Race to MVP: August 31


Note: WNBA.com’s Race to the MVP, released every Wednesday during the season, is the opinion of this writer and does not reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

Archive: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11

Five days into the WNBA’s stretch run, moves are already being made. The once-unbeatable Sparks have lost two in a row and four of five. The defending champion Lynx have re-assumed first place. The once-struggling Mercury have won three straight.

But during this sprint to the finish, it’s important to not lose sight of the marathon. Despite L.A. relinquishing the No. 1 seed, Nneka Ogwumike remains atop the fourth-to-last Race to the MVP thanks to her body of work throughout the season.

With that said. Tina Charles is closing the gap between her and Nneka with the Liberty now within striking distance of the Sparks. U.S. Women’s National Team leader Diana Taurasi is also quickly rising back into the mix.

1. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks
Last Week: 1
Stats: 19.7 points, 71% FG, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.1 steals

Suddenly Ogwumike and the Sparks aren’t so invincible. The season had gone almost perfectly for the two until L.A. opened the stretch run with back-to-back losses. Still, Ogwumike put up 28-7-4-3 and 15 points and nine rebounds in those two games and remains a force on both ends of the floor.

2. Tina Charles, New York Liberty
Last Week: 2
Stats: 21.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists

With the Sparks’ sparkling record and Ogwumike’s dominant play, it was hard to name anyone but Nneka the MVP at the Olympic break. But L.A.’s swoon has left the door open for Charles and the Liberty to close the gap both in the standings and in the Race to the MVP. Charles doesn’t have off-the-charts efficiency in terms of her numbers, but she has carried arguably the largest load for any star in the league.

3. Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
Last Week: 3
Stats: 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals

All Maya does is win. She returned from Rio with another gold medal and scored just 21 points in Minnesota’s first two games. While Moore may not have the numbers for another MVP award, the point is that she will hardly care considering that the Lynx are in position for a fourth title.

4. Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky
Last Week: 5
Stats: 21.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 41% 3FG

Hand out an MVP award for the months of July and August, and EDD may be the winner. The Sky have righted the ship with a 7-4 record over that stretch as Delle Donne seemingly heated up with the weather. She’s taken the lead for a potential second straight scoring title and has been on-point from outside (41.3% 3FG).

5. Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
Last Week: 4
Stats: 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks

After a subpar return, Parker put up a signature line against the Mercury with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. That wasn’t enough to fend off Phoenix, but the Sparks will need more of the same from the league’s preeminent playmaker out of the post (5.2 APG, 2nd in the league).

6. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Last Week: 10
Stats: 18.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.0 3PM/G

Now this is the Taurasi and the Mercury we expected to see this season. Perhaps a stint as Captain America in Rio was the shot in the arm Diana needed to reemerge as the WNBA’s alpha dog. In the Mercury’s three straight wins since, she’s averaging 19.3 points on a much-improved 54% shooting, including 11/23 (48%) from three.

7. Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
Last Week: 6
Stats: 18.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 blocks, 1.2 steals

It would be understandable if Stewie’s whirlwind schedule — fourth straight NCAA title run, WNBA Draft, a spectacular first two months as a pro and the Olympics, with many off-court obligations in between — is catching up to her. Stewart appeared gassed in shooting 6-of-24 in her first two post-break games. But the Storm rookie is used to the grind, so don’t be surprised if she explodes back onto the scene during Seattle’s playoff push.

8. Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream
Last Week: 7
Stats: 18.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals

The Dream are holding onto the No. 4 seed by a 0.5-game thread and sit 1.5 games ahead of No. 7, which shows just how tenuous the landscape of the league is right now. McCoughtry found the rhythm she had lost before the break in scoring 22 and 19 points in Atlanta’s weekend games.

9. Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx
Last Week: 9
Stats: 13.2 points, 60% FG, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.1 steals

Maya Moore has taken a backseat while Seimone Augustus and especially Lindsay Whalen turn it up for the rolling Lynx. Meanwhile, Fowles remains rock-solid, scoring 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting to go along with 18 rebounds in her first two games back.

10. Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
Last Week: Unranked
Stats: 13.3 points, 53% FG, 6.1 rebounds, 3.0 blocks

The Mercury’s three-game winning streak has been fueled by their defense, and Griner — the league’s top defensive force — has anchored that effort. After some uncharacteristic lulls, she makes her first appearance on this list with plenty of room for improvement.

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