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January 2026 NBA Power Rankings: Where Does the Buck Stop With Giannis?

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Trade talks for Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been constant even though he was out for a few weeks because of a strained right calf.

The floodgates opened on December third when both Milwaukee star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent Alex Saratsis made public that they met with the Bucks’ front office about the forward’s future with the franchise. The closed door meeting discussed whether Antetokounmpo’s best fit is staying with the Bucks or moving to somewhere else. 22 games into the season went from mediocre to things could get a lot worse.

Giannis’ explanation for the meeting, scrubbing the team off his social media pages, and his future was a deep, satisfying answer to those who can critically listen, read and think. While that seems difficult for a lot of people these days, it’s almost always ignored by sports media. Outlets like ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports and even the NBA Network broke this down like a Rubik’s cube. Not even 15 minutes after clarification, betting sites went haywire on where Antetokounmpo would end up by mid-season or be traded to once the season ends.

For anyone who’s tuned into the NBA within the last five years, you not only know that there’s been a massive push to get Giannis out of Milwaukee and into a bigger market, but that the media also blatantly downplays any achievements, records or eye-popping performances he has had. It’s one of the nastiest, under-discussed topics more fans need to be aware of and for which both sports broadcasters and journalists should be shamed. One of the Bucks’ top three players in franchise history does everything fans or analysts say should be done to be considered one of the best of all-time. Yet, after a championship and consecutive trips to the playoffs, the media still isn’t satisfied with Antetokounmpo’s greatness. Instead the gradual bias is how Giannis doesn’t want to leave and “save his legacy”. Save his legacy? For whom? From what? For gambling sites, national bettors and Las Vegas to get him to listen to their noise and be traded to a bigger market?

This topic is why a lot of serious NBA fans and students of the game must continue to separate themselves not just from the gambling addicts who can’t get over certain stats and over/unders, but the casual fans who either know nothing about what goes on with the league or are starting to learn about how certain biases have existed for years prior to Adam Silver’s tenure. For decades, sports networks, certain fanbases and even players wanted more parity. Former commissioner David Stern believed that for professional basketball to succeed, the largest markets had to dominate almost every year. It’s no surprise that Stern’s prized franchise was the Los Angeles Lakers. While Stern retired more than 12 years ago, this philosophy has now returned after Silver and players union did the impossible: parity became common. There are relatively few teams you could look at this year and say they’re not competitive or a play-in threat at any point. Drafting and proper disclosures of what teams and players are doing are the norm. For the most part, this is one of the better things Adam Silver has done, (and we know how many issues there have been with his tenure).

It also means that anyone who doesn’t like this will be vocal in any and everything involving parity. Sports media views this as a tragedy because of which teams they have to talk about now. These websites and networks tell us the NBA is in serious trouble if the Lakers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics or Golden State Warriors aren’t the highlight team or making the most news stories (the irony is the Warriors being one of these teams. They are the crowned jewel of Silver’s tenure). The agendas couldn’t be more blatant. Instead of profiles, takes and educated opinions about the real, rising playoff and championship contenders like Oklahoma City, Minnesota, San Antonio, Phoenix or Orlando, outlets bemoan the league is in a decline, or the league’s failing, or certain players must be traded to make the big franchises relevant again.

Sports media backward thinking is big reason why viewership has gradually tuned out until the playoffs get closer. It is also another reason ESPN’s long running business model is failing and other sites like Amazon’s new NBA front desk and shows are popular with the serious fans. Audiences want to hear players who were in previously ignored and different markets talk about the game and not about why a Great Depression is incoming if the Lakers aren’t at .500 by mid-January.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s right calf strain came at an interesting time. Right now, Milwaukee is outside of a play-in spot. Unlike some fanbases, Bucks fans have been more than grateful Antetokounmpo has succeeded where many past players have not. Unlike former Maverick guard and icon Luka Doncic, Milwaukee has and will continue to listen to Giannis without making things uncomfortable or focused solely on profits. It’s a shame BetESPN and those similar to them cannot fathom anything else.

