The Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty shedding their first video games of the season did not change the highest of ESPN’s WNBA Energy Rankings, but it surely did shake up the Commissioner’s Cup image.
Per week in the past, it appeared probably that the Lynx and Liberty would meet within the championship recreation on July 1, as they did final 12 months. Now, the Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever — with Caitlin Clark again within the latter lineup after lacking 5 video games (quad damage) — have an opportunity to beat the Liberty to symbolize the Japanese Convention, whereas the Seattle Storm face the Lynx for these rights within the Western Convention. And all of it comes right down to Tuesday’s concluding Cup video games.
Let’s begin within the East.
If the Dream beat the Liberty on the street, Atlanta will symbolize the East no matter whether or not the Fever beat the Connecticut Solar because of Atlanta’s win over Indiana on June 10. If the Dream lose and the Fever win, Indiana and New York could be 4-1 — the Fever would have the tiebreaker on account of their Cup recreation victory over the Liberty on Saturday, when Clark returned to motion. (Notice that outcomes earlier than Cup video games began June 1 do not rely.)
The Liberty, who gained the Cup title in 2023 and misplaced the championship to the Lynx final 12 months, have to beat the Dream and have the Fever lose to the Solar with a purpose to attain New York’s third consecutive remaining.
In the meantime within the West, the Lynx, Storm and the Golden State Valkyries might all end at 4-2 within the Cup standings together with the Phoenix Mercury, who concluded Cup play Sunday. However due to the assorted tiebreaking eventualities, Phoenix and Golden State are already eradicated.
Minnesota nonetheless controls its Cup future. The Lynx will advance to the ultimate in the event that they defeat the Las Vegas Aces at residence or if Seattle loses on the street to the Los Angeles Sparks. Seattle would want each a win over Los Angeles and a Minnesota loss to advance.
If the Lynx and Liberty do not meet for the Commissioner’s Cup title, we can’t see the league’s two greatest groups face off till late July in what could be the primary of 4 conferences over three weeks.
Earlier rating: 1
Subsequent seven days: vs. LV (June 17), vs. LA (June 21)
Coach Cheryl Reeve was very pragmatic after final Wednesday’s 94-84 loss at Seattle, saying Minnesota merely did not play nicely sufficient to win on the street. The Lynx bounced again with a 101-78 win over the Sparks on Saturday behind Napheesa Collier ‘s 32 factors, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. That, mixed with the Liberty’s loss to the Fever, retains the Lynx within the high spot. A win over Las Vegas on Tuesday will get Minnesota again into the Commissioner’s Cup remaining a 12 months after successful it.
Earlier rating: 2
Subsequent seven days: vs. ATL (June 17), vs. PHO (June 19), @ SEA (June 22)
The Liberty are usually not the identical staff with out starters Jonquel Jones (ankle) and Leonie Fiebich (abroad dedication for EuroBasket). Coach Sandy Brondello mentioned the staff hopes to have Jones again for Tuesday’s recreation in opposition to the Dream, however the Liberty are pondering “large image” about her well being because it pertains to an extended season. Sabrina Ionescu’s scoring stood out final week with a mixed 57 factors between a win over Chicago and a loss at Indiana.
Earlier rating: 5
Subsequent 7 days: @ NY (June 17), vs. WAS (June 20), vs. CHI (June 22)
That is how successfully new coach Karl Smesko has translated his 3-point heavy offense from faculty to the WNBA: Atlanta set a franchise file with 18 3s in Sunday’s win at Washington. The Dream’s 84.6 factors per recreation additionally rank third within the league in comparison with a league-worst 77.0 final season. Total, they went 3-0 final week with wins over Indiana and Chicago, too, and are one win away from their first Commissioner’s Cup remaining. However they should get previous the Liberty in New York on Tuesday.
Earlier rating: 4
Subsequent 7 days: @ CON (June 18), @ NY (June 19), @ CHI (June 21)
The Mercury went 2-0 final week with victories over the Wings and Aces behind Satou Sabally’s mixed 42 factors and 18 rebounds. Their beginning lineup and high reserves are actually at full energy with Kahleah Copper (knee), Alyssa Thomas (calf) and Natasha Mack (again) having returned from accidents over the previous week. Thomas had points-assists double-doubles in each wins after lacking 5 video games.
Earlier rating: 6
Subsequent 7 days: vs. CON (June 17), @ GS (June 19), @ LV (June 22)
It took Caitlin Clark 1 / 4 — by which she hit three consecutive long-range 3s — to reestablish her dynamic influence. She completed with 32 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds because the Fever handed the Liberty their first lack of the season Saturday, with Indiana making 17 3s simply 4 days after shedding to Atlanta with a season-low 58 factors. The Fever didn’t have DeWanna Bonner (out for private causes) within the win however received an excellent effort from their bench with a mixed 20 factors, 9 rebounds and seven assists.
