WNBA Power Rankings: Aces Won't Fold, Liberty Light It Up

As we move into week 8 of the WNBA season, with the Paris Olympics break on the other side, teams are looking to solidify their positions before international play begins.

A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces continue to power toward the top of the standings with the return of Chelsea Gray, while the New York Liberty and Sabrina Ionescu have led the team to its best start in franchise history.

Let's take a look at where teams are sitting now.

12. LA Sparks (4-15)

Last week: 12 | Upcoming: Mercury (7/7), Lynx (7/9)

The Los Angeles Sparks are in search of exactly that—a spark. The team is currently on an eight-game slide with the Olympics break right around the corner.

One silver lining has sprung from this tough rebuilding season, as the team's #4 draft pick Rickea Jackson has shown her deft scoring skills since her promotion to the starting lineup; the Sparks will also be pleased about the inspired play of Dearica Hamby who was named as a replacement for her teammate Cameron Brink on the USA 3x3 squad and an All-Star in the same week.

11. Dallas Wings (4-16)

Last week: 11 | Upcoming: Aces (7/7), Mercury (7/10)

Arike Ogunbowale and Natasha Howard are doing all they can to be the stabilizing force for this massively injured Dallas team, but even with the league's second-leading scorer, the Wings are crashing rather than flying. The club critically needs more firepower alongside Ogunbowale and Howard, but with Satou Sabally and Maddy Siegrist sidelined for an extended period the Wings could be looking at even more turbulence.

10. Washington Mystics (5-16)

Last week: 10 | Upcoming: Lynx (7/6), Fever (7/10)

Though the Mystics sit in the midst of a rebuilding season, it isn't as bleak as it looks for the 2019 WNBA champions. The team has been riddled with injuries, especially to crucial players like Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin, but the team has still managed to put up an impressive offensive attack, knocking down the second-most threes in the league so far.

However, just like Cinderella's coach, the magic seems to fall apart at the end of the night. The Mystics have played the most clutch games in the league this year and seem to crumple at the finish line every time, winning only two of those 15 games.

9. Atlanta Dream (7-11)

Last week: 9 | Upcoming: Connecticut (7/7), Chicago (7/10), Las Vegas (7/12)

The Atlanta Dream's season is quickly becoming a nightmare. It looked as though things could be on the mend as Jordin Canada finally made her debut and immediately began showing off her passing abilities for a team crucially in need of an offensive spark. However, as soon as the dream started it came to a screeching end with the announcement of Canada's broken finger.

Without Rhyne Howard and Canada, the team is struggling to put up points. Hopefully, the addition of Destanni Henderson on a hardship contract will help to steady the ship as the Olympics break looms.

8. Chicago Sky (7-11)

Last week: 7 | Upcoming: Atlanta (7/10), New York (7/11)

The Chicago Sky are still figuring it out on the court behind their rookie all-star Angel Reese. The LSU product is the league's leading rebounder and has notched a double-double for 11 straight games, one shy of Candace Parker's record. Though Reese and fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso are a force on the boards and have cemented the team as one of the top interior forces in the league, the Chicago Sky are still in dire need of shooting.

Chennedy Carter, one of the league leaders in field goal percentage, has been a bright spot for the squad lately with her shifty scoring talent at the rim and mind-blowing speed but without another perimeter threat, the Sky's potential highs could be out of reach.

7. Indiana Fever (8-13)

Last week: 8 | Upcoming: New York (7/6), Washington (7/10), Phoenix (7/12)

Indiana's early season schedule did them no favors as the young team struggled to mesh in the early going. As the team finds its footing, they find themselves with a mountainous task of climbing out of that early season hole, despite playing improved basketball. Over the past three games, Indiana has been the best rebounding team in the league, but one of the worst three-point shooting teams despite Caitlin Clark's penchant for launching the ball from the moon.