Surprise! Giannis doesn’t care about your parlay, fantasy trade scenario or over/under!

Here are the first power rankings of the 2025-26 season. Similar to the NHL rankings, this one will be objective in placement as some teams may have tiebreakers over others on a neutral site.

#30 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 27)

My next power rankings will cover NBA expansion after Adam Silver’s recent comments about it and discussions around the league whether or not certain teams could move to different cities. It appears likely that the New Orleans Pelicans could be a strong candidate to relocate to a new market, such as Seattle. When the Pelicans announced they were open to trading former number one overall pick Zion Williamson (a player they pinned franchise hopes on) in November, it opened the door to a relocation countdown.

#29 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 29)

A prime example of how the NBA media fails their job nowadays is covering good players on terrible teams. Yes, there is a lot wrong with Washington from their stunning average of 15 turnovers per game to being third to last in free throw percentage. Yet the Wizards have some genuine gems with sophomores Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. George is first in assists (5.1) and steals per game (1). He’s also third in points per game and second in rebounds per game, blocked shots per game and field goal percentage.

Sarr is first in rebounds per game (7.8), blocked shots (2.3) and field goal percentage (49.9%). Alex Sarr is also second in points per game, third in steals and fourth in assists. These are two names viewers hear very little about and should keep an eye on.

#28 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 25)

There’s a rumor going around that Nic Claxton could be traded to a playoff contender like Golden State within a few months. We know rumors are easy to start, but Brooklyn needs draft capital. The Nets aren’t going to win many games anytime soon. It’s best they trade Claxton to a contender that wants to win now.

#27 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 17)

Everything has gone wrong for Sacramento, and just when trade rumors heated up, stars like center Domantas Sabonis was put on injured reserve for four to five weeks because of a partially torn left meniscus. The Kings can’t do a full re-build if their important trade pieces keep getting hurt.

#26 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)

Interestingly, Charlotte is 9-4 when point guard LaMelo Ball and forwards Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel start together. The Hornets struggles with shot accuracy, scoring and ball possession are big reasons why they’re near the bottom of the east. However, if coach Charles Lee keeps these three in the starting lineup, then Charlotte has a chance for a playoff push.

#25 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 30)

Another example of a team under-reported. Utah is second in assists, fifth in points scored, seventh in free throw percentage, and 13th in total rebounds per game. The Jazz don’t have a good roster, but general manager Danny Ainge has found ways to improve the team in ways that will continue to stand out throughout the next few seasons.

#24 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 16)

Center Anthony Davis injuring his groin on Christmas added more fuel to the analysis fire of Dallas starting a long-term re-build. Outside of overall number one pick forward Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks don’t have the talent to both stay competitive and not worry about injuries with the number of older veteran players past their prime. Like Sacramento, Dallas will be a popular team to trade with at the deadline.

#23 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 13)

Milwaukee is currently tied for last in free throw percentage and is second to last in total rebounds per game. At this point, the most glaring issue is coaching. Legendary Marquette player, and Celtics championship coach Doc Rivers is a midwestern emotional favorite, but he certainly has not made the Bucks any better since Adrian Griffin was dismissed. Rivers is outdated and a big reason the Giannis trade talks haven’t gone away.

#22 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 12)

Just because the Clippers had a six game winning streak, doesn’t mean their issues are cured and everything is fine. Many who follow the NBA haven’t forgotten the Chris Paul drama where he was cut because he may or may not have went off on Tyronn Lue. The focus and anger should remain on everyone else in the organization. This team was bad in ways no one thought possible in 2025. Los Angeles might be great at the free-throw line, but they are awful in several other areas. A few standout Kawhi Leonard performances won’t change that. Owner Steve Ballmer has tried to make the Clippers a winner for over a decade with nothing to show for it but chaos and repeats of the Donald Sterling era. What a mess.

