WNBA: Are the New York Liberty or Connecticut Solar the league’s finest?

No, a Las Vegas Aces’ three-peat doesn’t look inevitable. No less than for now.

The primary month of the 2024 WNBA season has not been outlined by the domination of two titanic tremendous groups fated for a Finals rematch. As a substitute, a lot of squads stay viable contenders for the 2024 crown. With each group having performed between 12 and 15 video games, right here’s how Swish Attraction’s employees assesses the standing of the W’s 12 groups.

1. New York Liberty (12-2)

Picture by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

Jonquel Jones is BACK! And the New York Liberty is perhaps the very best group within the WNBA.

Whereas New York trails the Connecticut Solar in general document and web score, the house owners of the WNBA’s finest offense are driving an eight-game successful streak that features a victory over Connecticut, in addition to an authoritative win over the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday. In that contest, Jones dropped a career-high 34 factors, proving that after an uneven 2023 season—the product of adjusting to a brand new group and a gradual restoration from an offseason harm—she stays some of the proficient, impactful gamers within the W. And probably the linchpin for the long-awaited first title in franchise historical past?

2. Connecticut Solar (12-1)

Picture by Brian Fluharty/Getty Pictures

The Connecticut Solar have the very best document, finest protection and finest web score within the league, however they’re not the very best group? The disrespeCT by no means ends.

As Noa Dalzell has chronicled, though the Solar have been racking up wins, just a few too many had been happening to the wire, largely due to gradual begins. Effectively, since dropping their lone recreation to the Liberty, the Solar have cured these issues, exemplified by their most up-to-date rout of the Dallas Wings.

3. Minnesota Lynx (10-3)

Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Pictures

In latest seasons, it appeared the Minnesota magic that outlined the Lynx’s dynasty days had light, because the group suffered by way of some uninspiring stretches whereas attempting to ascertain a brand new identification. This season, every thing has clicked into place, with head coach Cheryl Reeve optimizing returning gamers and new additions round the two-way star energy of Napheesa Collier.

As Eric Nemchock has famous, the Lynx have been scorching sizzling from behind the arc, propelled by Kayla McBride making almost half of her greater than seven 3-point makes an attempt per recreation. Even when that long-range capturing possible regresses, Minnesota has the inspiration essential to proceed to win numerous video games.

4. Las Vegas Aces (6-6)

Picture by David Becker/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

There’s a cause just one group in WNBA historical past has three-peated, and, previous to this season, just one different group has had the chance to take action. The Las Vegas Aces are attempting to finish the feat in a 40-game season throughout an Olympic yr, with their start line guard lacking the primary 12 video games (and counting?).

And but, assuming Chelsea Grey finally returns, does any group wish to see the Aces within the playoffs? The emotion A’ja Wilson confirmed throughout her most up-to-date postgame press convention suggests she’s going to do every thing in her energy to take the back-to-back defending champs again to the mountain high.

5. Seattle Storm (9-5)

Picture by Steph Chambers/Getty Pictures

After a considerably unsteady begin to the season, the Seattle Storm have hit their stride and received eight of their final 10 video games. If solely they might discover a approach to beat Lynx.

Though Jewell Loyd and Skylar Diggins-Smith discovering their strokes has helped the Storm appear like the group they had been anticipated to be, Nneka Ogwumike is the fulcrum of Seattle’s success, as Eric has highlighted. Jordan Horston rising as a dependable off-the-bench choice additionally strengthens a Storm second unit that entered the season with questions. Albeit in a loss, the second-year wing had her finest recreation of the season on Sunday, with a high-activity 12 factors, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and two blocks.

6. Phoenix Mercury (7-7)

Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Pictures

4 video games with Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury have received three of them. Forthcoming video games in opposition to the Liberty and Lynx will extra definitively decide if the Griner-boosted Mercury could be thought of a reputable title contender.

For now, the BG-KFC mixture appears like one no opponent needs to see in a brief playoff sequence. On Sunday, Phoenix earned the wire-to-wire win over the Storm behind a mixed 58 factors from Griner and Kahleah Copper. It was Copper’s league-leading fifth recreation of at the least 30 factors. With Griner within the lineup, she’s been absurdly prolific and environment friendly, averaging nearly 28 factors per recreation on 48.1 p.c capturing. Griner is also rounding in the direction of high type, scoring at the least 25 factors in back-to-back video games for the primary time since 2021.

