As the Commissioner’s Cup continues, and a fourth of the season has been accounted for, so check out at rolling out‘s WNBA Power Rankings for the week of June 19.
It appears the Atlanta Dream has hit its stride. With the offseason additions of star guard Allisha Gray and former Stanford college standout Haley Jones, the team looked set to propel into the franchise’s first postseason appearance in five years. However, Atlanta struggled to begin the regular season, starting off 2-5, which included a loss to the Indiana Fever that ended Indiana’s historic 20-game losing streak and a historic comeback victory of their own to defeat the Minnesota Lynx, one of the league’s worst teams. On the Dream’s current road trip, Atlanta has won three games in a row, tied for the best streak in the league, and has won against two of the top three teams in the league: The New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun. All-star guard Rhyne Howard has gotten her rhythm back offensively on the trip, while center Cheyenne Parker and guard Allisha Gray have continued to play well. Jones also looks more comfortable on the floor as she’s entered the starting lineup since guard Aari McDonald suffered a torn labrum, and veteran guard Danielle Robinson has returned from left knee injury.
Haley Jones is really starting to find comfort posting while driving to use her size to create angles
Really love some of what we've seen from her the past week or so as she's gotten more burn
These are the types of things that have always felt on the horizon for her as a pro pic.twitter.com/nS6fVBDHcQ
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) June 18, 2023
In Indiana, center Aliyah Boston has continued her dominant rookie campaign by scoring at least 19 points in her last three games. She finished with a career-tying high 25 points and six rebounds against the Dream on June 18.
WNBA rookies to finish a game with at least
25 PTS,
65% shooting from the field,
5 REB, and
4 BLK:Candace Parker (July 9, 2008)
Breanna Stewart (June 16, 2016)
A'ja Wilson (Aug. 17, 2018)
Aliyah Boston (today)No one has done it earlier in their career than Boston (game 11). pic.twitter.com/7K9sUQLIA7
— Across the Timeline (@WBBTimeline) June 18, 2023
The Seattle Storm and Dallas Wings put on a scoring clinic on June 17 as Seattle won 109-103. Star guards Arike Ogunbowale and Jewell Loyd both finished with career highs with 41 and 39 points, respectively in the match-up.
A BATTLE FOR THE AGES 😱
Arike Ogunbowale and Jewell Loyd both scored CAREER-HIGHS 🙌 #ThatsaW | @espnW pic.twitter.com/78WSlvpzxi
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 17, 2023
1. Las Vegas Aces (10-1) (Last week: No. 1)
2. Connecticut Sun (9-3) (Last week: No. 3)
3. New York Liberty (7-3) (Last week: No. 2)
4. Atlanta Dream (5-5) (Last week: No. 8)
5. Washington Mystics (7-4) (Last week: No. 4)
6. Los Angeles Sparks (5-6) (Last week: No. 7)
7. Indiana Fever (4-7) (Last week: No. 10)
8. Dallas Wings (5-6) (Last week: No. 5)
9. Chicago Sky (5-7) (Last week: No. 6)
10. Seattle Storm (3-7) (Last week: No. 12)
11. Minnesota Lynx (3-8) (Last week: No. 11)
12. Phoenix Mercury (2-8) (Last week: No. 9)