#21 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 11)

First sophomore center Zach Edey misses at least one month of play because of a stress reaction in his left ankle. Then rookie shooting guard Cedric Coward suffered a nasty ankle sprain trying to get a rebound against DeAndre Ayton and the Lakers last night. Younger talent suffering serious injuries means veteran players like Jaren Jackson Jr. have more pressure to play almost perfect each game with little bench depth to help out. The hype on Memphis being a quality playoff contending team fizzled fast.

#20 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)

In two months, Chicago has:

  • a five game winning streak
  • a five game losing streak
  • a seven game losing streak
  • a five game winning streak

Good luck figuring them out. Anybody?

#19 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 9)

Many viewers knew Indiana would struggle most of the season, but wow is this team abysmal. Coach Rick Carlisle has done some of his best work with the Pacers, but even he can’t fix how depleted and overwhelmed they are almost every game. Pascal Siakam remains a solid player, but if he’s the best Indiana has right now, the playoffs are a long-shot.

#18 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 18)

It’s a tale of two seasons for Atlanta. The Hawks had a nice November, then lost all but three games in December. Atlanta’s downturn got worse when news broke yesterday that star point guard Trae Young wants a trade. There has to be significant change if Atlanta wants to be better. It’s also a shame that will happen without Young.

#17 Portland Trailblazers (last ranking: 21)

Perhaps Portland won’t make the playoffs, but each game shows how guilty Chauncey Billups is in his federal gambling case. Here’s a look at how some of the players are doing this season.

  • Deni Avdija leads the Trailblazers in points per game (25.9) and assists per game (7.1). He’s also second in team rebounds per game, field goal percentage, and blocked shots.
  • Sophomore center Donovan Clingan leads in rebounds per game (10.8), field goal percentage (54.5%) and blocked shots per game (1.4).
  • Shaedon Sharpe is second in points per game, third in shot percentage and assists, first in steals per game (1.5) and fourth in rebounds per game.

This is with Jrue Holiday, Matisse Thybulle, Scoot Henderson and Jerami Grant on IR. Billups must go to prison.

#16 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 26)

Philadelphia’s a much better team this season than last year. That’s because there is a better roster in place whenever former MVP center Joel Embiid doesn’t play. Point guard Tyrese Maxey is excellent to build around and transition to with Embiid’s injuries taking a toll each month. Perhaps the 76ers can also swing a deal or two at the trade deadline with Sacramento or Dallas to cement an early playoff berth.

#15 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)

Forwards Brandon Ingram and Scotty Barnes will get a lot of attention because of Ingram’s league tenure and Barnes being the face of the franchise, but Toronto’s not where they are without Immanuel Quickley and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Quickley’s intelligence at point guard and his ability to be a few plays ahead makes the Raptor’s offense free-flowing. Mamukelashvili’s height and aggression is what Toronto needs to stay in close games against playoff contenders. The Raptors will be a tough team to play against no matter the month.

#14 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 22)

The Suns have surpassed every expectation this season. Staying competitive in 2026 with Royce O’Neale, Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks as Devin Booker’s supporting cast puts coach Jordan Ott into the coach of the year conversation. Phoenix is the west coast version of where I had Charlotte in October.

#13 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 23)

For anyone who has read my power rankings before, you know that the first rankings of the season are always difficult. A team rising or falling too high will be controversial. Injuries are also a factor. San Antonio isn’t the 13th best team in the league, but their rise this early in the season is fine to question.

That said, the Spurs total domination of reigning champion Oklahoma City is easily their highlight of their season. It’s okay to say San Antonio is a mostly young team that has feasted on easy wins outside of three(!) victories against the Thunder and a nail-biter against the Knicks within the last five weeks. For the Spurs to be a true playoff contender, they must beat more contending teams on a consistent basis. The good news is, there’s no doubt they will do so and continue improving throughout the season.

