NEW YORK, June 17, 2008 � Like every week during the season, it's time for the latest edition of the WNBA.com Power Rankings. The Sparks are back in the top spot, but the Sun are hot on their heels and the Silver Stars make a huge leap back toward the top. On the flip side, the Lynx and Mercury stumble back toward the rest of the pack. There were plenty of close calls this week, but that's the beauty of these rankings: there's always room for discussion.

Take a look at our full list below, then let us know what you think in our Fan Voice. Post your own Power Rankings and discuss them with your fellow fans.

2008 WNBA.com POWER RANKINGS: June 17
	TEAM (last week's ranking)	W/L	NOTES
1	Los Angeles (3)	7-2	Another 3-0 week, including a five-point win Friday over Connecticut, puts the Sparks back into the top spot. The front line of Western Conference Player of the Week Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones is producing at a prodigious rate. Also, veteran Kiesha Brown has been terrific since being slotted into the point guard spot, averaging 7.3 apg over her last four contests. Looking ahead: 6/18 vs. Chicago, 6/20 @ San Antonio, 6/22 vs. Indiana
2	Connecticut (1)	9-2	With Minnesota's recent fall from grace, Connecticut is now the surprise team of 2008 to this point. Despite losing Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales and Margo Dydek from last year's starting lineup, they've won six of their last seven games -- the only loss was to L.A. Lindsay Whalen, Asjha Jones and Tamika Whitmore have all hit double figures in scoring in each of their last five games. And they're not just doing it at the Mohegan Sun... their 4-1 record away from home is second only to the Sparks' 5-1 mark. Looking ahead: 6/18 @ Phoenix, 6/20 @ Sacramento
3	Detroit (4)	8-3	The Shock keep on motoring along. A 1-1 week isn't optimal for Bill Laimbeer and crew, but the loss was in L.A., a tough matchup by any measure. They also managed to win in Phoenix in Saturday's rematch of the 2007 Finals. Veterans Katie Smith, Deanna Nolan and Plenette Pierson continue to lead this team, but rookie Tasha Humphrey posted 28 points and eight rebounds in just her second start of the season and fellow rook Alexis Hornbuckle contributed 11 points and 15 boards against the Mercury. Looking ahead: 6/20 vs. Minnesota, 6/22 @ Atlanta
4	Minnesota (2)	6-4	Three straight losses have the Lynx reeling a bit, but the setbacks have all been to solid teams: Connecticut, Sacramento and at New York. Seimone Augustus continues her MVP-caliber season and Candice Wiggins has been remarkable, averaging 19.7 ppg over her last seven, helping lead Minnesota to the second-highest scoring mark in the WNBA and the highest team field goal percentage. But while rookie Nicky Anosike has kept up her work on the boards, her scoring -- along with that of fellow first-year player Charde Houston -- has calmed down a bit. It will be interesting to see if Noelle Quinn keeps her starting job when 2007 No. 1 pick Lindsey Harding returns to the court. Looking ahead: 6/20 @ Detroit, 6/21 vs. Houston
5	San Antonio (11)	6-4	The Silver Stars have really turned things around, going 3-0 since Sophia Young has returned to the lineup. The third-year forward has put up 16.7 ppg and 5.3 rpg since coming back and Belgian import Ann Wauters has been almost as impressive, averaging 12.8 ppg and 7.5 rpg on the year. And despite her less-than-stellar start, Becky Hammon has shown signs of life. Dan Hughes' bunch is a team on the rise. Looking ahead: 6/18 @ Atlanta, 6/20 vs. Los Angeles
6	Seattle (6)	7-6	This is a team that is extremely difficult to figure out. Despite all of the talent on Seattle's roster, they're 1-5 on the road and have lost three straight games, the last two without legendary center Yolanda Griffith, who aggravated her left knee and ankle during Friday's loss to San Antonio. Despite their struggles down low, Lauren Jackson is a capable stand-in at center and she appears to be returning to her MVP form of 2007, averaging 22.2 ppg and 8.5 rpg over her last six. Looking ahead: 6/20 vs. Indiana
7	Indiana (5)	5-4	Take away two losses apiece to Detroit and San Antonio and the Fever are 5-0 this season. Despite their respective struggles against those two sides, Katie Douglas continues to play well and Tan White is steadily becoming a reliable scorer in this league. Ebony Hoffman, too, has played extremely well without Tamika Catchings in the lineup. But Catch is back, and although she was relatively quiet in Sunday's home loss to the Silver Stars, scoring two points in 12 minutes, she'll be looking to kick it up a notch over the coming weeks in hopes of proving to the USA Basketball selection committee that she's ready for Beijing. Looking ahead: 6/18 vs. New York, 6/20 @ Seattle, 6/22 @ Los Angeles
