2024 WNBA Power Rankings (Week 5): Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston powering Indiana Fever

The Indiana Fever are on a hot streak, having won their last four games. Meanwhile, the league was put on notice with the return of Chelsea Gray to the Las Vegas Aces. Angel Reese is making history by setting WNBA rookie records, while helping to put the Chicago Sky back in the win column. And The Commissioner’s Cup is a few days away. Even though the result of that game won’t count towards league standings, it should provide some insight about two of the league’s top teams, the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

WNBA Week 5 Power Rankings

These Power Rankings reflect where each WNBA team stands after week 5 of the 2024 season. Teams are ranked 1-12 and are grouped by tiers.

Past Rankings: Preseason, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4

Tier 1 – (Contenders)

1. Las Vegas Aces (8-6) | Previous Rank: 5 – The Aces are back, or so it seems, with the return of Chelsea Gray on Wednesday who didn’t play in the team’s first 12 games of the season. Gray didn’t start in her return against the Seattle Storm, or score many points, which is expected after a long layoff, but her presence and impact was felt immediately. The Aces offense looked more fluid with everyone playing in their natural positions and Gray dishing out multiple dimes. Many have chalked the Aces struggles this season up to Chelsea Gray’s absence, but their defense has looked suspect at times and is currently ranked eighth with a 103.0 defensive rating. The Aces got a big test Friday night when they played the team with the best record in the WNBA, the Connecticut Sun. Kelsey Plum had recently called the Sun the best team in the league, so it’s clear the Sun were on the Aces’ radar and they played like it in their Friday night matchup. The Aces are trending up with the return of Chelsea Gray. Their last two wins with Gray in the lineup, against two of the league’s better teams, is enough to move the two-time champs back to the top of these power rankings.

2. Connecticut Sun (13-2) | Previous Rank: 2 – The Connecticut Sun remain second in this week’s power rankings and still shine as one of the league’s best teams, having only lost two games so far this season. The Sun boast the best defense in the WNBA with a 91.8 defensive rating, a top four offense, with a 103.2 offensive rating and a top three net rating of 11.4. The Sun took on the Las Vegas Aces Friday, in what could be a WNBA Finals preview. Even though the Aces have been inconsistent to start the season, many still viewed the reigning champs as the best team in the league, or at a minimum, the team to beat. Friday’s game was a chance for the Sun to shed some light on whether these two teams are of similar ilk and caliber. The Sun lost the game, but they should not be discounted as a team that can challenge the Aces. With the best record in the league, they keep their spot at number two in these power rankings.
   
3. Minnesota Lynx (12-3) | Previous Rank: 3 – The Minnesota Lynx are very good at basketball. They’ve shown they can hang with and/or beat the top teams in the league, except for the Connecticut Sun, who they lost to earlier in the season by one point. In fact, of their three losses this season (Sun, Aces, Mercury), two were one-point losses to the Sun and Mercury, respectively. And while the Aces did have their number in the first matchup of the season, the Lynx got the better of the Aces when they played each other the second time around. Minnesota beat the Liberty earlier this year and have a chance to really make a statement when they play them in the Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday. They are third in offensive rating (104.4), tied with the Sun for first in defensive rating (91.8), and have the best net rating in the league of 12.6. When your best player, in Napheesa Collier, is having an MVP-level season, and Kayla McBride is having an All-Star level season, the result is a team who can contend for a WNBA championship. The Minnesota Lynx have been showing all season that they are a very good team and that’s why they keep their number three spot in this week’s rankings.
   
4. New York Liberty (13-3) | Previous Rank: 1 – It was fun while it lasted, New York Liberty, but your time at the top of these rankings was short-lived. To be clear, the New York Liberty are a very good team and continue to be a top contender this season. Even though the Liberty beat the Connecticut Sun, who are ranked ahead of them, the Sun have had the best record in the WNBA all season and have played like the most consistent team this year. The Liberty’s win streak was snapped at eight, after losing to the Phoenix Mercury. The Liberty are second in league standings because they have played and won one more games than the Lynx, but both teams have the same number of losses and the Lynx have already beaten New York this season. Their upcoming Commissioner’s Cup matchup will allow a better assessment of these two teams, but for now, the Liberty fall three spots to number four in this week’s rankings.

Tier 2 – (Good to Very Good)

5. Seattle Storm (9-6) | Previous Rank: 4 – The Storm move down one spot and one tier this week. The Storm lost their last two games against the Phoenix Mercury and Aces, respectively. The opposing teams controlled both games. While the Storm still have a solid 9-6 record and are fourth in league standings, the trend continues for them where they struggle to win games against the better teams in the league. Most of their wins this season have come against sub .500 teams. Their best wins have been against the Mercury and Aces, sans Brittney Griner and Chelsea Gray. It may have been premature moving the Storm into the contender tier last week. They will need to demonstrate that they can keep up with the better teams in the league before moving back into that tier. Until then, they drop one spot this week to number five.

6. Phoenix Mercury (8-7) | Previous Rank: 6 – The Phoenix Mercury look like a much better team with Brittney Griner in the lineup. Since Griner’s return, the Mercury have gone 4-1. It’s no surprise Griner was named the WNBA’s Week Five Western Conference Player of the Week. This is the team who many envisioned coming into the season. Kahleah Copper is averaging 23.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Copper is also shooting 37.7 percent on three-pointers. In just five games, Griner is averaging 21.4 points, 7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. Diana Taurasi is also chipping in with 16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. They look like a well-balanced team and are likely to move up in these power rankings going forward. For now, they will remain at number six for another week.

