RANKS: Nobody is safe in 2024

The Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx battle during an WNBA game on May 29 in Minneapolis.

PHOTO: David Sherman/NBA Photos, via Las Vegas Aces

By W.G. RAMIREZ

Nobody is safe in the WNBA this year.

As we're starting to see, every team is susceptible to an upset loss, with parity growing weekly.

"Every night is gonna be a tough game," Connecticut Sun star Brionna Jones said. "Every night you show up on the court, the best of the best of every team going at each other. The WNBA, it's a tough league and every night it's gonna be a tough game and a tough matchup and you gotta come ready and the best team wins."

And this season, we're learning "the best team" isn't defined by wins and losses, but more so by how teams are playing.

For instance, the Sun took a trip to the West Coast with a 13-1 mark, and looked invincible, but came away with a goose egg in the win column after hard-fought losses in Las Vegas and Seattle.

"The league is too good, too deep," Sun coach Stephanie White said. "Players are too good. You've got multiple teams that have five players on the floor that you have to guard at all times that play really well together. Certainly, you've seen early in the season with injuries teams that haven't quite found their stride. Or, new players like (in) Seattle, just had to build their chemistry."

White said it will only get tougher for teams, particularly on the road, where they seemingly need to play flawless basketball with every venue providing a raucous atmosphere.

"It's a long season, so, I don't think at any point there's a given team that's gonna lead the way, that's gonna dominate in the fashion that we've seen in the past," White said.

Added Seattle coach Noelle Quinn, with a big smile: "2024, nothing is safe."

Now, let's get to the updated rankings as we head into Week 7:

1. Minnesota Lynx (13-3, previous 3) - The Lynx finish the week a perfect 3-0. Granted, the wins came against teams they were supposed to beat - Dallas, Atlanta and Phoenix - but in the WNBA, we're learning anything can happen on any given night. Minnesota's efficiency continues to be top-notch, ranking second with its scoring defense (73.8 points allowed) and third with its scoring offense (84.5 points per game).

2. New York Liberty (15-3, previous 1) - After opening the week with a setback in Phoenix, a loss that ended an eight-game win streak, the Liberty won three straight with back-to-back home wins over the L.A. Sparks and in Atlanta. We'll get to the bottom of which team is No. 1 on Tuesday, when the Liberty and Lynx meet for the Commissioner's Cup.

3. Las Vegas Aces (8-6, previous 7) - The big leap back into the top three. The two-time defending champion Aces knocked of Seattle and Connecticut, and did so in impressive fashion. Amazing what happens when the presence of Chelsea Gray returns to the lineup. Gray scored only four points and had one assist in a dominating win over Connecticut, but with her on the floor, there is a certain calm the Aces had been missing.

4. Seattle Storm (10-6, previous 5) - After losing in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the Storm were quite impressive with Sunday's home win over Connecticut. Since May 22, Seattle is the only team to rank in the top three in scoring offense and defense, ranking third with 84.0 ppg. and 76.9 points allowed. They also rank second in that stretch, with 35.9 rebounds per contest.

5. Connecticut Sun (13-3, previous 2) - Not exactly the West Coast trip the Sun expected, as they lost in Las Vegas and Seattle to finish the week 1-2, dropping them three slots. Two games this week find them in D.C. against the surging Mystics, and back home on the second leg of back-to-back nights against Atlanta. Three days off will help the cause.

6. Phoenix Mercury (8-8), previous 4) - The Mercury are going to be dangerous once they find consistency away from Phoenix, and can carry momentum from home wins to the road. They beat Seattle and New York and then lost in Minnesota. The Mercury are 2-6 on the road, and they needed double-OT to get one of those wins. They have time to regroup for two home games this week, against Los Angeles and Indiana.

7. Chicago Sky (6-9, previous 11) - The Sky finished the week 2-0 after overcoming a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to snap Indiana's four-game win streak on Sunday in what might have been the most exciting game of the season. Is Angel Reese stealing votes for Rookie of the Year? Chicago will be put to the test this week, with Vegas and Minnesota coming to town Thursday and Sunday, respectively.

8. Indiana Fever (7-11, previous 8) - The Fever don't deserve to drop, as they went 2-1 and lost by just one point to the Sky. Aliyah Boston has become a bigger part of the offense, which is a major reason for the team's recent surge, and they're going to need that with trips to Seattle and Phoenix this week.

9. Washington Mystics (4-13, previous 10) - The Mystics might be the most impressive team of improvement, as they enter the week winners in four of their last five. And since the win streak began on June 11, Washington ranks fourth with 88.0 points per game and third in the league with 78.0 points allowed.

10. Atlanta Dream (6-9, previous 6) - June has been a disaster for Atlanta, as it's gone 2-7 and ranks dead last with 72.0 points per game this month. The good news is the Dream welcomed Jordin Canada to the lineup on Sunday; the bad news is Rhyne Howard remains out with an injury until further notice.

11. Los Angeles Sparks (4-13, previous 9) - Speaking of injuries, the last thing Los Angeles needed was to lose rookie sensation Cameron Brink, who tore her ACL and will be out the rest of the year. The Sparks head into the week losers of six straight. They've only got one game this week, in Phoenix on Friday, and can take the time to regroup.

12. Dallas Wings (3-13, previous 12) - The Wings lost all four of their games this week, and have now dropped 10 straight. Since the start of the skid, on May 31, the Wings are allowing a WNBA-worst 88.5 points per game, while they're scoring a league third-lowest 76.8 ppg. Things don't get easier this week, with Minnesota visiting Thursday, two days after the Commissioner's Cup championship, and then a trip to Seattle for two games.