WNBA Power Rankings

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jul 29, 2009

WNBA Power Rankings

Indiana Fever

Just when you thought Katie Douglas (pictured) couldn't raise her game any higher, she turns in a performance like the one she did in the Fever's 85-81 victory over the Mystics on Tuesday. The 30-year-old guard scored a career-high 34 points -- 24 of which came in the second half, and 15 on 16 free-throw attempts. She was on pace to tie the league record for consecutive fouls shots in a game, but missed her 13th straight attempt with 26.3 left to finish two short of that milestone. Next three: 7/30 vs. Connecticut; 8/2 at Washington; 8/5 vs. Chicago

Phoenix Mercury

Speaking of combo guards playing at stratospheric level, Diana Taurasi (pictured) has taken her game to vertiginous heights since returning to action following a two-game suspension for a DUI. After notching 18 points, four rebounds and four assists to help the West to a 130-118 victory in last Saturday's All-Star game, she scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Phoenix to a 94-88 road win over New York. Said the Liberty's Shameka Christon, who shadowed Taurasi for most of the game, "She was really determined to take over." Next three: 7/30 at Atlanta; 8/1 at Minnesota; 8/4 at Seattle

Seattle Storm

After a strong finish to the first half of the season that included wins at Sacramento (69-56), Minnesota (72-69) and Los Angeles (98-87), the Storm stumbled late in San Antonio on Tuesday. Seattle was on the verge of stealing its fifth road win of the season until the Silver Star's Sophia Young hit a 21-foot buzzer-beater that dealt the Storm a 74-71 loss. The news from Seattle isn't all bad though -- star Swin Cash (pictured) was named the MVP at the WNBA All-Star game and the Storm gets another shot at the Silver Stars on Saturday at Key Arena. Next three: 8/1 vs. San Antonio; 8/4 vs. Phoenix; 8/6 at Los Angeles.

Connecticut Sun

A rash of injuries have kept the Sun's roster in perpetual flux this season, but the one constant has been Asjha Jones (pictured). The veteran forward won her fourth career Player of the Week award after recording 28 points and 10 rebounds in the Sun's 83-75 win over Sacramento last Wednesday. The victory stretched the Sun's winning streak to four games, which was the league's best active streak until Connecticut's 95-80 loss to Phoenix on Tuesday. Next three: 7/30 at Indiana; 8/1 at Chicago; 8/2 at Detroit

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx appeared headed for trouble after suffering losses to Atlanta (91-77) and at Seattle (72-62) last week. They quickly rebounded against a short-handed Phoenix (99-86) last Wednesday, but suffered another setback in a 76-70 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday. In that game, Candice Wiggins (pictured) returned to the bench three minutes into the third quarter because of fluid buildup in her right knee, sidelining her for the entire fourth quarter. Luckily for the Lynx, she will be available on Friday. Next three: 7/31 at Detroit; 8/1 vs. Phoenix; 8/7 vs. Connecticut

San Antonio Silver Stars

Any chance we can get a recount on that Western conference Player of the Week vote? Nothing against Seattle's Sue Bird, but where's the love for Sophia Young? After posting 24 points in 25 minutes in a victory over Indiana last Thursday, she hit a 21-foot buzzer-beater off of a Becky Hammon feed to lift the Silver Stars to a 74-71 victory over Bird's Storm on Tuesday. "I didn't make hardly any of my shots the whole game," said Young, who had gone 2-for-6 before hitting that game-winner. "They helped on Becky [on the final play]. I was just spotting up, trying to get ready to shoot." Next three: 7/30 at Sacramento; 8/1 at Seattle; 8/4 at Los Angeles

Washington Mystics

As a highly touted rookie last year, Crystal Langhorne (pictured) struggled to find her way on a Mystics team beset by instability in the coaching and front-office ranks. But since the team hired a new general manager (Angela Taylor) and head coach (Julie Plank), a resurgent Langhorne has been leading the most improved player conversation. Her averages of 12.1 points and 7.6 rebounds are marked improvements over the numbers she put up in '08. Next three: 7/30 at New York; 8/2 vs. Indiana; 8/7 vs. Detroit

Atlanta Dream

Since the Dream brought back fan favorite Ivory Latta (pictured) in early July, it's taken a few games for the pint-sized point guard to find her rhythm. When she finally did against Detroit last Wednesday, she was the picture of perfection, scoring a team-leading 22 points off the bench to help lift the Dream past Detroit 98-95 in overtime. She went 5-for-5 from the field, made two three-pointers and all 10 of her foul shot attempts. Next three: 7/30 vs. Phoenix; 8/1 vs. New York; 8/6 at San Antonio

Los Angeles Sparks

Tina Thompson's (pictured) recent upswing came as the Sparks inched closer to getting center Lisa Leslie and others back from injury and forward Candace Parker back in rhythm. That's enough to make a lot of their rivals in the West nervous. After scoring a season-high 22 points at Seattle last Wednesday (albeit in a losing effort), Thompson added 30 to lead the Sparks to a 76-70 victory over Minnesota. "People have to understand we've yet to see our full team in effect," coach Michael Cooper said. "So whatever is to be said and done is going to have to come through L.A." Next three: 7/29 at Chicago; 8/1 at Sacramento; 8/4 vs. San Antonio

Chicago Sky

Consecutive defeats to New York (77-70) and at Washington (75-64) stretched the Sky's losing streak to seven in the last eight games. Both opponents did an excellent job shutting down Sky All-Stars Candace Dupree and Jia Perkins, holding them well below their season scoring averages. Clearly someone else has to step up on offense if Chicago is to get back to its winning ways. Suggestion: figure out a way to get '07 Rookie of the Year Armintie Price (pictured) involved again. She hasn't taken more than nine shots in a game all season. Next three: 7/29 vs. Los Angeles; 8/1 vs. Connecticut; 8/5 at Indiana

New York Liberty

Shameka Christon (pictured) was named the league's Player of the Week last week. The All-Star forward followed that up with a solid offensive game on Sunday against Phoenix (she had 21 points, five rebounds and four blocks), but couldn't keep the Liberty from its second straight loss. But Christon isn't abandoning faith in her team just yet. "We have talent," she said. "It's just, right now, believing it and going out there and playing hard for 40 minutes, and I still don't think that has [happened] yet." Next three: 7/30 vs. Washington; 8/1 at Atlanta; 8/4 at Detroit

Detroit Shock

After suffering a tough overtime loss to Atlanta last Wednesday, the defending league champs got a chance to feel like winners on Monday, when they traveled to the White House to be honored for besting the field last year. President Barack Obama found it delightful that his young daughters, Sasha and Malia, could "see me watching SportsCenter and they see young women who look like them on the screen." Next three: 7/31 vs. Minnesota; 8/2 vs. Connecticut; 8/4 vs. New York

Sacramento Monarchs

No Monarch had a better week than Nicole Powell (pictured). She scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Sacramento to a 88-73 victory over New York last Thursday, snapping a six-game losing streak and giving GM and interim coach John Whisenant his first win since he fired Jenny Boucek. Powell then scored 21 to help lead the West to a 130-118 win over the East in last Saturday's All-Star game. Unfortunately, she and Sacramento came back down to earth the next day at Washington. She committed four turnovers and only mustered 11 points in an 87-83 loss. Next three: 7/30 vs. San Antonio; 8/1 vs. Los Angeles; 8/7 vs. New York