#12 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 2)

This year’s Cavaliers are what many expected to see early season last year. Cleveland is still a serious playoff threat, but they don’t have last season’s luck. Part of that is because opposing defenses don’t give the Cavaliers offense too many second chance scoring opportunities. Some better scoring depth would also help.

#11 Miami Heat (last ranking: 19)

Unfortunately, there’s nowhere to put Miami with the ten spot range selection used. Yes, I understand San Antonio not being higher is a result of that, but the Heat also have a few games at hand compared to some of the other teams above and below. We should also consider how great a coach Erik Spoelstra is. Nobody had Miami sniffing a playoff spot with their current roster. Not only should Spoelstra win coach of the year, Heat upper management needs to trade for some star players in the coming months.

#10 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 8)

Basketball pundits broke down the Draymond Green-Steve Kerr debacle too much. The real focus is how general manager Mike Dunleavy can add a center like Nik Claxton or Daniel Gafford. A healthy Al Horford gives Golden State scoring and rebounding advantages. However, the Warriors need a younger center who defends well and takes that pressure off Horford. A move must be made soon considering how unpredictable Golden State’s bench plays.

#9 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)

Injuries keep de-railing what should be a breakout season. Still, forward Paolo Banchero and guard Desmond Bane keep dragging Orlando to a lot of close wins. We’ll see how long that can stays this month.

#8 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 10)

That was a damaging loss against Denver on Christmas night. Nikola Jokic’s 56 point game will be talked about for years despite Anthony Edwards’ 44 and Minnesota’s valiant second half comeback. Most importantly, the Timberwolves defense was tested by a championship caliber offense and glaringly failed when it mattered most. It’s not a surprise that since the Christmas day loss, Minnesota’s a candidate to trade for Hawks guard Trae Young. Although it might not be the best fit, the organization has to make a move.

#7 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 6)

The Christmas loss to Houston was big. Every game Los Angeles lost in December was by double digits. Coach JJ Redick is getting ripped for a lot of bad decisions. While it doesn’t inspire confidence in the roster after multiple blowout losses the last three weeks, it’s also not his fault multiple star players were injured.

#6 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 7)

Nikola Jokic out for a month after hyperextending his left knee was bad enough, but his replacement at center Jonas Valanciunas missing four to five weeks with a calf strain is a problem. Denver is down to their third center and will need both point guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon to really step up on offense with little help from the bench. We’re going to see how coach David Adelman handles leading an undermanned team all of January. That will show viewers if the Michael Malone firing was for the better.

#5 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 5)

Houston has one of the best and most dangerous offenses in the NBA, but the defense is ok at best. If the Rockets want to make a run for the western conference finals, the defense has to play tighter and cut down on opponents’ second chance scoring opportunities. It’s one thing to blow out the Lakers on Christmas because Los Angeles didn’t have the roster to expose Houston’s holes. It’s another when the Rockets will have to get past a healthy Denver, San Antonio, Golden State or Oklahoma City.

#4 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 14)

Many viewers are starting to rank Detroit’s star point guard Cade Cunningham as an MVP candidate. If that’s the case, J.B. Bickerstaff should be a coach of the year candidate too. Cunningham’s dominant rise is tied to Bickerstaff getting the Pistons to play their best basketball in decades. Detroit somehow being the best team in the east with only nine losses is one of the best NBA stories the last two years.

#3 New York Knicks (last ranking: 4)

Despite the Monday night blowout loss in Detroit, I’d still favor New York in a seven game series against the Pistons. They will also be favored to take out an inexperienced, injured Magic and a best of seven against Cleveland. There are valid concerns and questions in the Knicks’ four game losing streak, but until another team can prove they can beat the Knicks at least three times in a season, New York is the east’s championship threat.

#2 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 3)

There are games in which Boston misses Jayson Tatum, and then there are games where he could sit without his injury during a lopsided win. The Celtics haven’t played many games where they look mediocre. This makes their January schedule more interesting with the number of playoff contending teams lined up. The further the season goes, the more Boston’s play will intrigue viewers.

