Power Rankings: Sparks, Valkyries headed in opposite directions

The WNBA's 2 California teams, the Los Angeles Sparks and the Golden State Valkyries, look to beryllium heading successful other directions.

The 11-14 Sparks person the league's longest progressive winning streak astatine 5 games -- they leap 3 spots successful this week's ESPN Power Rankings arsenic a effect -- portion the 11-13 Valkyries person mislaid six of their 8 games truthful acold this month.

Los Angeles besides returns a cardinal subordinate from wounded arsenic Golden State loses one.

Sparks guardant Cameron Brink, the No. 2 prime successful the 2024 draft, returns to enactment Tuesday against the Aces. The erstwhile Stanford prima was constricted to 15 games arsenic a rookie aft suffering an ACL wounded successful June 2024. She averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks earlier the injury.

Brink's much-anticipated instrumentality seems adjacent much fortuitous with however the Sparks are playing. Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Azura Stevens and Rickea Jackson are each averaging double-figure scoring, and Julie Allemand has settled into the starting constituent defender relation with 2 10-assist games successful the past 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, the Valkyries person mislaid their starring scorer and rebounder, Kayla Thornton, for the remainder of the play aft genu surgery. She was the enlargement franchise's archetypal All-Star.

There is immoderate bully quality for Golden State: French halfway Iliana Rupert joined the squad past week aft missing the archetypal fractional of the play due to the fact that of overseas commitments.

We've seen immoderate abrupt turnarounds -- for bully and atrocious -- from teams each season. But for now, the Sparks look much similar a playoff squad than the Valkyries do, which wasn't the lawsuit a period ago.

1. Minnesota Lynx (22-5)

Previous ranking: 1

Next 7 days: vs. NY (July 30), @ LV (Aug. 2)

Minnesota bushed Chicago and Las Vegas past week, but the Lynx's defence was excessively lax successful Sunday's 90-86 nonaccomplishment to Atlanta -- their lone location nonaccomplishment of 2025, prevention for the Commissioner's Cup final. It was besides conscionable the 3rd clip this play that the league's apical antiaircraft squad allowed 90 oregon much points successful a game.

Minnesota's long-awaited rematch with past year's WNBA Finals opponent, New York, yet comes Wednesday.

2. New York Liberty (17-8)

Previous ranking: 2

Next 7 days: @ MIN (July 30), @ CON (Aug. 1), @ CON (Aug. 3)

The Liberty won their archetypal 2 games pursuing Jonquel Jones' instrumentality from wounded but were shaky without Breanna Stewart. She near Saturday's 101-99 nonaccomplishment to Los Angeles aboriginal due to the fact that of a limb injury, past didn't play successful Monday's 92-82 nonaccomplishment astatine Dallas. The Liberty looked listless against the Wings until the 4th quarter, but the spread was dug excessively heavy astatine that point.

While they await the accomplishment of Emma Meesseman, who signed with the team earlier this month, the Liberty volition anticipation Stewart is amended soon. Their archetypal of 4 games against first-place Minnesota is Wednesday.

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Wings clasp connected to decision Liberty 92-82

The Wings get retired to a large pb and clasp connected to decision the Liberty.

3. Atlanta Dream (15-10)

Previous ranking: 7

Next 7 days: vs. GS (July 29), @ DAL (July 30), vs. PHO (Aug. 1), vs. WAS (Aug. 3)

Like Los Angeles, Atlanta made a large leap successful this week's rankings acknowledgment to victories astatine Phoenix and Minnesota to adjacent retired a six-game roadworthy swing, with Brittney Griner posting a season-high 22 points against the Lynx. While the Dream did autumn to the Aces past Tuesday, it was a beneficial week wide for the Dream, who await Rhyne Howard's (knee) instrumentality to the lineup.

4. Phoenix Mercury (16-9)

Previous ranking: 3

Next 7 days: @ IND (July 30), @ ATL (Aug. 1), @ CHI (Aug. 3)

Phoenix mislaid 2 of 3 games past week contempt welcoming Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper backmost from injury: to Atlanta and astatine New York. But the Mercury did person a large 2nd fractional astatine Washington to bushed the Mystics 88-72 connected Sunday -- a much-needed triumph with 3 much games near of a five-game roadworthy swing.

5. Indiana Fever (14-12)

Previous ranking: 4

Next 7 days: vs. PHO (July 30), @ DAL (Aug. 1), @ SEA (Aug. 3)

The Fever followed up their 14-point nonaccomplishment astatine New York past Tuesday with an 80-70 triumph astatine location against Las Vegas and a 93-78 triumph astatine Chicago. With Caitlin Clark (groin) retired indefinitely, defender Kelsey Mitchell has taken over. She has led Indiana successful scoring successful each of the past 8 games, including a season-high 35 points against the Sky connected Sunday, and is averaging 20.2 points connected the season.

