WNBA Power Rankings: Valkyries, Lynx, Aces Battle for First
A Sunday night matchup between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces capped off a thrilling week of WNBA basketball, complete with rivalry games, dominant performances, a fired general manager, and even one thrown shoe.
There's little margin for error at the top of the standings. The Minnesota Lynx hold a half-game lead over Las Vegas and the surging Golden State Valkyries for first place. Meanwhile, talented contenders like the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty are losing ground as their summer malaise persists.
🚨 WNBA STANDINGS UPDATE 🚨
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 13, 2026
▪️ The @minnesotalynx remain at No. 1 in the standings!
▪️ The @LVAces sit at 17-7 on the szn
▪️ The @valkyries are on a franchise-record seven game win streak, earning spot No. 3
▪️ The @DallasWings stay to No. 4
📲 For more, head to the WNBA App!… pic.twitter.com/8fDbJS0ouD
Golden State locks down the top spot in our power rankings for a second straight week. Let's take a look.
1. Golden State Valkyries (17-7, W7)
Previous Ranking: 1 (--)
The Valkyries' formula continues to pay dividends. Golden State forced a season-best 20 turnovers in Wednesday's 83-75 win over the Toronto Tempo, and held the red-hot Marina Mabrey to just 11 points on 2-of-9 shooting. They one-upped themselves Friday against the Connecticut Sun, forcing 22 turnovers in a 79-64 win.
Golden State has held opponents under 70 points in six games, the most in the WNBA. No other team has done it more than four times.
Offensively, the bench provided the bulk of the scoring on Wednesday with 52 of the team's 83 points. Kaitlyn Chen notched 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Janelle Saluan poured in a career-high 26 points, drilling 5-of-6 three-point attempts. Salaun came through again Friday -- once again off the bench -- with 16 points in another strong effort from distance.
The Valkyries own the league's longest active winning streak with seven straight victories. No matter how you slice it, they're the hottest team in the WNBA right now.
2. Minnesota Lynx (17-6, W2)
Previous Ranking: 2 (--)
Minnesota picked up two straight wins over Connecticut and New York and moved back into sole possession of first place after a Las Vegas loss Sunday. Kayla McBride led the scoring effort both times, eclipsing the 20 points for the third straight game.
All-Star starting guard Olivia Miles returned to the lineup Saturday against the Liberty after missing two games with an ankle injury. It didn't take long for her to reacclimate, as the 23-year-old rookie posted 23 points in 32 minutes.
Minnesota will enter the All-Star break with five straight games against non-playoff teams. Now that Miles is back in the mix, the Lynx are well-positioned to take some momentum into the second half.
3. Las Vegas Aces (17-7, L1)
Previous Ranking: 3 (--)
The Aces might have some whiplash from a back-to-back at Michelob ULTRA Arena over the weekend.
The Aces' 82-point turnaround is the largest points differential from one game to the next in WNBA history 😱 pic.twitter.com/s59oNo2XN4
— espnW (@espnW) July 13, 2026
Las Vegas exercised its will against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, exploding for a season-best 106 points in a 48-point rout. It was the third-biggest blowout in WNBA history, 11 points shy of the league record set by the Lynx in 2017.
Things didn't come nearly as easily on Sunday, when an Indiana offense dazzled on primetime in a 109-75 victory. A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young were the only Aces to score in double figures; six different Fever players reached double digits.
It's hard to completely knock Las Vegas for a lackluster performance on no days rest, though that marks its second loss to Indiana in the last two weeks -- the first coming while Wilson and Caitlin Clark were both sidelined.
On the bright side, Dana Evans made her season debut Sunday after missing the first two months with a left-leg injury. She scored eight points on 2-of-8 shooting in 16 minutes, but could be helpful in replacing Chennedy Carter's output once she settles in. Rookie addition Justine Pissott -- claimed off waivers from the Fever -- could be a key cog off the bench after scoring 19 points with five three-pointers in a historic WNBA debut.
T4. Dallas Wings (16-8, W5)
Previous Ranking: 5 (+1)
For the first time this season, our power rankings will feature a tie. After opening July with five straight wins, the Dallas Wings move into the top four of our list -- though they'll have to share.
Dallas overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to keep its streak alive on Sunday, defeating the Chicago Sky 96-91 behind a massive fourth-quarter turnaround.
Paige Bueckers delivered two standout efforts, posting a season-high 34 points against Toronto on Friday and a game-high 22 points against the Sky.