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 1)

Three losses to San Antonio in 13 days should make Oklahoma consider how to upgrade their roster. It’s clear center Victor Wembanyama dwarfs Thunder center Chet Holmgren in talent and commitment, so Oklahoma City must get creative. General manager Sam Presti has accumulated a lot of draft capital and could use it the next few months to bring in a few veterans who long to win a championship now. Even if the Thunder win every game in January and February, the losses to the Wembanyama’s Spurs will gnaw at them until the postseason. That should be the main priority for the front office.

Three losses to Victor Wembanyama’s (1) Spurs will be the new big obstacle for Oklahoma City and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) to overcome the next few months.

2025-2026 NBA Western Conference Playoff Picks

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The western conference teams had a dominant 2024-25 season. After an interesting playoffs, Oklahoma City emerged victorious in a full seven game series to take home their first championship since leaving Seattle as the SuperSonics. Most western teams made major moves when the offseason began. Viewers have interest in the northwest division arms race and how every team in California could make the playoffs. Teams like San Antonio could break out and have a longer playoff run. The champion Thunder have a tough task to getting back to the finals.

That’s a lot to process, so let’s focus on which eight teams have the best chances of making the western conference playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City’s just getting started after winning their first championship since re-location.

Oklahoma City is the rare, if only team that has everything to clinch a playoff berth before playing a game. Even a plague of injuries can’t keep the Thunder from clinching one of the eight spots.

Houston Rockets

Houston was hard to beat last season with coach Ime Udoka developing guard Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith and forward Alperen Sengun. Then the Rockets traded for elite forward Kevin Durant in the offseason. Houston won’t give up the southwest division anytime soon.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards should have an MVP caliber season.

Minnesota’s obsession with shooting three-pointers hindered a breakout season last year. After a conference finals loss to Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves should play much better throughout 2025-26. Coach Chris Finch should get the most of his roster and not sleep-walk half the season.

Los Angeles Lakers

Almost a full season of the Luka Doncic-LeBron James duo will be on display. Doncic also slimmed down and looks determined. The league is on notice.

Golden State Warriors

Golden State’s new trio will be a thrill to watch all of 2025-26.

Like the Lakers, a full offseason for forward Jimmy Butler means Golden State will play some of their best basketball since the 2022 championship. The Warriors are also the fifth team in this ranking many believe is a championship favorite.

Denver Nuggets

How Denver plays a whole season after the firing of Michael Malone will be interesting. There is a sense if the Nuggets don’t play well or add more talent at the trade deadline for star center Nikola Jokic, he could want out. While I don’t believe Jokic would exit, Denver has more than enough to make the playoffs. However, they probably won’t be favored to make a deep, postseason run at any point this year.

San Antonio Spurs

We’re another year closer to Victor Wembanyama’s domination.

The surprise pick of the year, given that point guard De’Aaron Fox is out for at least the rest of 2025. With little bench depth (mildly speaking), this should be the breakout year for French phenom center Victor Wembanyama. Not only is Wembanyama in the best shape of his life, he played well in the preseason. A lot of teams will struggle to defend him all year.

Los Angeles Clippers

Unlike the east, figuring out which team gets the last western conference playoffs is hard. Those who keep up know Phoenix, Utah, Portland and New Orleans don’t have the talent to stay close in the postseason race. Dallas’ roster is filled with glass cannons. Memphis lost some of their core starters and scoring depth, and Sacramento is mentally soft. Los Angeles is the best pick here.

The Clippers have stars in center Ivica Zubac, forwards Kawhi Leonard and Nicolas Batum, and guards Kris Dunn and James Harden. Los Angeles also brought back veteran point-guard Chris Paul and added Bradley Beal, Bogdan Bogdanović and Brook Lopez. Injuries will prevent the Clippers from being a championship contender, but they’ll be a solid postseason choice all season.

