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It’s Commissioner’s Cup time! This new-look-in-season tournament means players get to compete for a cause and more money in their pockets. Nearly every team has squared off one game against a conference foe, so this week’s power rankings will be a little different — I’m going to break it down East vs. West and give one word that describes each team heading into June. 

Stats and analysis as of Sunday, June 2. 

Eastern Conference

1. Connecticut Sun (8-0)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 1
• Last Week: W vs. Mercury 70-47, W vs. Wings 74-72, W at Dream 69-50
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Mystics, Saturday vs. Liberty
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 102.4 (4); DefRtg: 89.1 (1); NetRtg: 13.3 (1); eFG%: 47.2 (8)

History. The Sun are off to a franchise-best 8-0 start to the season, the seventh team in WNBA history to do so — all of those previous teams made the WNBA Finals, according to ESPN. Head coach Stephanie White said: “I don’t feel like we’ve really played 40 minutes of our best basketball on both ends of the floor.” And she’s right, which should be terrifying for the rest of the teams below.

But wait, there’s more. DeWanna Bonner surpassed 7,000 career points this week, making her only the fifth player in history to hit that milestone. That’s a whole lotta buckets. Plus, the Sun made more history by holding Phoenix to just 3.7% shooting (1-27), the lowest 3-pt FG% in a game in WNBA history. 

2. New York Liberty (7-2)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 2
• Last Week: W vs. Mercury 81-78, W vs. Mystics 90-79, W vs. Fever 104-68
• This Week: Tuesday at Sky, Thursday at Dream, Saturday at Sun
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 106.9 (1); DefRtg: 94.4 (3); NetRtg: 12.5 (2); eFG%: 51.9 (2)

Ready. The reigning Commissioner’s Cup champions went undefeated on the week, but Kayla Thorton’s play made headlines. With Courtney Vandersloot sidelined due to back tightness, Thornton started against Washington on Friday. She erupted for 20 points, four rebounds, and five steals — the most she’s scored in a game since August 2022. 

“Just staying ready,” Thornton said of her performance in her post-game interview. 

If New York can get this consistency off their bench, they may be primed for a back-to-back Cup title. 

3. Atlanta Dream (4-3) 

• Previous Overall Ranking: 5
• Last Week: W at Mystics 73-67, W vs Aces 78-74, L vs. Sun 50-69
• This Week: Thursday vs. Liberty, Saturday at Sky
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 95.4 (10); DefRtg: 97.3 (6); NetRtg: -1.9 (8); eFG%: 46.0 (11)

Energy. The Dream earned a monumental four-point win over the visiting Las Vegas Aces on Friday. It was their first win over the Aces since July 2022, snapping a five-game losing streak against A’ja Wilson and Co. 

Allisha Gray put up a team-high 24 points with six made 3-pointers. But Aerial Powers earned the team’s Queen of the Court award postgame for the energy she brought off the bench. Her defense (two steals and one block), hyping up the crowd, and spiciness rallied the team to victory. She also chimed in seven points, including five clutch free-throws. Powers is emerging as the “energy enforcer” off the bench for ATL, and I like it. 

4. Chicago Sky (3-4)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 9
• Last Week: L vs. Storm 68-77, W vs. Sparks 83-73, L at Fever 70-71
• This Week: Tuesday vs. Liberty, Thursday at Mystics, Saturday vs. Dream
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 97.9 (8); DefRtg: 96.3 (5); NetRtg: 1.6 (6); eFG%: 45.6 (12)

Speed. I expected a Teresa Weatherspoon-led squad to be fast, but this team has eclipsed Roadrunner speeds. Guards Dana Evans and Chennedy Carter have been a blur on the offensive end, easily blowing by defenders. 

Chicago is also top-5 in defensive rating; their quickness to jump passing lanes (10.4 steals per game, second in the W) creates havoc for perimeter offensive players. And then, inside, they got 6’7 Kamilla Cardosa back from injury. She snatched six rebounds and 11 points in 18 minutes in her first outing versus the Fever. Paired with Angel Reese, who earned her first career double-double this week, the Chicago Towers moniker is in full effect. 

5. Indiana Fever (2-9)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 11
• Last Week: L vs. Sparks 82-88, L vs. Storm 88-103, W vs. Sky 71-70, L at Liberty 68-104
• This Week: Friday at Mystics
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 94.9 (11); DefRtg: 111.8 (12); NetRtg: -16.9 (12); eFG%: 47.1 (9)

Transition. The Fever have shown that they want to get out and run in transition. Caitlin Clark’s full-court passing ability has translated to the next level, and it’s been really cool to see. Her main target, Temi Fagbenle, is sidelined for two to three weeks due to a foot injury, but others have stepped up on the receiving end to Clark’s touchdown passes. For a team that has sometimes struggled in the half-court, it’s smart to initiate a quick offense before the swarming defense can get set.

Indiana lost a close one against the Sparks Tuesday, but Clark notched a career-high with 30 points on 13-15 from the free-throw line. The Fever also earned their first home win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse over the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster match-up on Saturday. 

6. Washington Mystics (0-8)

Myisha Hines-Allen and Aaliyah Edwards

• Previous Overall Ranking: 12
• Last Week: L vs. Dream 67-73, L at Liberty 79-90
• This Week: Tuesday at Sun, Thursday vs. Sky, Friday vs. Fever, Sunday at Liberty
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 91.1 (12); DefRtg: 102.9 (10); NetRtg: -11.8 (11); eFG%: 46.9 (10)

Resilient. The Mystic’s 0-8 record matches the 2007 season for the worst start in franchise history. They are just the 11th team in WNBA history to open with over seven consecutive losses, the first since the Fever’s 0-10 start in 2018. Even with the early injury bug, I’m sure that’s not the side of history Mystics Coach Eric Thibault wants to be on. 

