WNBA Power Rankings: Las Vegas, Chicago rise again

ByMichael Voepel

Monday, September 9, 2024

The Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Sparks have been eliminated from WNBA playoff contention. Who will join them on the postseason sidelines, and who will take the No. 8 seed?

The seven teams that already have playoff spots continue to jockey for position and home-court advantage -- including the first-place New York Liberty, who are No. 1 again in this week's ESPN WNBA Power Rankings -- but we're focused on the other end, where the Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics are trying to make the postseason.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the Mystics will face the Sky and the Dream (twice) this week; Atlanta and Chicago still have a matchup left against each other the following week. All three have faced challenges due to injuries this season.

Let's start with the Sky, who are in eighth place in the standings but got stunning news Saturday: forward Angel Reese is out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury. As a rookie, she established herself as a consistent double-double threat and one of the top rebounders in the league. It's a shame we won't get to see her finish this season.

Fellow rookie Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever said Sunday of Reese, "She's had a historic year, and she's done some incredible things. She came to the league and really did what she's done well her entire career, as long as I've known her."

Coach Teresa Weatherspoon didn't give any details about Reese's injury, saying Reese could disclose that if she chooses to.

Even without Reese, the Sky ended Dallas' playoff hopes with a 92-77 victory Sunday. Chicago guard Chennedy Carter had 28 points, and veteran forward Isabelle Harrison made the most of her first start of 2024 with 21 points and nine rebounds.

"It's unfortunate we're in this situation," Weatherspoon said, "but we're excited about what we can do."

The ninth-place Dream almost had a big win Sunday. They led Indiana by as much as 16 points -- which turned into a 104-100 overtime loss. Atlanta has lost forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus (ankle) for the remainder of the season, and there's no timetable for guard Aerial Powers (calf) to return.

Add in the games missed earlier this season due to injury by guards Rhyne Howard (11) and Jordin Canada (21). That's what the Dream have been up against, despite the strong play of Allisha Gray and Tina Charles all summer.

"The resiliency of the team, the grittiness -- they're continuing to fight," Dream coach Tanisha Wright said. "Even in those games we're losing, we're in every single one of them. But you have to be able to win some of those tight games."

Washington, which also has been beset with injuries, started the season 0-12. No one would have imagined back then that we would be talking in September about the Mystics contending for the playoffs. But they kept plugging away, and the return of guard Brittney Sykes from injury has really helped.

Whichever team gets the last spot will be a big underdog, of course, in the first round of the playoffs. But the Sky, Dream and Mystics wouldn't mind that; they just want the chance.