After a breakout campaign in 2022 in which she won All-Star Game MVP, made All-WNBA First Team and helped lead the Las Vegas Aces to their first title in franchise history, Kelsey Plum got off to a slow start this season.
Layups were getting blocked, runners were going off the side of the backboard, she couldn't buy a 3-pointer, even free throws weren't going down at her usual rate. Through the team's first eight games, she was averaging just 14.9 points on 39.4/24.4/78.6 shooting splits. And yet, the Aces were 7-1, which signaled bad news for the rest of the league; if no one could beat them with Plum all out of sorts, what would happen when she got back on track?
Well, five consecutive double-digit wins is the answer.
Plum has caught fire in recent weeks and once again looks like the player who finished third in MVP voting last season behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. During the Aces' five-game winning streak, she's leading the team in scoring at 20.6 points per game on 63.3/53.8/100 shooting splits, and chipping in 3.4 assists for good measure. When she's been on the floor, the Aces are scoring a whopping 128.8 points per 100 possessions.
This heater won't last forever, but it's clear Plum has shaken off her early season slump, and the Aces are even better for it.
Now, on to this week's power rankings.
1. Las Vegas Aces (12-1) – Last week No. 1
Just another dominant week for the Aces, who have now won five games in a row, all by double digits. For the season, they have eight double-digit wins, which is more wins than eight of the league's 12 teams have in total. They also boast an absurd plus-19.8 net rating, which if it stands will be the best in WNBA history. However you want to slice it, they are the clear best team in the league.
2. Connecticut Sun (12-3) – Last week No. 2
All-Star starter snub Alyssa Thomas made history on Sunday with her second triple-double of the season and the fourth of her career to become the league's all-time leader in that category. She's going to have to keep up that level of production all season to keep the Sun at the top of the standings after Brionna Jones unfortunately went down with a torn Achilles tendon and will not play the rest of the summer.
3. New York Liberty (9-3) – Last week No. 3
A dramatic overtime comeback on Sunday pushed the Liberty's winning streak to three games and kept them within striking distance of the Sun and Aces ahead of a massive week in which they'll play both teams. One bit of bad news is Stefanie Dolson suffered an ankle sprain which will keep her out for a few weeks and leave the team even more thin in the frontcourt behind Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.
4. Washington Mystics (8-5) – Last week No. 4
The Mystics hot streak came to an end in devastating fashion on Sunday. Not only did they blow a 17-point lead to the Liberty, but Shakira Austin went down with a hip injury and had to be carried off the court. It's still unclear how long she'll be sidelined, but any length of time is bad news for the Mystics; the second-year big had been enjoying a breakout season and was second on the team in scoring and leading the way in rebounding and field goal percentage.
5. Los Angeles Sparks (7-7) – Last week No. 6
The Sparks finally returned to winning ways this week, snapping a three-game losing streak by taking both games of their two-game set with the Wings. They did so in large part thanks to two strong performances off the bench by Destanni Henderson, who is in L.A. on a hardship contract but made a strong case that she deserves a full roster spot somewhere in the league.
6. Atlanta Dream (5-7) – Last week No. 5
This season is turning into a roller coaster for the Dream. In June they've had a three-game losing streak, followed by a three-game winning streak, and are now on a two-game losing streak. The biggest news for the team this week came off the floor, however, when coach Tanisha Wright called out the referees, saying she was "challenging" them to "raise their standards."
7. Dallas Wings (6-8) – Last week No. 7
The week started on a positive note for the Wings, who got Teaira McCowan back from overseas commitments and promptly beat the Dream to snap a three-game losing streak. However, that excitement was short-lived as they promptly lost back-to-back games in L.A. One concerning trend is Satou Sabally's scoring; during this 1-5 skid she's averaging just 14.5 points on 35.4% shooting. They need the recently-named All-Star starter to rediscover her early season form.
8. Indiana Fever (5-8) – Last week No. 9
With a win over the Storm to start the week, the Fever have officially matched their win total from last season and there are still 27 games to play. And that's despite the fact that they've already played the Aces twice, the Sun twice and the Liberty. Aliyah Boston's influence has been noted time and again, but it's worth giving her another shout out after she was named a starter for the All-Star Game, becoming the first rookie to earn that honor since 2014.
9. Chicago Sky (5-9) – Last week No. 8
Another tough week for the Sky, who continued their slide with blowout losses against the Mystics and Sun. They've now lost six games in a row, which is tied for the sixth-longest losing streak in franchise history. Turnovers have been an issue all season – they're 10th in the league with 19% turnover ratio – but even more so recently against elite defenses; they've turned it over at least 19 times in each of their last three games.
10. Seattle Storm (4-9) – Last week No. 10
The Storm took advantage of the Mercury's dysfunction to get back to winning ways on Sunday, and now have half of their wins this season against their old rivals. This is still the Jewell Loyd show, but Ezi Magbegor continues to impress with her development on offense. For the season she's up to 14.7 points per game on 51% from the field in her last four games she's 7-of-10 from behind the arc; if she can develop a consistent 3-point shot she'll be even more of a problem for opponents.
11. Minnesota Lynx (4-9) – Last week No. 11
The Lynx will be sad to know they only have one game left against the Sparks this season. After a win in L.A. to start the week, they are now 3-0 against the Sparks and 1-9 against everyone else. With a fairly easy schedule this week – two against the Storm and one versus the Mercury – we'll soon see if the Lynx just have the Sparks' number this season or have actually turned a corner since their brutal start.
12. Phoenix Mercury (2-10) – Last week No. 12
The Mercury's disastrous start to the season continued with two more defeats to extend their losing streak to five games and drop them to 2-10. With the team sitting in last place and on pace to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2012, general manager Jim Pitman decided he'd had enough and fired head coach Vanessa Nygaard. That was a necessary change, but this team isn't going anywhere this season as long as Skylar Diggins-Smith remains out.
