RANKS: Liberty sit atop final rankings into break

During a 17-2 run, the Liberty are scoring a WNBA second-best 86.6 ppg. while they’re allowing a third-lowest 74.2 ppg. New York is the only team to rank in the top three in both categories in that span, since May 29.

PHOTO: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty

By W.G. RAMIREZ

This week's WNBA Power Rankings come in Thursday, rather than Monday since there were only two days of action before the All-Star and Olympic breaks.

Leave it to Chennedy Carter to throw a wrench into things, as the Chicago Sky came into Las Vegas and handed the Aces their eighth loss of the season on Tuesday. And since New York, the league's first-place team, closed out things with a 4-0 run before the break, the Liberty sit atop the the rankings.

Since the Liberty opened the season 4-2, they've reeled of 17 wins in 19 games thanks to their efficiency at both ends of the court.

Since May 29, during its 17-2 run, the Liberty rank second in the league with 86.6 points per game, and third in allowing 74.2 ppg. During that span, the Liberty are the only team to rank in the top three.

What was most impressive about this team was the depth through 21 games, as New York’s bench scored 14 points against Connecticut on Tuesday, marking the team’s third consecutive game with double-digit bench points.

The two-time defending champion Aces drop to second as the Liberty take the top spot. And while most would believe the Aces and Liberty are on a collision course for a WNBA Finals rematch, if there's one thing we've learned this season, nothing is guaranteed and nobody is safe.

Now, let's get to the updated rankings as we head into the All-Star and Olympic breaks:

1. New York Liberty (21-4, previous 2) - After their 4-0 start, the Liberty are off to the team’s best start through 25 games in franchise history. They have the league's best record heading into the break, and make note four of the past six teams with the league’s best record at the All-Star Break went on to win the WNBA Championship that season.

2. Las Vegas Aces (16-8, previous 1) - The Sky outrebounded the Aces 35-26 on Tuesday, including 7-3 on the offensive boards. When the Aces are 10-3 when they've either tied or outrebounded teams this season, while they're just 6-5 when they've been outrebounded. The Sky also outscored the Aces 50-36 points in the paint. Las Vegas goes into the break ranked eighth in the league with 35.0 points in the paint per game.

3. Seattle Storm (17-8, previous 4) - The Storm lost at home to the Aces on July 10, took things personally and went on to win their final three games of the first half by an average margin of 15.0 points per win. Seattle opened the season 1-3 and wont 16 of 21, losing consecutive games just one time thereafter, at the end of a brutal travel stretch that it play five of six on the road, and seven of nine away from the Pacific Northwest. The Storm play nine of 15 on the road after the break.

4. Connecticut Sun (18-6, previous 3) - The Sun announced a trade at the break, bringing in six-year veteran guard Marina Mabrey from the Sky, in exchange for guards Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson. A number of future draft picks were also involved. Suddenly, the defensively sound Sun enhance their offense for their final 16 games, 10 of which will be against teams currently in the playoff field.

5. Minnesota Lynx (17-8, previous 5) - The Lynx surprised many with their 13-3 start to the season, and certainly made a statement with their Commissioner's Cup championship. But losing Napheesa Collier late in the first half didn't help. The Lynx head into the break having lost five of nine. A veteran-laden team, a healthy Lynx team will be dangerous after the month-long break.

6. Phoenix Mercury (13-12), previous 6) - With time off to assess things, first-year coach Nate Tibbetts has a chance to tweak a defense that allowed 84.6 ppg. over the team's first 17 contests, and 88.4 ppg. over its final eight. It's helped that the offense has gone from 82.6 to 86.6 ppg., but now the balance has to come into play down the stretch.

7. Indiana Fever (11-15, previous 7) - An amazing turnaround from their 3-10 start, to win eight of their last 13. They end on a losing note, dropping a 101-93 decision in Dallas, but the headline is Caitlin Clark dropping a WNBA-record 19 assists. The Fever allowed triple figures for the first time since a 104-68 loss in New York on June 2, which could have been attributed to a let-down scenario after winning in Minnesota. But this was a team that went from allowing 89.2 points per game over the first 13 games, to 83.4 over its next 12. Allowing 101 is hard to swallow.

8. Chicago Sky (10-14, previous 8) - The biggest win to close the first half of the season has to be from the Sky, as they're in eighth place, with both one win and one loss less than Indiana. The Sky need to figure out how to hold court in Chicago, as they're 4-8 at home this season, while sporting a 6-6 mark away from Skytown.

9. Dallas Wings (6-19, previous 9) - This will be the most interesting team to watch out of the break, as it's expected to be much healthier than its been all season. Most notably, Satou Sabaly is expected to be back in the lineup. Sabaly, who missed the entire first half of the season, ranked second with both 18.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for Dallas last season. This was a top-four team last year, that will could make a surge out of the break with none of its 15 games in Dallas.

10. Washington Mystics (6-19, previous 10) - The Mystics are another team that struggled with injuries throughout the season. The intriguing thing with this team is through its first 0-12 start, its scoring margin through three quarters in those games was minus-two and change. Then the Mystics won four of five, and is 6-7 since. A favorable schedule against the bottom half of the standings could make the Mystics a contender for the 8-seed, but they'll need some teams to falter.

11. Los Angeles Sparks (6-18, previous 12) - Once Cameron Brink went down, it was tough to see how this team would adjust for what she was bringing to the mix. The numbers (4.0 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 2.3 bpg.) weren't glaring, but her mere presence provided hope with the potential everyone saw. The bright spot was seeing Dearica Hamby looking like a dominant player again. The biggest question is whether or not this team tactfully bows out of the race and enters the Paige Bueckers race.

12. Atlanta Dream (7-17, previous 11) - Atlanta closes the first half losing four straight, and it's highly unlikely anyone had the Dream ranked last on their bingo card. But here we are, with Atlanta struggling. The Dream have battled injuries all season, and could certainly use the time off to heal.