Note: WNBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Tuesday during the season, are
the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the WNBA or its
clubs.
From opening night on Friday in Phoenix to #WNBAAllDay on Sunday, the 2018 WNBA
season got off to a strong start.
But from a critical standpoint, what have we really learned through the first
eight games of a 204-game season? Can we draw any real conclusions about players
or teams this early into the season?
The Week 1 power rankings are always a challenge because in most cases (8 of 12
to be exact) teams have only played one game. Only four teams played two games
in the first weekend of the season, with the Mercury and Sky sitting atop the
standings each at 2-0.
Hey, we’re on pace to go 34-0 this season!
Of course, that’s almost certainly not going to happen for the Mercury, Sky or
any of the three teams sitting at 1-0 – Connecticut, Washington and Los Angeles
– entering Tuesday’s games.
While it will take a few weeks to really get an idea of how these teams stack up
against one another – especially since many are still shorthanded due to players
that are fulfilling overseas commitments or nursing injuries – there were some
players and teams that made strong first impressions. They are highlighted in
the moves below.
1. Los Angeles Sparks (1-0)
Preseason Ranking: 2 OffRtg: 92.8 (9); DefRtg: 91.6 (3); NetRtg: 1.2 (6)
With Candace Parker out with a back injury (said to be minor), the Sparks went
into Minnesota, sat through the ring presentation, then went out and beat their
rival thanks to another buzzer-beater finish. Chelsea Gray drove the lane and
put up the running layup amid four Lynx defenders that fell through the net as
time expired to give the Sparks a 77-76 win. These two teams entered the season
in a virtual lock for the top spot, with Minnesota given the edge as the
defending champs. But L.A.’s shorthanded win – their two backup centers were
also out – gives the Sparks the top spot this week.
2. Minnesota Lynx (0-1)
Preseason Ranking: 1 OffRtg: 91.6 (10); DefRtg: 92.8 (4); NetRtg: -1.2 (7)
Maybe it was a letdown after the championship rings/banner celebration. Maybe it
was the uncharacteristic 24 turnovers (Minnesota averaged 14.1 a year ago and
had a season-high 22 vs. Connecticut on May 23, 2017). Maybe it was just an off
shooting night for Maya Moore (4-14 FG, 0-3 3P) or not enough touches for
reigning MVP Sylvia Fowles (6-10 FG). Whatever it was, the Lynx did not execute
to the level that we are accustomed to seeing from the four-time champs. That
being said, they were up one in the closing seconds before Gray’s game-winner.
3. Connecticut Sun (1-0)
Preseason Ranking: 3 OffRtg: 116.1 (1); DefRtg: 73.9 (1); NetRtg: 42.2 (1)
The Sun opened the season by absolutely crushing the Las Vegas Aces in their
debut game. The 36-point margin of victory was the largest for any season opener
in WNBA history. The Sun did it with a balanced attack that saw four players
score in double figures and six score at least eight points, led by Alex
Bentley’s 18 off the bench. Chiney Ogwumike had nine points and four rebounds in
just over 17 minutes in her first WNBA game since 2016. Next up for Ogwumike and
the Sun is a matchup with Chiney’s sister Nneka and the Sparks (Thursday, 7 PM
ET, ESPN2).
4. Phoenix Mercury (2-0)
Preseason Ranking: 4 OffRtg: 107.5 (3); DefRtg: 98.8 (6); NetRtg: 8.7 (5)
The Mercury are one of four teams to have two games in the season’s opening
three days and one of two to make it out unscathed. Phoenix opened the WNBA
season with an 86-78 win over Dallas as Diana Taurasi scored 26 points and
became the first WNBA player to eclipse 1,000 3-pointers made as she splashed
five in eight tries against the Wings. Two nights later, it was Brittney
Griner’s turn to dominate as she recorded her 28th career double-double with 29
points and 10 rebounds to go with 4 assists and 3 blocks in the Mercury’s 87-82
win over the Storm in Seattle. This was the fifth time in franchise history that
the Mercury opened the season 2-0; the last two times they did it (2009 and
2014) they went on to win the WNBA title.
5. Dallas Wings (1-1)
Preseason Ranking: 5 OffRtg: 108.5 (2); DefRtg: 99.4 (7); NetRtg: 9.1 (4)
The Wings split their two games to open the 2018 WNBA season. In the season
opener against Phoenix, the Wings not only lost the game (86-78), but lost
forward Glory Johnson for four weeks with a hamstring injury. However, two days
later the Wings took care of business in their home opener in Dallas with a
101-78 win over Atlanta as Skylar Diggins-Smith (25) and Liz Cambage (21)
combined for 46 points as two of Dallas’ five players in double-figures. In her
first two games as a Dallas Wing, Cambage has averaged 19.5 points, 9.0 rebounds
and 3.0 blocks while shooting 60% from the field. Next up is a tough test
against Minnesota (Wednesday, 8 PM ET, League Pass).