Still, Washington has shown resilience in stretches. Against the Liberty on Friday, the Mystics made a 17-point rally in the second quarter led by Jade Melbourne and Myshia Hines-Allen. ​​“Our collective self-talk in timeouts and to each other on the court was outstanding. Even people who weren’t in the game were just really engaged. I think that’s a sign that it’s going to turn,” Thibault told The Washington Post. “We have to improve, obviously, but our attitude was really good.”

Western Conference

1. Minnesota Lynx (6-2) 

• Previous Overall Ranking: 4
• Last Week: L vs. Aces 66-80, W vs. Mercury 95-71, W vs. Wings 87-76
• This Week: Wednesday at Sparks, Friday at Mercury, Sunday vs Storm
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 103.1 (3); DefRtg: 92.7 (2); NetRtg: 10.5 (3); eFG%: 53.1 (1)

Defense. This week is the Lynx’s third straight in the top two on the defensive rating leaderboard. The team has bought in on that side of the ball, and it’s beautiful to watch. Despite the loss, Minnesota held Las Vegas under their season average of 86 points per game. And in their win on Sunday versus the Wings, they forced 25 turnovers against Dallas, which included 15 steals. 

Their defense has also been fueling their offensive confidence. Rookie Alissa Pili scored 20 points— 4-4 from beyond the arc—in just 15 minutes in the win over the Mercury.

2. Las Vegas Aces (4-2)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 2
• Last Week: W at Lynx 80-66, L at Dream 74-78
• This Week: Wednesday at Wings, Friday vs. Storm, Sunday at Sparks
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 104.8 (1); DefRtg: 97.4 (7); NetRtg: 7.5 (4); eFG%: 48.7 (4)

WHAT! That’s their word for this week because that was my reaction to the Aces signing Tiffany Hayes to the team out of retirement. I knew there would be a new signing once Las Vegas waived Dyaisha Fair last week, but this? I did not see that coming. Hayes, who retired after 11 years in the WNBA, has been balling overseas since her bow-out in December. 

Meanwhile, another week, another record-breaking A’ja Wilson stat: First player in WNBA regular season history with 5 consecutive games with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds. This was snapped in the loss against the Dream Friday (29 points, 9 rebounds), but the M’VP discusses are alive and well. 

3. Seattle Storm (3-3)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 6
• Last Week: L at Liberty 63-74, W vs. Fever 85-83 
• This Week: Monday at Sky, Thursday at Fever
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.7 (9); DefRtg: 94.6 (2); NetRtg: 2.1 (7); eFG%: 46.0 (12)

Streak. The Storm’s “Core Four,” Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Ezi Magbegor, are on a four-game winning streak as their chemistry continues to soar. In the road win over the Fever, the Core Four poured in 72 points, 17 rebounds, 24 assists, five steals, and seven blocked shots – all while committing three turnovers combined. 

Combined with the road win over Chicago, Seattle moved into the top five in six team-per-game stat categories: points, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage. 

4. Phoenix Mercury (4-5)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 6
• Last Week: L at Sun 47-70, L at Liberty 78-81, L at Lynx 71-95, W at Sparks 87-68
• This Week: Tuesday at Storm, Friday vs Lynx, Sunday vs Wings
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 98.4 (7); DefRtg: 104.4 (11); NetRtg: -6.0 (9); eFG%: 47.8 (7)

Threes. Phoenix currently leads the league in 3-point attempts per game with 7.6. And Diana Taurasi has hit 6 or more from behind the arc three times this season. On Sunday, she went off for seven-made 3-pointers for 31 total points in a win over the Sparks. She’s the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer for a reason.

But, as they say, you live and die from the long ball. Against the Sun on Tuesday, the Mercury shot a dismal 3.7% from the arc (1-27), the lone make coming from Mikiah Herbert Harrigan. Phoenix closed out the week shooting 37% from 3 (33-87) in the remaining three games. I’m positive they like that decimal placement much better.   

5. Dallas Wings (3-4)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 8
• Last Week: L at Sun 72-74, L at Lynx 76-87
• This Week: Wednesday vs Aces, Friday at Sparks, Sunday vs Mercury
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 101.4 (5); DefRtg: 102.1 (8); NetRtg: -0.7 (7); eFG%: 48.6 (5)

Rebounds. Two tough road losses, but the Wings still lead the league in rebounds and blocks per game. This is a nod to how the combo of Monique Billings (8.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg) and Teaira McCowan (8.1 rpg, 1.6 bpg) compete in the paint. I mentioned last week how Billings is on a one-woman mission to out-hustle every player on the court. McCowan has also been a constant for this up-and-down Wings team. Of course, Arike Ogunbowale, the league’s leading scorer, will put the ball in the basket, but the clean-up crew impressed this week. 

6. Los Angeles Sparks (2-6)

• Previous Overall Ranking: 11
• Last Week: W at Fever 88-82, L at Sky 73-83, L at Mercury 68-87
• This Week: Wednesday vs Lynx, Friday vs Wings, Sunday vs Aces
• Team Stats: OffRtg: 96.1 (9); DefRtg: 102.2 (9); NetRtg: -6.0 (10); eFG%: 49.4 (3)

Bench. The Sparks suffered another blow to their roster, with Layshia Clarendon currently in concussion protocol. But with that came opportunity. Rickea Jackson moved into the starting line-up and added an efficient 12 points in the win over the Fever. Also, Aari McDonald fired 21 points off the bench in that match. Rae Burrell gave solid minutes, too. With a team searching for more offensive weapons, the bench production will be a huge piece to the Sparks’ success. 

WNBA reporter Jordan Robinson writes columns on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter at @HeyJordanR. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.