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Teams around the WNBA have finally started to settle into the second half of the season, and the dynamics that are shaping the potential postseason picture are becoming clearer. From reversing fortunes to injury scares and recoveries, there's plenty to keep an eye on around the W in this week's WNBA power rankings.
There are some surprise leaps in store, as squads that once looked dead have infused new life into their campaigns. Elsewhere around the league, some powerhouses have shown some cracks in their armor, but is it a sign of a larger stumble in store? Let's take a look at the state of the WNBA after 10 total weeks of play.
Nothing but highlights.
This is the #Bestof Week 8 🎬 pic.twitter.com/GaepW1z9BO
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 29, 2025
1. Minnesota Lynx (22-5)
The Lynx still sit atop the league, defeating the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces en route to a sizzling 15-2 conference record. Their only slip in their previously undefeated, franchise-record home crawl came recently with a 90-86 loss to the Atlanta Dream, dropping the Lynx to 14-1 when they have the homecourt advantage this regular season. And even with the disappointment, MVP front‑runner Napheesa Collier still managed to etch her name in the record books one more time, proving why she deserves the award hype.
Behind Collier and commanding coach Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota is nearly unmatched in offensive and defensive efficiency, playing methodical basketball that overwhelms opponents. The Lynx's stingy defense, clutch discipline, and unwavering consistency leave them firmly at No. 1 once again this week. Despite the Dream loss, the Lynx remain the gold standard right now.
However, this upcoming stretch of games is where it really gets interesting — the Lynx will be tested more in the next few weeks than they have been all season. Minnesota is staring down the barrel of 13 playoff-caliber opponents, including four Finals rematches with the New York Liberty.
2. New York Liberty (17-8)
The Liberty still possess their championship pedigree, but lately, they've been taking hit after hit. Breanna Stewart is currently sidelined by a leg injury, and New York lost both the contest she got hurt in, a 101-99 buzzer-beating defeat to the LA Sparks, and the following one, an “embarrassing” 92-82 upset at the Dallas Wings. Luckily for the Liberty, they did just get reigning Finals MVP Jonquel Jones back from a 12-game injury absence, and the much-anticipated arrival of Emma Meesseman is fast approaching.
Those factors may be just what New York needs to feel like it's at full strength just as playoff tension builds. The Liberty's second‑place spot in nearly every power ranking reflects not only their consistency, but also their ability to bounce back after previous hiccups this season. When fully healthy, New York remains the most dangerous contender behind Minnesota and perhaps the only team capable of dethroning them — a theory that'll be tested when they meet on July 30.
3. Atlanta Dream (15-10)
The Dream's ceiling remains high thanks to the team's growing chemistry and the step up star center Brittney Griner has been taking recently. Griner was the squad's bright spot this week, first in her Phoenix Mercury homecoming and then with her season-high 22-point performance in their recent win over the Lynx, which ended Minnesota’s historic home winning streak.
Atlanta’s offensive firepower and tenacity, especially from beyond the arc, are on full display for the league to see, and it's reassuring that the production doesn't stop just because three-time All-Star Rhyne Howard remains out with a knee issue. The Dream have constantly been in the top five of these power rankings, showcasing their elite offense and ability to flex great depth, even without all hands on deck.
4. Indiana Fever (14-12)
The Fever's growing cohesion gives optimism to a franchise finding the key to staying afloat without its biggest star. Despite ill-timed injuries and Caitlin Clark missing time, Indiana's gaining traction in rankings, reflecting their rising chemistry and improvement trajectory. Star guard Kelsey Mitchell is largely who the Fever have to thank — she's taken over the leading role with Clark out indefinitely and led the team in scoring, including a season-high 35-point outing with seven 3s in Sunday's 93-78 victory over the Sky.
Indiana showed it could bounce back after a 14-point loss to the Liberty, taking out the Sky and Aces at home in an 80-70 win within a week. The Fever have a varying level of opponents to take on next week, with the Wings surging and Mercury and Storm showing inconsistencies, so this will be the time to separate themselves from the pretenders and solidify a playoff-contending spot.
5. Phoenix Mercury (16-9)
The Mercury recently snapped a three-game slump thanks to an extraordinary 27‑point, 11‑rebound, eight‑assist night from Alyssa Thomas in a blowout win over the Washington Mystics, 88-72. But Phoenix remains a notch below the top two due to inconsistency against elite teams. The Mercury suffered double-digit defeats against the Dream and Liberty despite getting Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally back from injuries.
However, with key contributors Thomas, Copper, and Sabally all healthy and integrated, the Mercury still have a chance at a deep postseason push. Phoenix is right in the middle of a five-game road trip and has some interesting foes left in front of them, including the Fever and Dream. If there was any time for the Mercury to show what they're made of, it's now.
6. Seattle Storm (16-11)
The Storm sit third in the West after an even 2-2 week, perfectly summing up the roller coaster that has been their record since the start of July. Their recent dominant 101-85 victory over the Connecticut Sun did feature a triple‑double from Skylar Diggins, which was the first of her career in the regular season and second-ever in Storm history.
Key contributions from fellow All-Stars Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike underlined Seattle’s experience and depth as the Storm continue to push for the top of the power rankings. Seattle's veteran leadership, formidable defense, and proven capability to raise its level in must‑win late‑season games have the squad set up for success, but the Storm will need to find a less tumultuous path if they want to be taken seriously as threats.
