Should the Atlanta Dream be considered contenders for the WNBA championship?
This week's trio of marquee matchups could tell us a lot, starting with Tuesday's meeting between Atlanta and the red-hot Las Vegas Aces. The Dream are 9-3 since the All-Star break, with their two most recent losses coming by only two points. The Aces, meanwhile, are 10-3 since the break and have won seven in a row.
Despite their earlier ups and downs, the Aces are still considered a championship-contending franchise. They have made it to at least the semifinals the past six seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. The Dream, by contrast, have more to prove: They have reached the semifinals only once in the past 10 seasons (2018) after advancing to the WNBA Finals three times in their first six seasons as an expansion franchise that launched in 2008, getting swept in each of those series (2010, 2011 and 2013).
With Allisha Gray (18.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.8 APG) having a career-best season and Rhyne Howard (16.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.4 APG) returning on Aug. 10 after missing a month with a knee injury, the Dream look ready for their upcoming tests. After their trip to Las Vegas, they will host the first-place Minnesota Lynx then the defending champion New York Liberty. And after a third meeting with the Aces on Aug. 27, the Dream's schedule will lighten up: Their final six regular-season games are against teams currently under .500, including three meetings with the last-place Connecticut Sun, and seven of their last 10 are at home.
Atlanta, which remains No. 3 in the ESPN Power Rankings, could be well-positioned heading into the playoffs.
1. Minnesota Lynx (28-5)
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: @ NY (Aug. 19), @ ATL (Aug. 21), @IND (Aug. 22), vs. IND (Aug. 24)
The Lynx continue to fly at a different altitude than the rest of the league. Their fourth and final regular-season meeting with New York is Tuesday; Minnesota won the first three, including this past Saturday's 86-80 victory. The Lynx have remained steady with Napheesa Collier (ankle) out, but their four games over the next six days are as many as they had played over the previous 14.
The Lynx hold on to beat the Liberty 86-80 in a WNBA Finals rematch.
2. Las Vegas Aces (21-14)
Previous ranking: 5
Next seven days: vs. ATL (Aug. 19), vs. PHX (Aug. 21), @ WAS (Aug. 23), @ CHI (Aug. 25)
The Aces started August with a 53-point loss to Minnesota but have ridden a seven-game winning streak up to No. 2 in the Power Rankings following wins over New York, Phoenix and Dallas -- and could soon be second in league standings. A'ja Wilson has averaged 26.1 points and 13.3 rebounds over their win streak to find herself in the MVP race again.
3. Atlanta Dream (22-12)
Previous ranking: 3
Next seven days: @ LV (Aug. 19), vs. MIN (Aug. 21), vs. NY (Aug. 23)
The loss of starting point guard Jordin Canada (hamstring), who is projected out until at least Aug. 24, remains one of the Dream's concerns. But Rhyne Howard's return has helped mitigate that: She had 60 points and 14 assists this past week as they split games with Seattle and beat Golden State. And Maya Caldwell, who moved into a starting guard role when Howard was sidelined, has stayed there with Canada out.
4. New York Liberty (21-13)
Previous ranking: 2
Next seven days: vs. MIN (Aug. 19), vs. CHI (Aug. 21), @ ATL (Aug. 23), vs. CON (Aug. 25)
The Liberty lost their first three matchups against the Lynx by seven, 12 and six points. With Breanna Stewart (knee) still sidelined, can New York take one game of the regular-season series from Minnesota? Emma Meesseman has settled in since joining the Liberty on Aug. 3, finishing with 58 points and 22 rebounds between this past week's win over Los Angeles and losses to Las Vegas and Minnesota.
5. Phoenix Mercury (20-13)
Previous ranking: 4
Next seven days: @ GS (Aug. 19), @ LV (Aug. 21), vs. GS (Aug. 22)
The Mercury's late turnover cost them a chance to beat Las Vegas on Friday; instead, it was a 86-83 home loss that stung. They came back to hold off the Storm 85-82 in Seattle on Sunday, with MVP hopeful Alyssa Thomas getting her fifth triple-double of the season. But the Mercury are 5-5 over their past 10 games and could use a surge across the rest of August.