7. Indiana Fever (7-10) | Previous Rank: 11 – The Indiana Fever are on a four-game win streak and have won five of their last six games. Their only loss in that six-game stretch was to the Connecticut Sun. If the season were to end today, they would make the playoffs. That’s a tremendous turnaround for a team who started the season 2-9. Aside from a much needed 5-day layoff at the beginning of June and a more reasonable schedule, the emergence of Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark as a duo is a large reason this looks like a completely different team. The Fever have involved Aliyah Boston in the offense more and it’s paying dividends. Boston was named the WNBA’s Week Five Eastern Conference Player of the Week for averaging a whopping 20 points, 13 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 blocks per game. You can see the chemistry building between Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Clark has great court vision and is a very good passer. She’s finding Aliyah in her spots and the Fever have been much better because of it. Even though they are still three games below .500, their recent play is why they move up four spots in this week’s rankings.

   Aliyah Boston is the @WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week!
   
   she recorded a double-double in all three games during the week of June 10-16 🤯
   
   📝 https://t.co/GkDstirCZV pic.twitter.com/GUS7qcKC37

   — Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 18, 2024

8. Atlanta Dream (6-8) | Previous Rank: 7 – The Dream went 1-2 since last week’s rankings and are two games below .500, but their biggest loss of the season is Rhyne Howard. Howard rolled her ankle pretty badly in the Dream’s loss to the Lynx on Wednesday and currently, there is no timetable for her return. Howard was spotted Friday at the team’s shootaround on a scooter, with a wrapped ankle, ahead of the Dream’s matchup with the Indiana Fever, a game the Dream ended up losing. The Dream were already struggling this season for consistency. If Howard is going to miss extended time, those struggles are likely to continue, and they risk falling lower in the standings. Until more is known about Rhyne Howard’s injury, the Dream drop one spot in this week’s rankings.
   

Tier 3 – (Potentially Good)

9. Chicago Sky (5-9) | Previous Rank: 8 – The Chicago Sky drop one spot this week. After a 4-game losing streak, they finally got back on the right track with a win over the Dallas Wings on Thursday. The Chicago Sky have shown signs all season that they have the potential to be a good team. Growing pains were always to be expected for a team with so many new pieces and young players to integrate. Their win on Thursday was encouraging. It was their second game with a new starting lineup that now includes Chennedy Carter and Lindsay Allen and moved Dana Evans and Diamond DeShields to the bench. The Sky got off to a much better start. Getting into early deficits they can’t overcome has been a theme in many of their losses. Both Marina Mabrey and Chennedy Carter scored 19 points. Dana Evans contributed with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists off the bench. Kamilla Cardoso nearly had a double double with 9 points and 11 rebounds. Angel Reese made history with 16 points and 18 rebounds becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record seven straight double doubles. Reese is tied with Dearica Hamby for second in rebounds in the WNBA at 10.8 per game. Only A’ja Wilson grabs more rebounds with 11.6 per game. So, while the Sky do drop in the rankings one spot, well-balanced play like on Thursday is why they are likely to move back up in future rankings.

10. Dallas Wings (3-11) | Previous Rank: 10 – The Dallas Wings haven’t won a game since May 26. Their 9-game losing streak is currently the longest losing streak in the league. There isn’t much more that can be said about this team that hasn’t already been said each week. Satou Sabally (shoulder), is not expected to return until after the Olympic break in late August. The story hasn’t changed and at this point it seems unlikely, even with Sabally’s return, that the Wings will have enough games and time remaining to make any kind of playoff push, without some help from other teams. They might get that help Saturday when they face off against the Washington Mystics. The Mystics are last in the standings and as of Friday, a number of key players are listed on their injury report. The Mystics aren’t an easy team to beat, despite their record, but they are a team that the Wings should be able to beat. The Wings remain in Tier 3 because, with Sabally, they are a much better team and without her, they’ve been competitive in most of their games. So, it’s another week for the Wings at number 10 in these power rankings.

Tier 4 – (Rebuilders)

11. Los Angeles Sparks (4-12) | Previous Rank: 9 – The Sparks are on a 4-game losing streak and were a dealt a big blow with the news that their number two draft pick, Cameron brink, suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Brink posted a heartfelt message about the injury on Instagram. Brink was averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. She was a defensive force on the court for the Sparks. Brink was also slated to appear in the Paris Olympics this summer as a part of USA Basketball’s 3x3 roster. The Sparks were already struggling to develop an identity. Sparks Head Coach, Curt Miller, is no stranger to coaching a team with key players missing. Time will tell what this means for the Sparks, but their 4-game losing streak, along with Brink’s injury, are largely why they drop two spots in this week’s rankings.
    
12. Washington Mystics (2-13) | Previous Rank: 12 – The Washington Mystics got their second win of the season last week against the Chicago Sky and could get a third Saturday when they play the struggling Dallas Wings. Injuries are the primary reason why the Mystics have such a bad record this season. They were always going to struggle without Elena Delle Donne gone this season, but injuries to Shakira Austin and Brittney Sykes are too much for this team to overcome. They’re fun to watch because they are competitive in most games, but the result is mostly the same and that’s why they have the worst record in the WNBA. The Mystics will remain at number 12 this week.