The only thing holding Dallas back is a noteworthy end to June, which featured back-to-back losses to Las Vegas and Minnesota. There's no doubt the Wings are a true contender, but it's difficult to place them concretely ahead of Indiana, given the latter's recent success against the Aces.
T4. Indiana Fever (14-9, W2)
Previous Ranking: 4 (--)
It took a dominant win over Las Vegas to keep the Fever in the top four, especially after a 14-point loss Wednesday to a Los Angeles Sparks team missing leading scorer Kelsey Plum. Perhaps that's a good snapshot of Indiana's season, which has featured exciting highs and some concerning lows.
When the Fever offense is operating in full force, it's a sight to behold. That's exactly what happened Sunday. Kelsey Mitchell (27 points) and Aliyah Boston (19 points) led the charge, with help from Sophie Cunningham, who added 20 points and drilled 6-of-7 three-point attempts just one day after making an appearance at UFC 329.
This Fever offense is SO freaking good.
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) July 13, 2026
Just keeps constant pressure on you with the way that they flow side to side.
It was a different story Wednesday, with Boston out for rest and Clark struggling to find a rhythm in her first game back from injury, limited to a questionable series of three-minute bursts. Indiana bounced back with better efforts against Phoenix and Las Vegas, and stays in our top four as a result.
The Fever currently boast the best offensive rating in the WNBA, though that will be put to the test Wednesday against Golden State's dominant defense.
6. Atlanta Dream (13-10, L1)
Previous Ranking: 7 (+1)
The Dream rise a spot, though that's more a product of New York's struggles than their own success. Atlanta snapped a five-game losing streak Thursday, defeating the Seattle Storm 89-78. But they returned to the loss column Saturday, falling by 10 points to the Portland Fire.
Atlanta is 1-6 since June 24 and shooting a league-worst 24.6 percent from distance over that stretch. It's a concerning slump from a team that has an assortment of talented shooters on the roster.
The Dream now sit four games out of first place with three games left to play before the All-Star break. The schedule works in their favor, with three straight matchups against bottom-five defenses, but Atlanta will need improved efforts from within to right this skid.
7. New York Liberty (13-11, L3)
Previous Ranking: 6 (-1)
It's hard to make sense of this recent stretch from the Liberty. New York is 2-5 since June 25 (including the WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship) with the two wins coming against the first-place Lynx and second-place Aces.
But that doesn't dull the pain of three straight losses, stamped by an empty weekend. The Liberty fell by five to Minnesota on Saturday and came up short against the Tempo 93-91 in the final minute Sunday.
The New York Liberty's (0-3) week overshadowed the outstanding production of Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, who combined to average (45.0) points, (13.0) rebounds, and (9.0) assists per game.
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) July 13, 2026
What makes the stretch even tougher is that two of the three losses were decided… pic.twitter.com/QS6NKBo2Af
Sabrina Ionescu scored a combined 53 points across both outings, but it wasn't enough to pull this scuffling contender into the win column. A left-leg injury for Leonie Fiebich and an extended absence for Satou Sabally (concussion protocol) don't make things any easier, but it feels misguided to pin this all on injuries. New York hasn't been able to maximize the talent that it does have available, whether that falls on the players themselves or first-year head coach Chris DeMarco.
8. Washington Mystics (11-10, W1)
Previous Ranking: 8 (--)
The Washington Mystics improved to 11-10 in their only game last week, defeating the Storm 84-79 on Sunday thanks to a second-half comeback. Sonia Citron returned from a two-game injury-related absence, notching 19 points in a team-high 33 minutes. She was joined by another strong effort from Shakira Austin, who posted a season-best 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
The Mystics are 7-4 since mid-June and playing some compelling basketball in the process. You won't hear them in any top contender talks, but they've quietly enjoyed a very solid stretch.
9. Portland Fire (10-13, W1)
Previous Ranking: 10 (+1)
The Fire survived a tough two-game stretch, falling to the Aces by eight and defeating the Dream by ten. Thursday's loss to Las Vegas was more lopsided than it might appear, with the Aces holding a 20-point lead in the final five minutes.
Portland bounced back with a strong effort Sunday, though, as seven different players reached double figures against Atlanta, including Megan Gustafson, who led the team with 17 points. The Fire set season-highs, shooting 60..0 percent from the field and 48.3 percent from distance against a Dream defense that ranks fourth in defensive rating.
That should be a nice feel-good win for a Portland team that had its fair share of struggles in June.
10. Los Angeles Sparks (10-11, W2)
Previous Ranking: 15 (+5)
The Sparks offense returned to form for the first time since losing Plum to a leg injury on June 21, as Los Angeles reached the 100-point mark in a pair of victories last week.