Earlier rating: 3
Subsequent seven days: @ LA (June 17), @ LV (June 20), vs. NY (June 22)
Seattle has been exhausting to determine. Are the Storm extra just like the staff that dealt the Lynx their first loss final Wednesday? Or extra just like the staff that was outrebounded 33-20 and fell 76-70 on the Valkyries on Saturday? It is not possible to make certain proper now, which is why the Storm have bounced round in every week’s version of the Energy Rankings. Because of the win over Minnesota, although, Seattle stays a smidge forward of Golden State regardless of shedding to the Valkyries on the street.
Earlier rating: 8
Subsequent 7 days: @ DAL (June 17) vs. IND (June 19), vs. CON (June 22)
Perspective is every little thing. A 5-5 mark looks like a triumphant begin for the Valkyries’ first season, though that very same file is arguably disastrous for the Aces. It seems to be like what the Valkyries mentioned within the preseason about not underestimating them was not simply hopeful rhetoric — they’ve gained three in a row and misplaced the three video games earlier than that by a median of solely 8.3 factors. Kayla Thornton, picked up from New York within the growth draft, has 4 double-doubles after simply 5 complete over her earlier 9 WNBA seasons.
Earlier rating: 7
Subsequent 7 days: @ MIN (June 17), vs. SEA (June 20), vs. IND (June 22)
The Aces weren’t taking part in like contenders, even earlier than three-time MVP A’ja Wilson entered the concussion protocol after being hit within the face throughout Wednesday’s 97-89 loss to the Sparks, although Las Vegas did rally to beat Dallas 88-84 on Friday earlier than falling 76-70 to Phoenix on Sunday. Coach Becky Hammon mentioned there ought to be extra emphasis on penalizing hits to the top, telling reporters after the loss to the Mercury, “I believe it is one thing that individuals actually have to begin , as a result of individuals are dropping like flies with concussions.”
Earlier rating: 10
Subsequent 7 days: vs. SEA (June 17), @ MIN (June 21)
The Sparks fell 101-78 on the Lynx on Saturday, however let’s deal with the brilliant spots for Los Angeles: second-year ahead Rickea Jackson, who missed video games on Might 30 and June 1 whereas within the concussion protocol, had a career-high 30 factors in Wednesday’s 97-89 win over Las Vegas. And fellow publish participant Azura Stevens is averaging profession bests in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (8.7) in her eighth WNBA season. That mentioned, there’s additionally a latest setback: Kelsey Plum, who leads the Sparks in scoring and assists, is out Tuesday with a leg damage.
Earlier rating: 9
Subsequent 7 days: @ CHI (June 17), @ ATL (June 20), vs. DAL (June 22)
The Mystics have dropped 4 of their previous 5 video games for the reason that finish of Might, together with a 89-56 residence loss to the Dream on Sunday by which Washington made solely 3 photographs from deep in comparison with Atlanta’s franchise-record 18. It was the Mystics’ lowest level complete of the season and got here solely every week after they scored a season-high 104 in opposition to the Solar.
Earlier rating: 12
Subsequent 7 days: vs. WAS (June 17), vs. PHO (June 21), @ ATL (June 22)
After shedding to the Liberty and Dream earlier within the week, the Sky secured a much-needed pick-me-up Sunday with a 78-66 win on the Solar as Angel Reese received her first WNBA triple-double (11 factors, 11 assists, 13 rebounds). Chicago has the league’s second-worst web score at minus-14.6, rating forward of solely Connecticut’s minus-22.
Earlier rating: 11
Subsequent 7 days: @ IND (June 17), vs. PHO (June 18), vs. DAL (June 20), @ GS (June 22)
The Solar’s solely recreation final week was their loss to the Sky, which highlighted simply how a lot Connecticut’s offense and protection has struggled this season. The Solar have the league’s worst offensive score (92.7) and lowest scoring common (71.3 factors per recreation), plus the worst defensive score (114.7). In some way, the Solar nonetheless have another victory than the Wings — however are additionally the one staff that Dallas has defeated.
Earlier rating: 13
Subsequent 7 days: vs. GS (June 17), @ CON (June 20), @ WAS (June 22)
The excellent news is that No. 1 draft decide Paige Bueckers has returned from the concussion protocol and sickness, which stored her out 4 complete video games. She had 35 factors in her return Wednesday, however Dallas nonetheless misplaced 93-80 at Phoenix. And simply when the Wings appeared like they may get again within the victory column Friday, the Aces outscored them 17-2 within the closing stretch of the 88-84 defeat.