6. Chicago Sky (2-0)
Preseason Ranking: 10 OffRtg: 105.2 (4); DefRtg: 91.5 (2); NetRtg: 13.7 (2)
The Sky opened the season with a back-to-back and came out with a 2-0 record to
start the season for the first time since 2014. Chicago opened the season on the
road with an 82-64 win over Indiana behind strong performances by veteran Allie
Quigley (19 points, 5 assists, 8-12 FG) and rookie Diamond DeShields (18 points,
8 rebounds, 7-11 FG). The next night, the Sky opened their new home (Wintrust
Arena) with an 80-76 win over New York with Quigley once again leading the way
(22 points), Jamierra Faulkner adding 14-5-5 off the bench and another rookie
stepping into the spotlight as Gabby Williams had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting
and three steals. Chicago did all of this without All-Star guard Courtney
Vandersloot, who just finished competing in the Turkish League Final.
7. Washington Mystics (1-0)
Preseason Ranking: 8 OffRtg: 105.1 (5); DefRtg: 94.9 (5); NetRtg: 10.2 (3)
The Mystics opened the season with an 82-75 win over Indiana that both coach
Mike Thibault and star forward Elena Delle Donne described as an ugly win. While
the Mystics were not as sharp as they would have liked to open the season, they
still got the W behind 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc from
Kristi Toliver; she led four Mystics in double figures. Delle Donne finished
with 13 points and seven assists despite shooting just 5-of-18 from the field.
The Mystics are back in action against the Aces on Tuesday (7 PM ET, League
Pass).
8. New York Liberty (0-1)
Preseason Ranking: 6 OffRtg: 98.7 (7); DefRtg: 102.6 (8); NetRtg: -3.9 (8)
The Liberty lost their season opener to the Sky as Chicago opened its new
downtown home. The Liberty will do the same on Friday when the host the
defending champion Lynx at the Westchester Country Center in White Plains as new
head coach Katie Smith looks for her first win. In their loss to the Sky, the
Liberty got 19 points from Tina Charles but just four rebounds as Chicago
outrebounded New York, 43-30, in the game. In her WNBA debut, rookie Kia Nurse
had 17 points, three assists and two steals in nearly 29 minutes off the bench
as the Liberty were shorthanded without Brittany Boyd, Epiphanny Prince or Kiah
Stokes available.
9. Seattle Storm (0-1)
Preseason Ranking: 7 OffRtg: 102.5 (6); DefRtg: 108.8 (10); NetRtg: -6.3 (9)
In their first game under new coach Dan Hughes, the Storm started a bit slow
(trailed 26-17 after first quarter) and could not complete the comeback (Seattle
won the second half, 46-41) against Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury.
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Storm to take away:
Breanna Stewart was outstanding with 22 points, 15 boards, three blocks, two
assists and two steals; rookie Jordin Canada had nine points and four steals in
20 minutes off the Storm bench; and Natasha Howard had 14 points, four rebounds
and two blocks in 23 minutes of the bench in her Storm debut.
10. Atlanta Dream (0-1)
Preseason Ranking: 9 OffRtg: 92.9 (8); DefRtg: 121.7 (12); NetRtg: -28.8 (11)
The new-look Dream opened their season with a 101-78 loss in Dallas in Nicki
Collen’s debut as a WNBA head coach. Not only does Atlanta have a new coach in
Collen, but three new starters in the returning Angel McCoughtry and offseason
additions Jessica Breland and Renee Montgomery, so it will take some time for
the new pieces to fit together. On a positive note, the Dream did have 18
assists on their 26 made baskets and McCoughtry became the 18th player in WNBA
history (7th active player) to eclipse 5,000 career points. Atlanta is back in
action on Wednesday for a matinee in Chicago (12 PM ET, League Pass) as the
Dream look for their first win of the year.
11. Las Vegas Aces (0-1)
Preseason Ranking: 11 OffRtg: 73.9 (12); DefRtg: 116.1 (11); NetRtg: -42.2 (12)
The Las Vegas Aces opened their season with a 101-65 loss to the Connecticut
Sun, putting the Aces on the wrong side of history in the most lopsided season
opener ever. However, the Aces were without three of their top players with
Kayla McBride and Kelsey Plum fulfilling overseas commitments and Moriah
Jefferson nursing a knee injury, so don’t put too much into the opening game.
No. 1 overall pick A’ja Wilson posted a double-double with 14 points and 10
rebounds in her WNBA debut, while the Aces’ veteran forward Tamera Young led all
scorers with 23 points.
12. Indiana Fever (0-2)
Preseason Ranking: 12 OffRtg: 89.7 (11); DefRtg: 106.5 (9); NetRtg: -16.8 (10)
The Fever are the lone 0-2 team in the WNBA as they dropped both games of their
Saturday-Sunday back-to-back. After dropping the home opener by 18 points to
Chicago, the Fever had a better showing against Washington on Sunday but still
fell 82-75. Natalie Achonwa (game highs of 21 points, 12 rebounds) and Candice
Dupree (13 points, 10 rebounds) both posted double-doubles, while rookie Kelsey
Mitchell (the No. 2 pick in the draft) had 16 points off the Fever bench in the
loss. Indiana faces a tough schedule to open the season with their next six
games all against playoff teams from last season, beginning with the Sparks on
Tuesday night (7 PM ET, Twitter).