7. Atlanta Dream (6-6)

Picture by Adam Hagy/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

Inconsistency, once more abounds for the Atlanta Dream, the place a feel-good win over the Aces has been nullified by losses to the Washington Mystics and Indiana Fever.

The hoped-for return of Jordin Canada, who ought to present desperately-needed offensive group and point-of-attack defensive strain, leaves open the probably that the Dream might coalesce right into a group that’s not lower than the sum of its components. But, it’s unreasonable to see Canada as a panacea; Atlanta should play with an intentionality on each ends of the ground that, far too usually, has eluded them.

8. Los Angeles Sparks (4-10)

Picture by Juan Ocampo/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

As Edwin Garcia has documented, the 2024 season has been a blended bag up to now for the Los Angeles Sparks, with some encouraging wins balanced by blowout losses.

An indeniable vivid spot, nonetheless, has been Dearica Hamby, who’s placing collectively a profession yr in her tenth WNBA season. Rookies Cameron Brink, a gift and future defensive pressure, and Rickea Jackson, already an easy scorer, additionally appear like the inspiration of the following, nice Sparks group. However for now, uneven contributions from the bench cap LA’s upside.

9. Chicago Sky (4-9)

Picture by Melissa Tamez/ Icon Sportswire

In the midst of the free company interval, when Kahleah Copper surprisingly was traded to the Mercury, the Chicago Sky appeared appreciated probably the most misplaced group within the WNBA. Effectively, head coach Teresa Weatherspoon swiftly has imposed a brand new course—and it’s onward and upward. Despite the fact that the group has solely received a 3rd of their video games, Chicago performs with a spirit and function that conjures up optimism in regards to the group’s future.

The rejuvenation of Chennedy Carter and the short acclimations of high rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are the first causes for positivity. However as Zachary Draves has detailed, Weatherspoon is getting the very best out of all of her gamers.

10. Dallas Wings (3-9)

Picture by Juan Ocampo/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

The unlucky harm absences of Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard seemingly would allow head coach Latricia Trammell to experiment with totally different lineup combos, giving extra gamers the chance to indicate what they could be capable to contribute to a totally wholesome Dallas Wings group.

As a substitute, Trammell has ridden the highest six gamers in her rotation, even because the wins develop into extra elusive. And on offense, Dallas more and more has develop into the Arike Ogunbowale Present. When she has it going, it is perhaps some of the entertaining exhibits in sports activities. However, having Ogunbowale carry a high-usage and high-volume burden by way of a compressed schedule doesn’t appear sustainable. She presently has the bottom capturing percentages of her profession, each from 3 and general.

11. Indiana Fever (5-10)

Picture by G Fiume/Getty Pictures

The Indiana Fever now have extra wins (5) than non-national tv video games (4). But, regardless of successful three of their final 4 video games, progress stays a gradual course of for the Fever, as Łukasz Muniowski just lately wrote. That’s very true on the defensive finish, the place Indiana’s league-worst defensive score of 110.8 is greater than six factors worse than the second-worst mark.

After a dreadful defensive effort in a loss to the Solar, the Fever secured their win over their Dream with a number of key defensive stops down the stretch. Nevertheless, their victory over the Sky was a product of a powerful capturing efficiency, fairly than additional improved protection. Till Indiana demonstrates a constant consideration to element on that finish, it’s exhausting to see them advancing past the sting of the playoff image.

12. Washington Mystics (2-12)

Picture by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

Though they adopted up their first win of the season with a second-straight victory, the Washington Mystics nonetheless sit within the league cellar. That they don’t personal the league’s worst web score, nonetheless, suggests the group is best than their document. As Josh Felton has analyzed, the Mystics have been aggressive within the majority of their losses, with promising developments, particularly the play of Aaliyah Edwards, blended in with largely disappointing outcomes.

One other harm absence for Brittney Sykes, on high of Shakira Austin’s continued administration of a hip harm, signifies the Mystics are unlikely to generate far more successful momentum. In truth, it looks like common supervisor Mike Thibault is perhaps blissful to be Paiging the No. 1 choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft.