WNBA Power Rankings

SI Staff | Jun 25, 2009

WNBA Power Rankings /

WNBA Power Rankings

Seattle Storm

The acquisition of free-agent point guard Shannon Johnson (pictured) was supposed to provide Sue Bird occasion to let loose her scoring potential. Instead, it's had the added benefit of enhancing Bird's powers of playmaking. She leads the league in assists with 7.4 per game. That's a near one assist improvement on the career-high 6.5 apg she set in her second season, in 2003. Next three: 6/26 vs. Los Angeles; 6/28 at Los Angeles; 7/1 at Phoenix

Washington Mystics

It may have taken five years, but Alana Beard (pictured) is finally playing to the potential that the Mystics saw in her when they made her the second pick in the 2004 draft out of Duke. With averages of 25.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.0 steals against the Dream and the Sky last week, Beard kept the Mystics atop the East standings and helped herself to conference Player of the Week honors. Next three: 6/25 vs. Phoenix; 6/27 at Chicago; 6/30 at San Antonio

Indiana Fever

So the Fever loses its best post player for the season in Yolanda Griffith and get ... better? That would appear to be the case -- nowhere more so than on the defensive end. In its first two games, all losses, they allowed 91.5 points per game. But in the next four games, all wins, they held opponents to just 62.8 ppg. Next three: 6/26 at New York; 6/27 vs. New York; 7/2 vs. Connecticut

Phoenix Mercury

Few teams have proven as offensively dominant as the Mercury, who, with a league-leading 91.4 points per game, are scoring nearly 10 points more per contest than the second most-prolific scoring team, Chicago (81.6 ppg). At the same time, few teams have proven as vulnerable on the road. A 91-87 loss at San Antonio marked Phoenix's second away loss, and third overall this season. With more away dates looming against Eastern Conference powers Washington and Minnesota, Phoenix could be in for more disappointment if it doesn't improve on the 80.7 ppg it's posting outside city limits. Next three: 6/25 at Washington; 6/27 at Minnesota; 1/21 vs. Seattle

Chicago Sky

It's unlikely you'll find a team playing better at both ends than the Sky. The squad boasts the league's second highest scoring average (81.6 ppg) and its stingiest opposing field-goal percentage (45.6 percent). What's more, it seems to have squelched its road woes (at least slightly) for the moment. Its last-second 99-98 victory in overtime at the Dream on Tuesday saved it from opening the season with four straight road losses. Next three: 6/27 vs. Washington; 6/30 vs. Sacramento; 7/3 at San Antonio

Connecticut Sun

After a 1-3 start to the season, the Sun strung together consecutive victories to level its won-loss record. Last Friday it set a franchise record for assists with 30 in a 91-61 victory over Chicago, and on Sunday it rode a late first-half run to a 71-58 win over San Antonio. Next three: 6/27 vs. Atlanta; 7/2 at Indiana; 7/5 at Detroit

Atlanta Dream

Chamique Holdsclaw (pictured) continues to get hers against the Mystics (she burned them for 13 points and 10 rebounds last Saturday), and rookie Angel McCoughtry finally got hers in the Chicago loss, scoring 26 points and notching eight assists off the bench. If the Dream continues to take care of business on defense -- particularly on the boards, where its plus-5.0 margin ranks second in the league -- that could be enough to put it in position to lock up the East's fourth playoff spot in just its second year of existence. Next three: 6/26 vs. Detroit; 6/27 at Connecticut; 6/30 vs. Minnesota

Minnesota Lynx

Yet another obstacle emerged in the Lynx's steeplechase of a season last Wednesday, when league MVP-favorite Seimone Augustus suffered a season-ending left ACL tear. (She was bumped while driving to the hoop and landed awkwardly.) Candice Wiggins (pictured), who dropped a season-high 25 points on the Liberty Tuesday night, will have to shoulder the offensive load, but she'll get help from Nicky Anosike, who had her own season-high 21 points in a 104-80 loss against Phoenix. Next three: 6/27 vs. Phoenix; 6/30 at Atlanta; 7/2 vs. Sacramento

San Antonio Silver Stars

As expected, the Silver Stars floundered in their two games without Becky Hammon (pictured). She took leave to fulfill her playing obligations with the Russian national team and S.A. suffered double-digit road blowout losses to New York and Connecticut. But just as predictably, she led them in her first game back, scoring 19 points against Phoenix -- including a clutch three-pointer with 1:55 to go -- to help the Silver Stars to their second win of the season. Next three: 6/26 vs. Sacramento; 6/30 vs. Washington; 7/3 vs. Chicago

L.A. Sparks

First, the bad news: Lisa Leslie will be out for the next six games with a severely sprained right knee, which she injured along with her right hip against Phoenix last Friday. The good news? Candace Parker (pictured) has set a more definite timetable for her return. "Mid-July is when I'm looking at," she said during halftime of the Sparks-Monarchs game. Hang in there, Sparks fans. Next three: 6/26 at Seattle; 6/28 vs. Seattle; 7/5 vs. Phoenix

Detroit Shock

It was a bittersweet week of milestones for the Shock. First, venerable guard Katie Smith (pictured) became the first player in WNBA history to record 5,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 900 assists and 300 steals. But then her Shock went on to blow a 17-point lead and lose Sunday's game against the Fever, 82-70. (The fulcrum moment came in the second half, when Indiana outscored Detroit 40-8.) The defeat saddled the Shock with its first consecutive losses to the Fever since the '04-05 season. Next three: 6/26 at New York; 6/27 vs. New York; 7/2 vs. Connecticut

New York Liberty

It seems like the Liberty's swoon is owed almost entirely to poor shooting. When the team shoots well, it's capable of posting victories like the 93-91 win against Atlanta last Sunday. (New York shot a blistering 57.4 percent from the field in that contest.) But when the Liberty shoots badly -- like it did on Tuesday at Minnesota, against whom it managed a meager 35.1 percent from the field -- the results (in this case, a 69-57 loss) are typical. Next three: 6/26 vs. Indiana; 6/27 at Indiana; 7/2 vs. Detroit

Sacramento Monarchs

The Monarchs can't seem to get a handle on their turnover problem, which was especially galling in their last two games. The 19 they committed last Tuesday against Minnesota led to 25 points for the Lynx -- enough to help them escape Arco Arena with an 86-83 victory. Five days later against Los Angeles, Sacramento turned the ball over 15 times in a 67-47 blowout. Next three: 6/26 at San Antonio; 6/28 at Detroit; 6/30 at Chicago

Published Jun 25, 2009

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