Submit-Commerce Deadline WNBA Energy Rankings: Caitlin Clark & Fever Making Playoff Push

The WNBA is lastly again after a month-long Olympic break, the commerce deadline handed with out a lot motion, and folk, it is time to begin enthusiastic about the playoffs.

It looks like the postseason is on your entire Indiana Fever roster’s thoughts, a minimum of. Not solely is Caitlin Clark persevering with to pop off—on Sunday she broke Ticha Penicheiro’s rookie help document established in 1998—however the group round her has been equally spectacular these days. The Fever are cleansing it up on protection and making a legit playoff push as another middling groups want to choose up some steam.

In the meantime, there’s some motion on the high of the league as the perfect of the perfect separate themselves with consistency—these Liberty simply carry on successful.

Who has come out of the break refreshed and making an announcement? Who must get it collectively? Let’s dive into our first energy rankings of the second half of this already eventful WNBA season.

Report: 6-21

Internet Score: -10.6

If life wasn’t powerful sufficient for the injury-bitten Dallas Wings, they have the Liberty for the second consecutive recreation Thursday evening. The Wings are flailing round at this level, and regardless of a stray optimistic offensive recreation right here and there, the protection as an entire simply retains arising brief.

Some excellent news? Satou Sabally, Maddy Siegrist and Jaelyn Brown had been medically cleared to hitch the roster. Meaning letting go of hardship signings Odyssey Sims (who’s off to the Sparks) and Monique Billings (who’s off to the Mercury). We’ll see if the return of those gamers can get one thing cooking on protection earlier than it is too late.

Report: 6-22

Internet Score: -9.1

It is trying just like the Los Angeles Sparks will miss the postseason for the fourth season in a row. I am hesitant to place them on the very backside, although, as a result of there are a minimum of a number of issues to be optimistic about when trying on the roster and watching them play. Rickea Jackson is rising as an enormous brilliant spot, and naturally Cameron Brink shall be again subsequent season after an unlucky ACL tear early on in her rookie marketing campaign.

I bought to witness noticed some coronary heart and flashes of potential at TD Backyard on Tuesday because the Sparks finally fell to the Solar. They don’t seem to be there but, and yeah, they will most likely sit the playoffs out as soon as once more. However typically the path you are shifting in is extra necessary than the velocity, and I see the imaginative and prescient for long-term greatness. We simply want a bit extra persistence.

Report: 6-22

Internet Score: -6.5

One other severely injured group on the backside of the facility rankings? Colour us shocked.

The Washington Mystics have the worst successful share within the league and a 6-22 document, however they’ve needed to cope with accidents to a few starters all through the season. Now Shakira Austin, Brittney Sykes and Karlie Samuelson are again and you may already see a little bit of a shift in play, however they’re nonetheless dropping video games and factors within the standings.

The subsequent few weeks shall be big for the Mystics as they give the impression of being to spoil the playoff area.

Report: 11-16

Internet Score: -3.8

The Chicago Sky play such a sound defensive recreation that it virtually distracts you from the obtrusive lack of offense. It turned unimaginable to disregard with out Marina Mabrey, although, and now the group is paying in its first few video games again from break.

The Mercury simply beat the Sky in a pair of video games, and the Sky needed to pull off a dramatic comeback to beat the flailing Sparks. Why? A easy lack of offense. Angel Reese’s virtually nightly double-doubles are nice, however she wants some assist with a particular offensive specialist.

At the very least the Sky know precisely what they should be really aggressive and to enrich Reese subsequent season.

Report: 10-17

Internet Score: -5.5

The Atlanta Dream had been in deep trouble headed into the break, dropping eight in a row and 11 of their final 12 earlier than the month-long reset.

Seems to be like they took benefit of the break, as a result of they’ve mustered up three spectacular wins in opposition to the Solar, the Storm and the Mercury post-break. Jordin Canada’s return has clearly finished wonders on the scoreboard. The place the Sky are trending down, the Dream are trending up, and these two groups shall be battling it out for a playoff spot down the stretch.

Report: 18-10

Internet Score: 6.9

The Seattle Storm have gotten to determine it out if they do not wish to slip out of a playoff spot. It has been a slew of shut calls and half-hearted losses just lately. Administration clearly acknowledged this and introduced again Gabby Williams within the largest transfer of the commerce deadline this week (sarcastically, a signing!).

Williams led France to an Olympic silver medal and was named finest defensive participant of the Olympics, and whew, do the Storm want some protection.

