The Connecticut Sun have won five games in a row and playing like the team that dominated the Power Rankings last seasn and finished last year with the best overall record in the WNBA. Yet another interesting trend that has shaken the Power Rankings this week is the road team's inability to win games. Visiting teams were winning better than 50% of the games heading into last week, but then won just three games in 17 games last week.
| 2006 WNBA.com POWER RANKINGS: Week Three | |||||
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TEAM (last) |
W/L |
NOTES | ||
| 1 |
| 7-1 | Five
wins in a row and there should be no question that the Connecticut Sun is the
best team in the WNBA right now. Katie Douglas continues to put up big numbers,
yet this team is capable of beating you in so many ways. Whether it's Dydek on
the boards, Sales and Whalen making things happen or Douglas knocking down her
shots, the Sun look like they are ready for yet another run to the Finals. Upcoming: at Phoenix, at Los Angeles | ||
| 2 |
| 6-3 | After
starting the season 4-0, the Fever came back down to earth a bit and have alternated
wins and losses since. Yet with Catchings back and healthy as well as a balanced
offensive attack that also features Tan White, Anna DeForge and Tamika Whitmore,
this is no longer a one-woman show. The Fever remained unbeaten at home on Sunday
despite trailing by as many as nine before rallying in the second half to defeat
Seattle, 69-62. Catchings paced the Fever with 18 points, five rebounds and four
assists in the game. | ||
| 3 |
| 6-3 |
The Houston Comets had a brief stay atop the Power Rankings after going 1-2 last
week and losing Sheryl Swoopes to and injury. Houston jumped out to a 13-point
halftime lead and then coasted to a 97-62 victory over New York on Friday as Tina
Thompson led five players in double figures with 23 points. But the good fortune
did not last on Sunday as the Comets couldn't keep pace over the final two quarters
in a 75-62 loss at Minnesota. Swoopes missed her third straight game due to that
back injury. | ||
| 4 |
| 5-3 | The
Los Angeles Sparks survived their opening road trip without Chamique Holdclaw
and have now won two in a row since her return. Coincidence? Not likely. Lisa
Leslie posted 19 points, 11 rebounds and four assists as the Sparks overcame a
12-point halftime deficit in Friday's 73-65 win over the visiting Sky. Holdsclaw
scored 15 points and Tamara Moore and Temeka Johnson added nine points. Mwadi
Mabika had a season-high 24 points in an eight-point win over Detroit on Wednesday. Upcoming: vs. Phoenix, vs. Connecticut | ||
| 5 |
| 4-3 | The
Monarchs had lost two in a row and three of its last four before a welcome visit
by the Chicago Sky. Sacramento sped out to a nine-point
halftime lead and then marched to an 80-70 home victory over Chicago on Saturday.
Ticha Penicheiro led four Monarchs in double figures with 13 points, while Yolanda
Griffith posted 11 points and nine rebounds. | ||
| 6 |
| 4-3 | Washington
is unbeaten at home, but went 1-2 last week and has yet
to win on the road. Until this team proves it can win on the road, it can no longer
be considered a top five team. Most recently, Alana Beard scored a career-high
29 points, but Washington was outscored by nine in the third quarter en route
to an 85-71 loss in Connecticut on Sunday. Chasity Melvin added 10 points. Upcoming: vs. Charlotte, at Charlotte | ||
| 7 |
| 4-4 | Still
too way too inconsistent this season, the Shock find themselves at .500 again
after two road losses in Los Angeles and Phoenix. Cheryl Ford posted 20 points
and 15 rebounds Friday night, but it wasn't enough in a 93-79 loss at Phoenix.
Deanna Nolan and Ruth Riley added 13 points apiece. Swin Cash and Plenette Pierson
chipped in with 11 points each for Detroit. Upcoming: vs. Indiana, vs. Houston | ||
| 8 |
| 4-4 | From
13 to 10 to 8, the Lynx won both of its games last week and have climbed back
to .500 and playoff contention in the challenging Western Conference. Minnesota
won a tough road game against the improving Silver Stars on Friday night, then
followed that up with a home win over the Comets on Sunday. The 1-2 punch of rookie
Seimone Augustus and Nicole Ohlde were too much for the Houston as Augustus had
19 points and two steals and Ohlde added 16 and eight rebounds in the Lynx 75-62
victory. Upcoming: vs. Seattle, at San Antonio | ||
| 9 |
| 4-4 | The
Silver Stars have now lost two in a row after winning three straight the week
before. After trailing by as many as 13 points Saturday, San Antonio closed the
gap to two in the final seconds of the fourth quarter before succumbing to New
York, 71-67. Vickie Johnson tallied 15 points and nine rebounds, while Sophia
Young added 12 and six. Remarkably, the Silver Stars are 4-0 on the road, yet
0-4 at home. Upcoming: vs. Minnesota, at Chicago | ||
| 10 |
| 4-5 | From
5 to 8 to 10, the Storm has lost two in row on a torrid road schedule that will
not let up this week. The Storm are now under .500 after losing in Connecticut
on Wednesday and then losing 69-62 in Indiana on Sunday. The Storm led by as many
as nine in the game, and by two at the half, but could not hold on after the break.
Betty Lennox poured in a game-high 20 points, and Sue Bird added 12, eight rebounds
and five assists. Barbara Turner chipped in 12 points of her own. | ||
| 11 |
| 2-4 | The
last team to win a game this season, the Phoenix Mercury have now won two games
in a rown, both of its games last week. the first was a victory over the defending
champions at home on Tuesday. The Cappie Pondexter continued her stellar rookie
season with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting in Friday's 93-79 victory over the
visiting Shock. Diana Taurasi added 22 points and eight assists and Kamila Vodichkova
posted 18 points and nine rebounds. A real test of the Mercury's improvement will
come this week. Upcoming: at Los Angeles, vs. Connecticut | ||
| 12 |
| 2-4 | The
Sting had only once game last week, which it won. Led by
18 points from Tammy Sutton-Brown and 16 more from Tangela Smith, the Sting closed
Friday's game against Indiana on an 11-2 run on their way to a 70-59 victory.
Charlotte rallied from 15-1 deficit early in the contest to take the win. Upcoming: at Washington, vs. Washington | ||
| 13 |
| 2-6 | The
New York Liberty doubled their win total last week, winning one game but losing
two last week. After losing by more than 20 points in Houston on Friday night,
New York rebounded just a day later to win on the road in San Antonio, 71-67.
The Liberty saw a once 13-point lead shrink to two in the final seconds of the
fourth quarter but Hammon scored 23, including 15 in the second half, while drilling
5-of-10 from downtown, to lift New York, which had lost its previous five endeavors
away from home. Erin Thorn's free throws with 6.4 seconds to go iced it for the
Liberty. Upcoming: vs. Indiana, vs. Houston | ||
| 14 |
| 1-8 | The
Sky failed to win a game last week as the free fall has extended to eight games.
On Saturday, Chicago started slowly and never recovered, falling 80-70 at Sacramento.
Candice Dupree shot 8-of-11 to finish with 17 points, while Jia Perkins added
17 points and seven assists. Bernadette Ngoyisa contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Upcoming: vs. Seattle | ||
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