The Fever, however, netted themselves three All-Stars this season including the team's rookie phenom. With the gauntlet of tough opponents slowing down after the break, Indiana could make a return to the postseason behind its blossoming bunch.

6. Phoenix Mercury (10-10)

Last week: 6 | Upcoming: Los Angeles (7/7), Dallas (7/10), Indiana (7/11)

Phoenix has shaped itself into being a .500 team despite missing Brittney Griner and Bec Allen for significant stretches of the early season, both of whom are lockdown defenders. Griner's return to the roster adds consistent scoring at the rim for a team that loves to shoot from outside her presence alone opens the team's shooters allowing for their high-powered offense to thrive in places.

When healthy, Phoenix's offense can be potent. Between Natasha Cloud facilitating, Kahleah Copper providing myriad of scoring tools and Diana Taurasi still being deadly from deep, Phoenix could see themselves on the rise with added defensive intensity.

5. Minnesota Lynx (14-6)

Last week: 2 | Upcoming: Washington (7/6), Los Angeles (7/9)

The post-championship hangover is real for the Minnesota Lynx. The squad is on a two-game skid following losses to fellow contenders in the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun after previously beating the Liberty in the Commissioner's Cup Finale.

Usually, the Lynx are a fast-paced team that thrives on getting steals and making the right passes, but in the games against the Liberty and Sun, both teams recorded more steals. Despite an excellent shooting night from deep, Connecticut refused to let Minnesota's passing game thrive limiting them to only 10 fastbreak points. Miserable free throw shooting singlehandedly sunk the Lynx's hopes against the Sun in a tightly contested game between two powerhouses.

4. Connecticut Sun (16-4)

Last week: 5 | Upcoming: Atlanta (7/7), New York (7/10)

After a red-hot start to the season, it looks like the Connecticut Sun's heatwave is starting to cool down. The team is still a force to be reckoned with, but a handful of recent losses have started to show cracks in the team's armor. Connecticut barely pulled out a victory against the Washington Mystics and lost to the ailing Atlanta Dream, but then followed those uninspired performances up with a resounding victory against the Phoenix Mercury and escaped a battle with the Minnesota Lynx with a win.

Connecticut's lack of shooting and methodical pacing could potentially be the sunset of this team's championship aspirations.

3. Seattle Storm (13-6)

Last week: 4 | Upcoming: Chicago (7/7), Las Vegas (7/10)

The Seattle Storm are rumbling to the top of the standings. The freshly assembled team has figured out their roles and are excelling in them. Jewell Loyd has figured out her scoring woes after an injury to her eye, Skylar Diggins is running the show with expert passing, while All-Star snub Ezi Magbegor protects the rim and controls the boards in ways only a Defensive Player of the Year could. Nneka Ogwumike is one of the most efficient players in the league, never wasting a shot shooting a high clip from three and doing fine work inside the arc.

2. New York Liberty (17-3)

Last week: 3 | Upcoming: Indiana (7/6), Connecticut (7/10), Chicago (7/11)

Breanna Stewart, Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones have gotten the New York Liberty off to the best start in franchise history thanks to their balanced attack. The team has drained the most threes in the league while ranking fifth in percentage, now that Ionescu has back shooting at a high clip—that percentage could become even more formidable.

Add in their stout defense and the Liberty could see themselves back in the WNBA Finals.

1. Las Vegas Aces (12-6)

Last week: 1 | Upcoming: Dallas (7/7), Seattle (7/10)

They thought the reigning champions were folding but it was all a bluff. The Las Vegas Aces are 6-0, with the return of Gray who is not only dropping some impressive dimes, but locking up opposing teams as well. Since her return, the team's defensive rating has spiked with her and Jackie Young shutting down opposing scorers or leading them directly into the defensive force that is Wilson.

What more can be said about Wilson? She's been the WNBA's Western Conference Player of the Month for the last five months and seven of the last 10 times. Somehow, the best player in the league is getting even better, sharpening her handle, and often bringing the ball up court or knifing through defenders from the perimeter.