NFL
By: Stephen PridGeon-Garner
We’re amidst the final week of the regular season and still have so much left to sort out.
At the top of the top lies the reigning champs plus the Aces (who they play tonight in an all-important rubber match for the season series) and the Connecticut Sun. Each has won seven of its last 10.
Just under that group are the Storm and Mystics.
Then, there’s the Dallas Wings who have ripped off six wins in their last 10 games and separated themselves.
Lastly lies the tier of mass variance, with the Lynx having completed the comeback and positioning themselves in the driver’s seat the rest of the way as if they win out, they’re in the playoffs and presently reside in 7th place after a timely win over the Phoenix Mercury.
In all, this will make for a fun sprint to the finish line as meaningful games make up the rest of the season for essentially everyone.
Without further adieu, let’s dive into my power rankings ahead of the start of the playoffs.
(Last week’s rankings are in parentheses).
1.) Chicago Sky: 25-9 (1)
Winners of seven of their last 10, the Sky have their sights set on maintaining a style of basketball true to their brand on both ends of the floor, with the belief that when they do so, they’re virtually unbeatable.
Their balanced attack, featuring numerous scorers and playmakers, renders them virtually scheme-proof and adds an ever-present element of ambiguity.
The activity of each of their main rotation pieces is second to none, and as their pieces on offense begin to click in the all-encompassing fashion they’ve sought after all season-long, they’re looking to cash in on the opportunity they’ve afforded themselves in repeating last season’s successes.
2.) Las Vegas Aces: 24-10 (2)
The defense has sustained the Aces, and they’ve remained steady with their night-to-night output of production.
Their fearsome top-6 is tough enough to contend with any team’s main rotation, and versatile enough with that group’s attack to take you off-script and keep you off-script applying pressure with bucket (after bucket, after bucket), pace, and defensive activity.
They force most teams to squeeze the absolute most juice they can out of their possessions offensively because they’re such a riddle to solve scheme-wise offensively.
That game-long trend, especially when they’re clicking in their signature pyrotechnic-like manner, makes them as daunting a team to be tasked with as any.
Of note: they will be without all-star forward Dearica Hamby for potentially two to four weeks as she nurses a right knee bone contusion.
3.) Connecticut Sun: 23-11 (3)
Recently they’ve seen some tough losses to the Sky. That’s a team that’s been a consistent thorn in their sides dating back to last playoffs, however.
They still have a style of play that’s most suitable for the postseason, with a point of emphasis on the glass and in the paint that inevitably slows the pace of games down.
However, a second-to-last placing in percentage of points from deep on the season makes the math difficult at times. It’s the lack of viability in their shot profile that is a looming question mark. Even still, they remain very formidable for here in 2022.
4.) Washington Mystics: 20-14 (4)
They’ve had peaks and valleys amidst the expected ups and downs of their regular season, nonetheless, they remain (in my opinion) maybe the second most trustworthy team in the contender realm.
No, they are not without flaws, but they are extremely well-built for series formats and have the two-way effectiveness, collectively, to give themselves opportunities against any team.
The Mystics will be a VERY tough out with the championship experience they have compiled in addition to Mike Thibault and his sideline dynamic.
5.) Seattle Storm: 21-13 (5)
Coming off a game where they were able to do to the Sky what many could only dream of, in scoring consistently and keeping them in rotation (specifically countering their aggressive defense from the middle of the floor time and time again), the Storm simply gave us all a reminder that they are still indeed relevant and can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
They have the ability to play in the halfcourt as well as with pace, run great actions and sharp sets, then have the lineup and defensive versatility to give teams’ offenses a speed bump at any given moment.
Add to that the luxury of a top-5 defensive player of the year candidate now coming off the bench for them, and you see just how good this team is. They’re playing some of their best ball of the season at the right time and, as I’ve said all season, are built specifically for the postseason.
