WNBA Power Rankings: Valkyries shouldn't panic about consecutive losses

The two best teams in the league met this week, and the one that's been at the top of the power rankings was the one that came out on top. We can probably stop doubting the Minnesota Lynx, if we ever even doubted them at all. They're the title favorites, and it should be by a comfortable margin.

How do the rest of the WNBA power rankings shake out his week? Let's check in ahead of the final week of games before the league pauses for the FIBA World Cup.

WNBA Power Rankings, Week 16

Golden State's back-to-back losses probably don't matter

The Valkyries fall a few spots in the power rankings this week after losing to the Lynx and Sky, with the team averaging 68 points in those two games. It highlighted some of the major issues with this offense, but I don't necessarily think we need to worry that this team is suddenly no longer a contender.

Yes, losing to the Sky was particularly alarming, but it was also a very weird game. The starters struggled immensely and the team ended up playing all of them under 20 minutes after a poor start, with backups getting much of the run in the second half. This almost feels like a game that Golden State needed to lose, a wake up call to the offense to get its stuff together before the postseason.

This is still the league's best defensive team, and that matters more heading into the playoffs than anything else. Despite being second in the standings, the team has been and likely still is about the fourth or fifth most likely title contender. These last couple of games don't change that.

Dallas shores up the No. 8 seed

There was a chance — a slight one, but still a chance — that the Dallas Wings would struggle enough down the stretch to let Portland into the playoff hunt, but with two straight wins for Dallas and two straight losses for the Fire, things are all but wrapped up, and a head-to-head meeting on Tuesday could officially clinch a playoff spot for the Wings.

There was reason to be concerned that losing Azzi Fudd would hurt the team's efforts, as not having her shooting in the lineup presented a major potential issue, and for a bit, that seemed to be the case. However, the team's 91-85 win over Indiana showed how it can win without Fudd: by getting a huge game out of Arike Ogunbowale while playing Awak Kuier more.

Kuier — whose minutes have been all over the place this season — played 36 minutes in that one, blocking seven shots as she gave Dallas the rim-protecting presence that the team has sorely needed this season. Meanwhile, Ogunbowale finished with 32 points, showcasing how she's still capable of taking over a game.

The Mercury have to make a change this offseason

I've already written a bit about this, but the team buying out DeWanna Bonner on Monday brings this discussion back to the forefront: the Kelsey Plum trade was a bad decision, and the Mercury need to do something this offseason to reset things.

There are two ways the Mercury can go about things. First is trying to re-sign Plum. You gave up a lottery pick for her already, so you might as well try to see what a full season with her look likes. But if you go that route, it can't be all you do. The team needs to rebuild its bench, because there just isn't enough reliable, experienced WNBA talent on this roster.

The other option? Throw it all away. Trade Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas while you can. Fire head coach Nate Tibbetts. Suffer through a really bad 2027 season in hopes of landing a top pick in 2028. Don't trade that pick like you did your 2027 one. Sure, the Mercury have never really been a franchise that has tolerated being bad for extended periods, but it might be time to try that out.

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