Alyssa Thomas with the hoop & harm
6. Golden State Valkyries (18-16)
Previous ranking: 8
Next seven days: vs. PHO (Aug. 19), @ PHO (Aug. 22), @ DAL (Aug. 24)
Veronica Burton is making a case for the league's Most Improved Player. She tallied 57 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists last week as Golden State beat Washington and Chicago before falling to Atlanta. The 25-year-old guard has flourished with the expansion Valkyries, who remain in playoff position.
7. Indiana Fever (19-16)
Previous ranking: 6
Next seven days: vs. MIN (Aug. 22), @ MIN (Aug. 24)
The twists and turns of Indiana's star-crossed season continue: guard Sophie Cunningham is out the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered during Sunday's game at Connecticut. The Fever trailed the Sun by 21 points and were reeling from the emotional blow of losing another teammate, but still staged the biggest comeback in franchise history -- led by Kelsey Mitchell's 38 points -- to close it out 99-93 in overtime. This came after Indiana had lost to the Wings and the Mystics at home earlier in the week.
This week, the Fever will face a mighty Minnesota team twice as they try to secure a playoff berth.
8. Washington Mystics (16-18)
Previous ranking: 10
Next seven days: vs. CON (Aug. 19), @ CON (Aug. 21), vs. LV (Aug. 23), vs. SEA (Aug. 24)
After trading leading scorer Brittney Sykes to Seattle earlier this month, you might have thought the Mystics were just ready to look ahead to next season. But they are the still in this playoff race, thanks largely to rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Last week, Washington fell to Golden State but beat Indiana and Los Angeles, with Citron totaling 60 points and Iriafen grabbing 32 rebounds in those games.
Sonia Citron hits a 3 from deep to end the 3rd quarter.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (16-18)
Previous ranking: 7
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Aug. 20)
It was a frustrating week for the Sparks and their playoff hopes, although those are still alive. In losing to New York and Washington and beating Dallas, they gave up 296 points. That kind of defense won't cut it if Los Angeles hopes to end its four-year postseason drought. The Sparks have a light schedule this week to work on things in practice and rest in between.
10. Seattle Storm (17-18)
Previous ranking: 9
Next seven days: @ CHI (Aug. 19), @ DAL (Aug. 22), @ WAS (Aug. 24)
How bad a month has this been for the Storm? Their two-point home victory over Atlanta on Friday is all that has kept them from being winless in August. Six of their seven defeats -- including Sunday's 85-82 home loss to Phoenix following the unveiling of Sue Bird's statue outside of Climate Pledge Arena -- have been by four or fewer points. They must start finishing the job or risk not making the postseason.
11. Dallas Wings (9-26)
Previous ranking: 11
Next seven days: @ LA (Aug. 20), vs. SEA (Aug. 22), vs. GS (Aug. 24)
The Wings are 1-6 in August, with their lone win coming in an 81-80 contest at Indiana on Aug. 12. They then fell 97-96 at home to Los Angeles and surrendered 18 3-pointers in a 106-87 loss at Las Vegas. Maddy Siegrist has been a bright spot since returning on Aug. 5 from a knee injury that sidelined her for 18 games, scoring 60 points between last week's three outings.
Maddy Siegrist sinks an and-1 to give the Wings a double-digit lead.
12. Connecticut Sun (6-27)
Previous ranking: 13
Next seven days: @ WAS (Aug. 19), vs. WAS (Aug. 21), @ CHI (Aug. 23), @ NY (Aug. 25)
After beating Chicago 71-62 on Wednesday, the Sun looked poised to win back-to-back games for the first time since the opening round of the 2024 playoffs. But they let a 21-point lead against Indiana get away in a 99-93 overtime loss that symbolizes the season for Connecticut.
13. Chicago Sky (8-25)
Previous ranking: 12
Next seven days: vs. SEA (Aug. 19), @ NY (Aug. 21), vs. CON (Aug. 23), vs. LV (Aug. 25)
Falling to Connecticut after losing to Golden State by 31 points over the past week sends Chicago to the Power Rankings' cellar. The Sky's only win since July 12 came Aug. 5 against Washington. And with nine of their remaining 11 games against teams currently in playoff position, this season is unlikely to get any better.