7. Los Angeles Sparks (11-14)
The Sparks are riding a five‑game winning streak into the playoff conversation and are high off Rickea Jackson's buzzer-beating layup to beat the Liberty. Despite still being behind stronger West teams, LA is arguably the hottest team in the W right now, and the Sparks are about to get top 2024 draft pick Cameron Brink back from a year-long absence due to an ACL tear.
Brink's return adds much-needed defensive activity and frontcourt toughness, while players like Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, and Azurá Stevens provide scoring punch. Still, their recent streak, while encouraging, came mostly against lower-tier opponents like the Sun and Mystics, so the Sparks will have the chance to prove themselves against stronger foes in the Aces and Storm if they're going to overcome the 1.5-game gap for the final postseason berth.
8. Las Vegas Aces (13-13)
Squarely in the middle of the West standings, the Aces' season could still be considered a disappointment given their championship expectations. Despite A’ja Wilson playing MVP‑level basketball, Las Vegas has struggled in close games and suffered from playoff-impeding inefficiencies. The Aces got solid wins over the Dream and Wings but showed they're still a touch below the W's top level as they lost to the Fever and Lynx.
The Aces did notch a season-high 106 points against Dallas, but that came after the worst loss they've suffered since 2023 as Minnesota topped Vegas by 31 points. The team is clearly still figuring out its chemistry, as star offseason trade acquisition Jewel Loyd saw positive results after head coach Becky Hammon shifted her from starter to the bench. If the Aces plan to continue their championship-caliber reputation intact, they'll need way more production from Loyd, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray to take pressure off reigning MVP A'ja Wilson.
9. Dallas Wings (8-19)
The Wings sit firmly out of playoff contention, but they're not playing like they know that. Dallas is full of fight, taking down both the Storm and, shockingly, the Liberty within a week of one another amid a 7-8 turnaround after starting the year 1-11. The latter were without Stewart, but that doesn't negate the way the Wings were able to rain all over the Liberty's parade and withstand a forceful second-half comeback attempt.
Arike Ogunbowale has been having her best shooting stretch of the campaign, and Rookie of the Year candidate Paige Bueckers has remained as on point as she's been all season. The Wings did fall to competitive foes in the Golden State Valkyries and Aces, and they will once again be challenged by top contenders in the Dream and Fever. Dallas has an interesting chance to play spoiler and move up in the WNBA power rankings while proving the club shouldn't have been counted out so soon.
10. Golden State Valkyries (11-13)
The Valkyries are just outside of playoff positioning as the ninth seed, and they also recently suffered a massive setback by losing Kayla Thornton for the campaign due to a knee injury suffered in practice. Golden State's trajectory is fragile at best despite a 10-point win over the Wings, especially after getting blown out 95-64 by the league-worst Sun immediately after.
The franchise that started the 2025 season as the WNBA's biggest surprise is now having an equally surprising turn for the worse and seems to have to rediscover its identity right at the most crucial points of the campaign. Do the Valkyries have what it takes to right the ship? On paper, maybe. But the struggle to figure out the team's solution could be a sign of expansion team growing pains catching up to them after all.
11. Washington Mystics (12-13)
The Mystics currently possess the final playoff seed, but their recent performances suggest that spot is vulnerable. The Mystics recently dropped three of their last four, including this past week's losses to the Mercury and Sparks. Saturday's win over the inconsistent Storm provided an optimistic high note, but that won't be enough to hold off the Sparks and Valkyries right on their tail.
Rookie sensations Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have come down to Earth a bit since All-Star Weekend, but Washington still has veterans in Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin that the squad can lean on. The Mystics host a mixed bag of opponents in the Sky and Valkyries before heading on the road to take on the Dream, giving them their best chance to solidify their postseason standing.
12. Chicago Sky (7-18)
The Sky are enduring a nightmare season only made worse by off‑court and roster setbacks. The negative impact from Courtney Vandersloot’s season‑ending injury is now compounded by Angel Reese's absence due to a lingering back issue, Ariel Atkins' leg injury, and Hailey Van Lith's ankle ailment.
The general inconsistency under first‑year coach Tyler Marsh is also not helping matters, and neither do last week's big defeats to the Lynx, Storm, and Fever amid a five-game losing streak. The Sky haven't come close to a win since pulling off the upset over the Lynx on July 12, and that face most likely won't change any time soon as they have the Mystics, Valkyries, and Mercury up next.
13. Connecticut Sun (4-21)
With no playoff hope left, the Sun still managed to take advantage of a faltering Golden State and pull off an unlikely 95-64 blowout win. Besides ending a four-game losing streak with their largest victory of the season, the only other bright spot has been veteran Tina Charles.
Even with Marina Mabrey back from a nine-contest absence after suffering a knee injury, the Sun are mostly focused on racking up individual recognition and playing spoiler every once in a while to teams that do have a ton to lose. We'll be tuned in to see if they'll be able to repeat those results in either game they're hosting against the Liberty this week.
As of now, the Lynx are still the ones to beat in the WNBA. However, there are a few teams that are not too far behind them, including the Liberty and Dream, that are putting together convincing cases for why they're realistic contenders for the 2025 title. The Storm and Mercury are the biggest threats to Minnesota in the Western Conference, but both sides are still finding their footing and need more consistency if they're going to compete with the Lynx.
Then there are teams like the Fever, Sparks, Wings, and Aces who are reversing from their rough starts to the season and have been on impressive win streaks, regardless of whether they end up in the postseason or not. Overall, Week 10's WNBA power rankings have demonstrated the league's parity perfectly, setting up an exciting endgame for the 2025 campaign.