Play-in losing teams: Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks

2025-2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

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Indiana was three quarters and a torn ACL away from the eastern conference’s second straight championship. Several teams, including the Pacers, lost star franchise players to season ending injuries. With numerous stars out for the whole regular season, this means only a few teams will be solidified playoff favorites. There will be a lot more competition from teams that missed out last year. New York could be the top team in the conference. Orlando and Cleveland desperately want a championship appearance. Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia view anything less than a conference finals appearance a failure. It will be a fun and competitive regular season.

Time to break down which eight teams in the east have the best chance of making the playoffs.

New York Knicks

New York’s Jalen Brunson should be a candidate for MVP this season.

Boston without Jayson Tatum and Indiana without Tyrese Haliburton means New York is the east’s most complete, veteran team to start the 2025-26 regular season. Unless injuries are a factor, the Knicks are the top choice to make the playoffs.

Orlando Magic

This is the season Orlando breaks out. Every veteran team outside New York has at least one star player out for almost the whole regular season. The young, poised Magic have a great starting five and bench depth returning from previous injuries. We will also have a full year of starting forward Paolo Banchero playing with last season’s acquisition Desmond Bane.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland dominated the eastern conference last season. That probably won’t happen again this year.

Point guard Darius Garland and Max Strus are out at least a few months due to serious injuries. Cleveland should have a good regular season, but don’t expect them to dominate the standings like they did 2024-25.

Milwaukee Bucks

The signings of point guard Cole Anthony, forward Taurean Prince and center Myles Turner should make Milwaukee a better, more complete team this season. While the three names above are favorites to show progress in the regular season, keep the Bucks in mind for a deep playoff run. Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is still in his prime.

Detroit Pistons

Detroit went from worst NBA team two years ago to playoff team last season. The Pistons should be an interesting team to watch the remainder of 2025.

Despite a first round exit against New York in round one, Detroit finally won two playoff games and pushed the Knicks to their limits. The Pistons have a young, talented roster that should continue growing and return to the playoffs this year.

Indiana Pacers

Both point guards Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell being out the whole regular season is a blow to Indiana’s chances at clinching a top four seed. Fortunately there is still enough depth and coach Rick Carlisle has dealt with short-handed rosters before. The Pacers must play better defense and maintain their high-octane offense. That will be a hard balance to work through.

Boston Celtics

With no Jayson Tatum for at least the rest of 2025, Jaylen Brown is the best player Boston has every game.

Although Jayson Tatum is the only player on IR to start the season, Boston lost a lot of their scoring depth in the offseason. The Celtics still have a solid starting five without Tatum, but they won’t rest as much as they did last year.

Charlotte Hornets

Several teams could clinch the final spot in the east, but Charlotte stands out because of their scoring depth.

I imagine every reader who nodded along with the seven picks above are shocked to see Charlotte, a bottom three team from last year, in this prediction. Let’s keep in mind that after the seven teams listed, most of the remaining eight are going to be in a race to try and at least make the play-in round.

Washington, Chicago, Brooklyn and Miami don’t have the stars to make a postseason push. Even if one of these four teams goes on a run, there’s little scoring depth that can make a veteran team play more cautious. Atlanta and Toronto have no scoring depth and will wear out their starters for sub .500 records. Philadelphia would be favored by many, but viewers know center Joel Embiid and point guard Paul George are injury prone and can’t push the 76ers far enough. Point guard Kyle Lowry is near retirement and depth point guard Jared McCann is on IR.

This leaves Charlotte as an underrated pick. Viewers know franchise star point guard LaMelo Ball will get hurt again and miss a chunk of the season. However, the Hornets have veteran depth to cushion the loss. Guards Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie and Antonio Reeves add a lot to Charlotte’s back court. Forward Pat Connaughton was a smart free agent signing and center Ibou Badji should have more time to develop this season.

Play-in losing teams: Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers

2025 WNBA Finals Predictions

jminx946 Comments

The WNBA semifinals were fun to watch. Las Vegas needed five games to eliminate Indiana while Phoenix won a thriller series against Minnesota in four. The Mercury lost only two games in two playoff matchups. The team that wins this year’s championship deserves the praise and accolades. It’s time to break down which one has the best chance of winning another championship.