8	New York (9)	5-4	Sure, they only beat Atlanta and struggling Minnesota this past week, but New York seems to be getting back to its late-season form of a year ago. Reigning WNBA MIP Janel McCarville was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after tying a career high with 25 points against the Dream. Shameka Christon and Cathrine Kraayeveld may be the league's most underrated group of forwards and rookies Essence Carson and Leilani Mitchell have been solid at guard since back spasms forced Loree Moore out of the lineup. Looking ahead: 6/18 @ Indiana, 6/22 vs. Phoenix
9	Sacramento (8)	5-5	A bit like Seattle, the Monarchs can be world-beaters one night, then look like a minor-league team the next. Case in point: Nicole Powell and rookie Crystal Kelly each had 18 as Sacramento won in Minnesota on Thursday. But Saturday at home against the Sparks, they shot 32.3 percent from the field, scored just five third-quarter points and lost to their in-state rivals. Powell seems to be stepping up her game, especially with her 28-point night in Washington, but frontcourt mate Rebekkah Brunson has been disappointing offensively. Looking ahead: 6/20 vs. Connecticut, 6/22 vs. Chicago
10	Phoenix (7)	2-6	After losing their first four games to start the season, the Mercury looked to be on their way back to the top with two straight wins, especially after ruining the Sparks' home debut. But two successive losses this week to Seattle and Detroit move them back down in the rankings. Despite being the top two scorers in the WNBA, Cappie Pondexter (25.5 ppg) and Diana Taurasi (23.5 ppg) struggled mightily against Detroit, going a combined 6-37 from the floor. The injury to Tangela Smith has hurt as well. On the positive side, however, since returning from injury, rookie LaToya Pringle has been absolutely ridiculous on the defensive end, averaging a league-best 4.3 blocks a game to go along with her 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. Looking ahead: 6/18 vs. Connecticut, 6/20 vs. Chicago, 6/22 @ New York
11	Chicago (10)	3-5	Jia Perkins, Candice Dupree and Chasity Melvin have all been solid since the Sky lost rookie center Sylvia Fowles for 4-6 weeks. But Steven Key's group may simply not have the firepower yet to compete with the upper echelon of teams in the league. Dominique Canty has been solid at the point and Rookie of the Year Armintie Price has shown signs of breaking out, but still has work to do to shore up her offensive game. Looking ahead: 6/18 @ Los Angeles, 6/20 @ Phoenix, 6/22 @ Sacramento
12	Houston (13)	3-7	Break up the Comets! With consecutive home wins over Seattle and Atlanta, it's clear that coach Karleen Thompson made the most of her team's week between games. Michelle Snow posted her first double-double of the season against the Dream, rookies Matee Ajavon and Erica White are contributing valuable minutes off the bench and Tina Thompson continues her stellar play. And though Houston is the worst shooting team in the league at just 39 percent from the floor, things are looking up. Looking ahead: 6/18 vs. Washington, 6/21 @ Minnesota
13	Washington (12)	3-7	Washington won in Chicago on Friday, largely due to the play of All-Stars Alana Beard and Taj McWilliams-Franklin. But the Mystics are struggling. Point guard Nikki Blue has been less than terrific since her return from injury and the Mystics are the lowest scoring team in the league at just 68.5 points a night. That ought not be a surprise given the backcourt shooting troubles of Blue (.143), Coco Miller (.329), Crystal Smith (.263) and Amber Jacobs (.250). Looking ahead: 6/18 @ Houston, 6/20 vs. Atlanta
14	Atlanta (14)	0-10	The Dream are still seeking that elusive first victory, but the good news is that they're coming close. Atlanta was up 12 on the Liberty in the fourth quarter last week before losing the lead and the game in the final minutes. On the positive side, Betty Lennox (20.0 ppg) is among the league leaders in scoring and Ivory Latta (10.6 ppg) and rookie Tamera Young (7.4 ppg) are taking on more scoring responsibility as well. Looking ahead: 6/18 vs. San Antonio, 6/20 @ Washington, 6/22 vs. Detroit