Nneka Ogwumike (24 points), Rae Burrell (22 points), and Dearica Hamby (21 points) all eclipsed 20 points in Wednesday's 106-92 win over the Fever. The starting five delivered again in a 102-87 win over Chicago on Friday. Each starter notched at least 15 points, led by 25 from Ogwumike. In total, Los Angeles starters accounted for 91 of the team's 102 points.
But the biggest Sparks-related news had little to do with a successful week of basketball that vaulted them a game shy of Washington for eighth place. Los Angeles announced Sunday that it will part ways with general manager Reagan Pebley, who traded away Rickea Jackson as part of a massive offseason that brought in veteran talent like Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins, and Erica Wheeler.
Breaking: the LA Sparks have agreed to part ways with General Manager Raegan Pebley, effective today, the team says. Assistant GMs Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen will serve as the interim GMs.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) July 12, 2026
That should certainly add some intrigue with the WNBA trade deadline just a few weeks away on Aug 2.
11. Toronto Tempo (10-13, W1)
Previous Ranking: 9 (-2)
The Tempo snapped a four-game skid with an exciting 93-91 victory over the Liberty on Sunday. The contest featured plenty of action, including one memorable moment when Toronto's All-Star guard Marina Mabrey was struck by a loose shoe thrown onto the court by New York's Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.
Status alert: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has been ejected Sunday.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) July 12, 2026
She threw Jonquel Jones' shoe at Marina Mabrey.pic.twitter.com/xv8a0RDxKL
Mabrey's 30 points helped keep the game close, and former Liberty forward Nyara Sabally netted the eventual game-winner with 52.5 seconds left in regulation. It marked Toronto's first win since June 25.
They're not out of the woods just yet, though. The Tempo are 3-8 since June 12 and leaning heavily on Mabrey to make up for the absences of Brittney Sykes and KikI Rice, both out with injuries. Mabrey's scoring touch can keep Toronto in the fight, but it will likely be an uphill battle until they get back to full strength.
12. Connecticut Sun (5-18, L2)
Previous Ranking: 12 (--)
Despite two straight losses, Connecticut will hold at 12th in our power rankings. After defeating the Lynx by one on Monday, the Sun once again gave a good effort against the WNBA's top team Wednesday, this time falling 86-80. They followed that up with a more lopsided 15-point defeat against the Valkyries, unable to make much noise against that vaunted defense. Still, Connecticut has proven a tougher challenge in recent weeks than the record indicates.
13. Chicago Sky (7-16, L2)
Previous Ranking: 14 (+1)
Chicago battled well last week, even if a 1-2 record doesn't necessarily reflect it. The Sky defeated the Mercury by 11 on Tuesday before dropping two straight games against the Sparks and Wings. Los Angeles won by 15, but Chicago hung tight with an excellent Dallas team, holding a lead past the midway point of the fourth quarter.
In a largely frustrating season, the Sky should be excited about the emergence of Sydney Taylor. The undrafted rookie guard has reached double figures in nine of her last 10 games, including a team-high 20 points Sunday against the Wings.
14. Seattle Storm (6-19, L2)
Previous Ranking: 13 (-1)
The Storm wasted two excellent efforts from veteran guard Natisha Hiedeman, who scored a career-high 31 points in Sunday's 84-79 loss to Washington, just one game after notching 20 against Atlanta.
Seattle has dropped four of its last five since pulling off a pair of impressive wins over New York and Atlanta. Ezi Magbegor will hit the shelf once again after suffering a facial fracture Thursday. Even at full-strength, though, the Storm shouldn't be expected to make waves consistently.
15. Phoenix Mercury (8-16, L3)
Previous Ranking: 11 (-4)
Phoenix enjoyed a three-game winning streak from June 24 to July 2. They've since matched that with three straight losses, all coming last week in quick succession.
After falling to Chicago and Indiana on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, the Mercury were thoroughly stomped by Las Vegas on Saturday 106-58, closing out a tough week of basketball. That's unfortunately been a trend for Phoenix this season, as they've struggled to mount momentum after reaching the WNBA Finals in 2025.
It's worth wondering how much longer their struggles will have to endure before major changes are made internally, either to the roster, coaching staff, or front office.
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Lou Orlando is a Fordham University alum, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. At Rose Hill, he covered women's basketball for the university newspaper, the Fordham Ram. In addition to calling games on 90.7 FM. The Brooklyn native enjoys bagels and thinking about random early-2010s athletes, that is when he isn't penning stories for Women's Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI.
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