Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Atlanta Dream sit alone at the top of the WNBA standings three weeks into the season with just one narrow loss.
- Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard lead a cohesive Dream team that allows the second-fewest points per game in the league.
- Indiana Fever sit near the top thanks to offensive production from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, but face tougher tests ahead.
Three weeks into this WNBA season and each week is more exciting than the last. Things are competitive. There aren't necessarily any 'easy wins' across the league. Almost half the league is sitting at four wins; it's still early, but it doesn't seem like we'll be getting a runaway league leader this season.
We're still watching teams figure out what works for them and get into a more reliable rhythm. Although some teams need more work than others, whether it comes from players returning from injury or maybe some moves via trade, only time will tell.
Here's how each team is currently ranked and the key takeaways from the week.
WNBA Standings on May 27
Team | W-L | Games Back | AVG Point Differential |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Atlanta Dream | 4-1 | -- | +4.8 |
2. Indiana Fever | 4-2 | 0.5 | +6.7 |
3. Las Vegas Aces | 4-2 | 0.5 | +4.2 |
4. Minnesota Lynx | 4-2 | 0.5 | +6.4 |
5. Golden State Valkyries | 4-2 | 0.5 | +9.5 |
6. Dallas Wings | 4-3 | 1 | +3.6 |
7. Portland Fire | 4-3 | 1 | -3.0 |
8. Chicago Sky | 3-3 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
9. Los Angeles Sparks | 3-3 | 1.5 | -4.5 |
10. Toronto Tempo | 3-4 | 2 | -3.3 |
11. New York Liberty | 3-4 | 2 | +1.9 |
12. Seattle Storm | 3-4 | 2 | 0.0 |
13. Washington Mystics | 2-3 | 2 | -7.0 |
14. Phoenix Mercury | 2-5 | 3 | +0.3 |
15. Connecticut Sun | 1-7 | 4.5 | -14.7 |
Trouble in New York?
Last week, the New York Liberty was third in the WNBA standings — what happened? After a dominant 100-82 victory over the Portland Fire on May 14, the Liberty dropped their next three straight games. Arguably, New York should've been able to win these, or at least remain competitive in them, especially because they were all in front of their home crowd. They lost to the Golden State Valkyries and Dallas Wings by 17 and 15-point margins, respectively.
The returns of Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally were highly anticipated for this Liberty squad. Sabally scored only 5 points in her debut; this is understandable, as she will need time to mesh with her new team. She had 20 points against the Valkyries and looked much more like herself. Unfortunately, against the Fire, Sabally played only four minutes before heading back to the locker room and being unable to return due to illness.
Ionescu made her season debut against the Wings. She scored 11 points, shooting only 26.7 percent from the field. It shouldn't take Ionescu long to get back to her dominant self, which will take a lot of the pressure off Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. It's just important not to put too much of the load on her too quickly and risk a worse injury, so Ionescu sat out against the Fire and is listed as questionable for New York's upcoming matchup.
Stewart said it best herself. She told reporters, "It's a learning experience for everyone. My message to the players in the locker room is nobody expected this. I'm happy it's happening early and not late." Liberty fans shouldn't be too worried about this early fall from grace. When Sabally and Ionescu can fully return without minute restrictions, New York has a real chance of getting right back to their dominant selves.
Are Atlanta and Indiana real contenders?
The Dream claimed the sole top spot in the WNBA rankings this week. They should be feeling pretty confident at this point in the season. Their only loss so far has been a 1-point loss to the Aces. Besides that, this team seems to be the most cohesive squad across the league. Of course, things are running through Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, but Jordin Canada has made her mark every night, averaging 12.4 points per game. Angel Reese is finding her footing in Atlanta, as well. She seems more confident with each game. They're allowing the second-fewest amount of points per game. It's still early, but the Dream seemingly has everything they need to make a deep run this season.
The Fever are in a similar boat. Their only two losses this season have been in incredibly close games. Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are both averaging over 20.0 points per game, with Aliyah Boston keeping things together in the paint, averaging 16.0 points per game. They're a strong offensive unit, averaging the most points per game in the league. They had one of the easier starts to the season, difficulty-wise, but things are about to pick up. Their first win over the Valkyries should leave them feeling confident to face other contenders like Atlanta and New York soon. If Indiana can continue to keep things together and improve their defense, we could see them have a strong showing come playoff time.
More WNBA news and analysis:
Add us as a preferred source on Google