WNBA Strength Ranking: Aces overtake Storm for top spot; Jonquel Jones from Sun returns in dominant style

For most of the last month, Jonquel Jones overseas participated in EuroBasket with Bosnia and Herzegovina. His absence was a blow to the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA, but it was a huge boost to the Balkan nation. With several record-breaking appearances, Jones took them to the quarter-finals for the first time, and a place in the qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup.

In case of doubt, Jones proved throughout the tournament that he is indeed one of the best players in the world, and can put the team on his back. Now in the United States again, he will continue to do as much as he can for the Sun. In his first game, he cleared signs of jet lag and lost 23 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three steals in one of the best performances anyone has produced this season.

For the season, the Sun are now 10-2 with Jones in the lineup; those two defeats came in extra time and by a combined eight points. Overall, they are 12-5, which leaves them only half a game behind the Las Vegas Aces and the Seattle Storm for first place. Concerns about how they would go on without Alyssa Thomas have been answered.

Jones has been one of the most exciting young players in the league for some time. But now, in the midst of his fifth season, he’s established himself as a formidable superstar. He posted a career-high 21.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from 3 points. If he was a slightly better free-throw shooter, he would soon join the proud 50/40/90 club.

It’s too early to start serious discussions about MVP and other season-ending awards, but there’s little doubt Jones will be a finalist for multiple awards. Now on to this week’s WNBA Strength Ranking.

1. Las Vegas Aces (12-4) – Last week No. 2

Aces have taken over the top spot in the standings and the top spot in the Power Rankings. Over the weekend they beat Storm in an overtime thriller that was one of the best games of the season. As a result they now have a tiebreak between the two teams, which could be crucial for seeding come playoff time.

2. Seattle Storm (12-4) — Last week No. 1

With their heartbreaking loss to the Aces, the Storms have now lost back-to-back play for the first time all season and have also fallen from first place. However, there is little cause for concern, as both losses came by a combined seven points. Plus, the next five games are against teams under .500, so they should get back on track soon.

3. Chicago Sky (10-8) — Last week No. 3

Chicago eventually lost to Candace Parker in the lineup, and relieved Dallas’ frustration with a stunning first half before sliding to victory. When Sky do get it rolling, as they did in that game, they look like the scariest team in the league. Since Parker’s return to the lineup, they are No. 1 in the offensive rankings (105.9) and No. 2 in the defensive rankings (94.3).

4. Connecticut Sun (12-5) — Last week No. 4

Jonquel Jones returned with some style, scoring 23 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three steals in his first game. With their best player in the lineup again, Sun once again looks like one of the best teams in the league. They have won four games in a row and are only half a game behind the Storms and Aces for first place.

5. Minnesota Lynx (8-7) — Last week No. 6

The Lynx beat the Aces in extra time to get their biggest result of the season, and have now won three games in a row. As a result they have climbed over 0.500 for the first time and moved up to fifth place with 8-7. However, one cause for little concern is that to get that win, Cheryl Reeve had to rely heavily on her stars. Napheesa Collier have not sat in their last game, and have played 115 of the last 125 minutes.

6. Phoenix Mercury (7-8) — Last week No. 7

After more than a month out with a fractured sternum, Diana Taurasi returned to action this week in Mercury’s win over Sparks. In the process he became the first player in WNBA history to reach 9,000 career points. Already the all-time leading goalscorer, he is only consolidating that status at this point.

7. Washington Mystics (7-9) — Last week No. 5

Just as the Mystics seem to find out after a rocky start, they have gone and lost three games in a row for their longest losing streak of the season. It’s hard to blame them, however, considering they have been playing with just six healthy players of late due to continued bad luck on the injury front.

8. Dallas Wings (8-9) — Last week No.8

A two-game mini-game winning streak for the Wings ended when they were nearly run off the field by Sky. That they kept fighting and ended up only losing those 10 games is a testament to the spirit of this team. They are young and inconsistent, but they have been competitive in almost every game this season. Arike Ogunbowale, recently named an All-Star for the first time, has extended his double-digit scoring record to 54 games.

9. Los Angeles Sparks (6-9) — Last week No. 9

Two more defeats for the Sparks this week, who have now lost four of their last five games. At 6-9, they now draw with Dream for 11th place. The defense, which has kept them competitive for most of the season, has been wobbly recently. Over this span of five games, they have allowed 102.4 points per 100 possessions, their eighth in the league during that span.

10. New York Liberty (8-9) — Last week No. 10

A win over Dream helped stem the tide a bit, but Liberty were still reeling after a hot start. Injuries have played a role – Natasha Howard is still out with a knee injury – and the three-pointer that is a fundamental part of their offense dropped dramatically to 30.8 per cent in June. They have lost eight of their last 11 games and are down below 0.500 at 8-9. That they are still in a playoff position says a lot more about the rest of the league.

11. Atlanta Dream (6-9) — Last week No. 11

Atlanta finally ended a three-game losing streak with a win over New York, and did so thanks to a career game from Crystal Bradford. The former first-round pick is back in the league for the first time since 2015, and is proving to be an important substitute for Dream thanks to his size and versatility on the flanks. Their defense is 10.1 points per 100 possession better when he is on the floor.

12. Indiana Fever (1-16) — Last week No. 12

Twelve straight defeats are now for Fever, who have dropped to 1-16 this season to match their worst start in franchise history. Off the pitch, things didn’t go well either. They inexplicably ignored Lauren Cox, overall choice No. 3 of them from last year. Even if he had struggled, giving up on the lottery draw so early was unreasonable.