NFL
By: Stephen PridGeon-Garner
The top of the WNBA continues to provide parity in many ways, generating thorough conversations amongst fans.
It’s setting the table for a fun finish and even more fun postseason.
Amidst that, the middle-tier teams showing the ability to punch up in the Liberty, Wings, and Mercury are all as intriguing as any team in the W for me.
As they continue finding their footing and establishing identities, be sure to give the appropriate attention to that tier as, there’s a good chance one could make it into the top-5 of my rankings as the season treks on.
(Last week’s rankings are in parentheses).
1.) Las Vegas Aces: 13-3 (1)
The high-powered Aces have gone 2-1 the past week, with wins @ Dallas and over Minnesota, and a loss of dramatic magnitudes to Chicago. As daunting of a task to have lined up on the schedule, even without having their full rotation in play as Riquna Williams (left foot sprain) works her way back, they are dominant. Plum is on a consecutive streak of games at 20+ and they are humming, Young is back in the rotation, and Wilson (player of the week for the west) is playing some career-best two-way ball.
The job Wilson & Hamby have done, on both ends this half, is the big difference in the game. Wings offense was off-script almost all half pic.twitter.com/gREa4poRPH
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) June 15, 2022
A question of fatigue and attrition looms for me with them not being as deep rotation-wise. Keep an eye on that as the season progresses.
2.) Chicago Sky: 11-5 (2)
Kahleah Copper is fresh off a week where she’s seen some of the best production of her career, and the Sky have gone 2-1 with that. They’re getting production from their top-6 and are seeing that collective mesh, while also getting ancillary efforts from the fringes with a collective buy-in necessary to navigate the waters of depth in a manner conducive to a winning environment. That’s a testament to leadership, and coach Wade and company are strong in that.
3.) Connecticut Sun: 12-5 (3)
The season that Brionna Jones is enjoying is all-impressive. She’s been a lynchpin for their rotation both in spelling Jonquel Jones and Alyssa Thomas, as well as playing with those two. She’s as ever-steady as it gets, and her efforts have her firmly planted atop the sixth player of the year ranks a little past the third mark of the season. They’re generally functioning at a solid level collectively.
2 plays encapsulating how collectively smart, & even with 2 new starters just how already connected the Sun are
Playing off of JJ's post ups & gravity with disciplined spacing, second-side movement, & intelligent cuts creating advantageous looks + the Courtney Williams dynamic pic.twitter.com/IMOtZyl3Si
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) June 16, 2022
Courtney Williams and her dynamic have been a much-needed entity for the face change they’ve seen offensively, Heideman is at 39.4% from deep on 4.2 attempts, and DiJonai Carrington has brought entities of added value with the open minutes in the rotation. All have allowed them to rebound (no pun intended but they’re 1st in the W) even more in the sudden absence of Jasmine Thomas.
4.) Seattle Storm: 10-6 (4)
Watching Gabby Williams’ two-way impact on this veteran Storm team has been a pleasure. They seem built specifically for the postseason with their collection of talents, and as they compile more games together it becomes more obvious that they’re sure to be in the way of everybody in Sue Bird’s final season. The Magbegor-Stewart frontcourt pairing is as good as it gets in production, activity, and versatility, equipping head coach Noelle Quinn with all she could ask for to make her system go.
5.) Washington Mystics: 11-8 (5)
Delle Donne being in the lineup always gives this team a doppelganger of sorts in terms of the team taking on two different outlooks when she plays versus when she rests. With her in the lineup this past week it’s unlocked peak Natasha Cloud, allowing her to better balance her extension of efforts in two-way play, and oh has she! EDD in the lineup stamps them as top-5, and with the continued growth of Austin in the frontcourt as well as Alysha Clark and Ariel Atkins, you can see the picture they’re piecing together.