Let’s examine if she’s the piece that may make all of it work. This roster is simply too proficient to flail round, so look out for a robust second half if the hassle is there.

Report: 13-15

Internet Score: -5.4

I do not wish to rattle the Caitlin Clark hot-take nest any additional, though I am undecided there are any bees left in it. However Clark instructed us she was embracing the Olympic break within the midst of her whirlwind rookie season, and her play and demeanor post-break exhibits us she wasn’t simply being diplomatic about not making the USA roster.

She’d entered the break already main the league in assists and actually rounding into generational kind, and she or he’s doing the identical with some added pep post-break.

Do not look now, however the Fever are virtually breaking even at 13-15 after a bleak begin, Clark is exceeding our wild expectations, and she or he’s not the one one—Aliyah Boston is contributing to the defensive enchancment together with her rebounding, and Kelsey Mitchell is stepping up on offense with 27-plus factors in each post-break video games.

The Fever are gaining confidence with each powerful group they discover themselves now beating.

Report: 15-14

Internet Score: -1.8

Look, these are my private energy rankings, and I’ll permit “vibes” to weigh in as I deem acceptable. And who on Earth is vibing tougher than Kahleah Copper in the intervening time?

Between the Olympic gold-medal-saving efficiency that had A’ja Wilson swearing on worldwide tv, and Copper returning to Chicago sporting her previous jersey after which continuing to drop 29 factors on her previous group, the lady is unstoppable. She’s at present No. 2 leaguewide with 23.1 factors per recreation, and the Mercury are above .500 with a 15-13 document.

Phoenix can’t appear to resolve Indiana, which is a big drawback particularly because the Fever are trending up. However they’re extra constant and have a extra convincing shot choice and accuracy, so for now they keep a spot above the Fever. However Clark and Co. are inching their approach into the highest 5, and I would not be stunned to see them there subsequent time.

Report: 20-7

Internet Score: 8.2

The Connecticut Solar and the Sparks gave these of us fortunate sufficient to witness historical past within the sold-out TD Backyard crowd one heck of a present Tuesday, but it surely should not have been so shut for the 20-7 Solar.

They have been slipping a little bit bit with a 6-4 document of their final 10 and must put collectively a strong win streak to essentially persuade us they’ll make a legit playoff run. The acquisition of Marina Mabrey is already paying off, so she’ll be a key a part of this push.

Report: 17-10

Internet Score: 5.6

Regardless of A’ja Wilson’s ridiculous season, the back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces have taken their foot off the fuel a bit at occasions all year long. This was at its worst at first of the season (a little bit of champion fatigue?), however just like the elite group they’re, all they wanted was a sizzling streak to get again to the highest.

Downside is, they’re within the firm of two different elite groups—the Liberty and the Lynx. Each of those groups have extra to show and plenty of motivation to take action. Will veteran expertise or desperation win out when it actually issues?

Report: 20-8

Internet Score: 8.5

The Minnesota Lynx and Coach of the Yr front-runner Cheryl Reeve are doing exhilarating issues this season following up their Commissioner Cup win.

Napheesa Collier is again from Group USA motion, and the group began the second half with a trio of wins, highlighted by a 98-87 assertion win over the Aces Wednesday evening. With all the boldness and Gold Medal-winning coach Reeve’s knack for getting essentially the most out of her gamers, it is actually beginning to really feel just like the Lynx are going to spoil everybody else’s enjoyable come the playoffs.

Report: 24-4

Internet Score: 13.5

The Aces and New York Liberty have adopted up final season’s Finals assembly neck-and-neck on the high of the league as soon as once more. The Aces struggled early on, although, and so they’ve relied closely on A’ja Wilson’s probably historic particular person season. Additionally they have not been in a position to remedy the Liberty, who beat them once more 79-67 over the weekend.

In the meantime, the Liberty have been extra constant and have been in a position to depend on their full squad all season. New York has no particular person gamers within the high 5 in factors, however they rank within the high 5 in each main teamwide stat. They’ve proven no indicators of letting up, and so they’re undefeated post-Olympic break with a trio of wins that prolonged their win streak to seven.

Now, the Liberty are the standalone No. 1 group within the standings with a 24-4 document and .857 win share. Sabrina Ionescu’s changing into the participant we knew she’d be earlier than our eyes, and Breanna Stewart’s all-around recreation is mainly a microcosm of what makes the entire group click on.

All there’s left to do for the Liberty is defeat the Aces the place it counts and win their first WNBA championship.