6. Seattle Storm (16-11)

Previous ranking: 5

Next 7 days: vs. LA (Aug. 1), vs. IND (Aug. 3)

The Storm went 2-2 this past week, with wins implicit Chicago and Connecticut and losses to Dallas and Washington. Skylar Diggins, who had the archetypal triple-double successful WNBA All-Star Game past earlier this month, had different Monday arsenic Seattle bushed Connecticut 101-85. The Storm's biggest contented is inconsistency: They person alternated wins and losses for the past 9 games, dating backmost to July 6.

7. Los Angeles Sparks (11-14)

Previous ranking: 10

Next 7 days: vs. LV (July 29), @ SEA (Aug. 1)

The Sparks' five-game winning streak included 2 victories each against Connecticut and Washington, but those weren't arsenic awesome arsenic Saturday's 101-99 triumph astatine New York, secured by Rickea Jackson's layup astatine the buzzer. Yes, Breanna Stewart was injured aboriginal and near the game. And yes, the Liberty were playing connected back-to-back days. But a roadworthy triumph implicit the defending league champions is substance for a squad already connected a roll.

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Rickea Jackson's buzzer-beater gives Sparks their 5th consecutive win

Rickea Jackson hits a buzzer-beater to assistance the Sparks implicit the Liberty.

8. Las Vegas Aces (13-13)

Previous ranking: 8

Next 7 days: @ LA (July 29), vs. MIN (Aug. 2), vs. GS (Aug. 3)

Las Vegas is simply a .500 squad that had a .500 week, with wins against Atlanta and Dallas and losses astatine Indiana and Minnesota. The Aces did grounds their season-high successful scoring with 106 points against the Wings connected Sunday. Jewell Loyd came disconnected the seat for the archetypal clip since joining the squad to grounds 20 points, portion Kierstan Bell, who replaced Loyd successful the starting lineup, had 19.

9. Washington Mystics (12-13)

Previous ranking: 6

Next 7 days: vs CHI (July 29), vs. GS (July 31), @ ATL (Aug. 3)

The Mystics person mislaid 3 of their past 4 games, with 2 of those coming this past week to Los Angeles and Phoenix. Keep an oculus connected All-Stars Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, arsenic WNBA rookies sometimes tin amusement the effects of fatigue successful the 2nd fractional of the season. The Mystics are presently successful playoff position, and really reaching the postseason would beryllium a notable accomplishment for Washington's year.

10. Golden State Valkyries (11-13)

Previous ranking: 9

Next 7 days: @ ATL (July 29), @ WAS (July 31), @ CHI (Aug. 1), @ LV (Aug. 3)

The Valkyries' archetypal crippled aft it was announced Kayla Thornton would beryllium retired for the play was an 86-76 triumph implicit the Wings connected Friday. Then connected Sunday, they were blown retired 95-64 by the Sun successful the archetypal of 5 consecutive roadworthy games. Golden State volition request to excavation heavy to find its individuality without Thornton.

11. Dallas Wings (8-19)

Previous ranking: 12

Next 7 days: vs. ATL (July 30), vs. IND (Aug. 1)

The Wings bushed Seattle and New York portion losing to Golden State and Las Vegas implicit this past week. Arike Ogunbowale changeable a combined 50% from the field, her champion shooting agelong implicit 4 games this season. The Wings' largest pb successful Monday's triumph implicit the Liberty was 30 points, but New York yet chopped it to six earlier falling 92-82. Still, astatine this point, winning successful immoderate mode is simply a bully crippled for Dallas.

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Bueckers, Ogunbowale harvester for 40 successful Wings' win

Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers some driblet 20 points successful the Wings' 92-82 triumph implicit the Liberty.

12. Chicago Sky (7-18)

Previous ranking: 11

Next 7 days: @ WAS (July 29), vs. GS (Aug. 1), vs. PHO (Aug. 3)

Chicago mislaid to Minnesota, Seattle and Indiana past week to widen the Sky's losing streak to 5 games, averaging conscionable 66 points per crippled implicit that stretch. All-Star Angel Reese has been retired the past 2 games due to the fact that of a backmost injury. The Sky are truly hurting with guards Ariel Atkins (leg) and Hailey Van Lith (ankle) besides out.

13. Connecticut Sun (4-21)

Previous ranking: 13

Next 7 days: vs. NY (Aug. 1), vs. NY (Aug. 3)

The Sun welcomed backmost defender Marina Mabrey, who past played June 20 and missed 9 games due to the fact that of a genu injury. Between losses to Los Angeles and Seattle, Connecticut clobbered Golden State by 31 points connected Sunday. The Sun stay firmly successful the cellar, but that triumph was astatine slightest a ray of light.