was handed off by Laimbeer to Hammon once she was hired. They are running with it. While star forward/center A&ja Wilson has been her usual reliable self inside, Las Vegas guards have been stealing the show thus far. Wilson knows that the way the guards are playing is what the team needs to keep going. Young and Plum are the leading scorer for the Aces with 19.3 and 18.3 points per game, respectively. Gray won the 2016 WNBA title with the Los Angeles Sparks and leads the team in assists. Wilson, Gray, Plum, and Young were all gold medal-winning Olympians last year, the first two in 5-on-5 and the other two in 3x3. Young was drafted as a junior out of Notre Dame because she could be a multi-dimensional threat, and Hammon said she doesn't see a ceiling for the 6-foot guard, who is just 24. She does everything, and she knows what we are doing defensively. She is always prepared. I don't know how good she is. The five starting players are all averaging double figures in scoring. In addition, Hamby is shooting a team-best 60.9% from the field. Plum points to chemistry in Las Vegas and how it has not been disrupted by the coaching change. The Aces played well for both of them. It is a comfortability thing. Plum said that the environment set up for the team was set up byBecky. Week 1 and Week 2 were the previous rankings. 1. The Las Vegas Aces.
Record: 6-1
Previous ranking: 2
The defense is demanding, what we are asking them to do defensively. I believe in the defense that we can put out on the floor every night if their buy-in factor is high.
After two victories over Phoenix and one over Minnesota this past week, Gray said, "I think we are not even scratching the surface of where we can be." You are in trouble if someone gets in the middle of your defense. When we can cut out those possessions when we have lulls or are not on point, you will start to see another level.
At Chicago on Saturday and at Los Angeles on Monday.
At the buzzer, Jonquel Jones gets it.
2. Connecticut Sun.
Record: 4-1
Previous ranking: 3
The Sun have DeWanna Bonner back from overseas, but she didn't play in Sunday's victory at Indiana. She played in the Sun's other two games last week, wins at New York and at home against the Indiana Pacers. The Sun have won four in a row after falling in their opener at New York, but the injury bug has bitten them again. Jasmine Thomas left the game with a knee injury. After the game, Coach Miller said that Thomas would get an exam and that he was concerned about her.
He was pleased with the defense the Sun played, especially holding Mitchell to five points. Next up is another high- scoring guard, as the Sun face Dallas and Arike Ogunbowale in back-to-back games.
This week: against Dallas, Dallas, Dallas and Washington.
The third player in WNBA history with multiple triple-doubles with two is Chicago's CandaceParker.
3. Chicago Sky.
Record: 3-2
Previous ranking: 4
The Sky had a big day on Sunday, as the Sky's 2021 Finals Most Valuable Player, Kahleah Copper, made her season debut after tearing it up overseas as EuroLeague and Spanish League Most Valuable Player. At 36 years old, she is the oldest player in the league to achieve a triple-double. Emma Meesseman spent the first seven seasons of her career in Washington, where she scored 11 points. Despite their three-point loss at Seattle, the Sky were bumped up in the Power Rankings because of their victory in D.C.
Guard Rebekah Gardner, who turns 32 in July and is a WNBA rookies after a lengthy career overseas, continues to make an impact as well as having a touching story. She has scored in double figures in three of the four games she has played for the Sky.
In this week's games: vs. Indiana, and vs. Las Vegas.
4. The Washington Mystics are a team.
Record: 5-2
Previous ranking: 1
It is odd that both of the Mystics losses this season have been at home. Washington won at Dallas and Atlanta.
Veteran center Elizabeth Williams has joined the Mystics, which helps shore up their inside game, and freshman center Shakira Austin scored in double figures all three games this past week. Austin had 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting and eight rebound in the win over the Wings. Elena Delle Donne and Alysha Clark will play a lot, and there will be times when the team doesn't look as sharp. It is a good start for Washington.
This week: at Connecticut and Atlanta.
5. The Seattle Storm.
Record: 3-3
Previous ranking: 9
The Storm were happy to have Breanna Stewart back after she missed two losses because of a positive test for Covid-19. Seattle beat Chicago and Los Angeles by three points. She looked like her usual self with 28 points.
Ezi Magbegor, a young center for the Storm, tied a career high with 21 points against the Sky. Magbegor is getting a lot of court time with center Mercedes Russell not having played yet because of a non-basketball injury. She averaged less than 15 minutes as a first year player and less than 13 minutes as a second year player. It should serve the Storm well when Russell returns.
This weekend: vs. New York.
The Wings star shows off her shot on this step-back 3-pointer.
6. The Dallas Wings.
Record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 8
The Wings started the week with a loss to Washington but went on to win two games. The difference? Arike was held to a season-low six points by the Mystics, then took out her frustration on the Mercury (37 points, five assists) and the Lynx (20, seven). Marina was booed by the Mercury crowd after she had 13 points and 10 assists against Phoenix. She had a season-high 22 points against the Lynx.
The Wings are still waiting for their interior game to kick in, but guards Ogunbowale, Mabrey and Allisha Gray are leading the way. Satou Sabally scored 11 points in the win against Minnesota as she returned late from overseas. In her first season in Dallas after being obtained in a trade from Indiana, center Teaira McCowan has appeared in five games but has not played more than 10 minutes.
At Connecticut on Tuesday and at Connecticut on Thursday.
7. Atlanta dream.
Record: 4-2
Previous ranking: 6
So far, so good for Rhyne Howard and the Dream. They beat Indiana and gave Washington a run for its money before falling by five. Howard is shooting 46.7% from the 3-point range.
Tiffany is resting after returning from overseas. When she is back on the floor, that will be another weapon for the Dream, who have to be pleased with their start.
At Washington on Tuesday, and at Phoenix on Sunday.
There are 8. The Los Angeles Sparks.
Record: 2-4
Previous ranking: 7
The Los Angeles sports executive took over as president of the Sparks. She knows Southern California very well and is eager to expand the team's footprint there. The news was great for the franchise, but the team would like to see better results on the court.
Los Angeles lost to both Minnesota and Seattle, but each defeat was by three points. Liz will return to Las Vegas on Monday, where she played for two seasons before joining the Sparks. Los Angeles has four games this week and a chance to either right the ship or fall into a hole.
At Las Vegas on Monday, at Phoenix on Wednesday, at Indiana on Friday, and at Minnesota on Sunday.
Diana Taurasi flexed her muscles after scoring in the paint despite being called for a foul in the first quarter.
There are 9. The Phoenix Mercury.
Record: 2-4
Previous ranking: 5
The Mercury are out of a playoff spot because the teams below them also struggled, despite the fact that they lost to Las Vegas and Dallas. The guards had words on the bench during the loss. Diggins-Smith missed games on Thursday and Saturday due to an illness. Phoenix has faced league-leading Las Vegas three times in its first six games.
In her first year in Phoenix, center Tina Charles has been held to single-digit scoring twice already, something that happened just once all of last season.
This week: at Los Angeles and Atlanta.
10. The Minnesota Lynx.
Record: 1-6
Previous ranking: 12
The best news for Minnesota was the return of guard Kayla McBride. She scored 24 points in her first game for the Minnesota Lynx, who got their first win of the season. The losses at Las Vegas and Dallas were followed by some good news.
Natalie Achonwa has been cleared to return to play after missing five games because of ahamstring. The fact that the Lynx will play at home twice this week should be a positive. They will honor Augustus, who is an assistant coach in Los Angeles, when the Sparks come to town.
This week: against New York and Los Angeles.
There are 11 Indiana Fever.
Record: 2-6
Previous ranking: 10
Indiana fans got a nostalgic look back at the franchise's high point as the 2012 championship team was honored on Sunday, despite the fact that the Fever have lost four in a row. The players returned to celebrate their 10-year anniversary, but the current team lost 92-70 to Connecticut.
NaLyssa Smith has missed the past three games with an ankle injury, which has been a big loss for the team. Mitchell has scored just five points in two of her past three games, but she has crossed the 2,000-point mark in her fifth season.
At Chicago on Tuesday, and at Los Angeles on Friday.
There are 12. New York Liberty.
Record: 1-4
Previous ranking: 11
The promise the Liberty showed in beating Connecticut in their season opener has been followed by four consecutive losses. A road trip starts Tuesday for the Liberty, who have had a week between games.
Crystal Dangerfield was signed to a hardship deal by the Liberty. Her first game for them is expected to be against her former team, Minnesota, which she has already faced this season during a brief stay as a hardship player with Indiana. The Liberty have lost a player for about six weeks after she tore her quadriceps. She had an injury last season.
At Minnesota on Tuesday, at Seattle on Friday, and at Seattle on Sunday.
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