#2 Las Vegas Aces v. #4 Phoenix Mercury

Kahleah Copper (with ball) versus Jackie Young (0) will be the matchup to watch all series.

This should be a fun finals. Las Vegas and Phoenix have multiple All-Stars, MVPs, bench depth and top talent on their rosters. Both coaches get a lot of out of the roster talent and adapt well each quarter.

However, there’s no debate which team has more advantages. From pre-season to late August, the Aces have the Mercury’s number. Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon stays a few steps ahead of Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts. Aces center A’ja Wilson dominates play on-court and media accolades and awards off-court compared to Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas. Las Vegas’ mid-season addition of forward NaLyssa Smith is the perfect counter to Phoenix’s mid-season signing of guard DeWanna Bonner. Hammon has better depth with guards Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd, center Kiah Stokes and forward Kiersten Bell than Tibbetts’ guard Alexa Held and forward Kathryn Westbeld.

One advantage the Mercury have is former finals MVP guard and forward Kahleah Copper. Copper played some of her best career basketball in a previous finals appearance with former All-Stars back in 2021. Despite her skillset, the veteran guard trio of Loyd, Jackie Young and former finals MVP Chelsea Gray will slow Copper down at some point in the series. Phoenix will go as far as Kahleah Copper and forward Satou Sabally can carry them before Las Vegas’ finals experience kicks in and closes the series.

Las Vegas’ Chelsea Gray (left) and A’ja Wilson have been the best duo this postseason.

Prediction: Las Vegas Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 4-2 and win their third ever WNBA Championship trophy

Finals MVP: A’ja Wilson

First round prediction record: 3-1

2025 WNBA First Round Playoff Predictions

jminx9410 Comments

It’s been a thrilling WNBA season. All kinds of records were broken on and off the court. There’s been a lot of praise over the rookies and veterans. Most teams were competitive throughout the year. Now for the playoffs.

The first round should be a quick but fun time. Four teams must advance to the second round by two games in a three game series. It’s time to pick which four have the best chances to extend their championship run.

#8 Golden State Valkyries v. #1 Minnesota Lynx

Minnesota’s Courtney Williams (10) is a threat on both sides of the court against opposing guards.

There are three lopsided first round series, starting with Golden State and Minnesota. The Lynx thrashed the Valkyries twice in the last two weeks. Golden State fans should applaud the team for making the playoffs their first season in the WNBA. Natalie Nakase’s also the favorite to win coach of the year. Still, Minnesota will go full throttle and the Valkyries don’t have the roster to contend with them.

Prediction: Lynx win series 2-0

#7 Seattle Storm v. #2 Las Vegas Aces

One of the best first round series matchups will be Las Vegas’ Jackie Young (0) v. Seattle’s Gabby Williams (5)

There’s no question who should win this series. The 16 straight game winning Aces versus the struggling Storm. The dominant Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson has more blocks on Seattle center Ezi Magbegor than any other WNBA player. This will get ugly fast.

Prediction: Aces win series 2-0

#6 Indiana Fever v. #3 Atlanta Dream

Guard depth is an advantage Atlanta has over Indiana. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough doesn’t have pressure to fill in for Allisha Gray or Jordin Canada when they need rest.

This series would be more interesting if the Fever had their injured guards healthy. Atlanta must finish the series fast and try to stay ahead of the remaining veteran playoff teams. Indiana won’t go quietly with how well guard Kelsey Mitchell and forward Damiris Dantas play. Their lack of playoff experience and overall talent make the Fever a quick out.

Prediction: Dream win series 2-0

#5 New York Liberty v. #4 Phoenix Mercury

Breanna Stewart and the Liberty can pick up where they left off after last year’s championship run.

The only first round series that should go all three games. Both New York and Phoenix won by blowouts in their regular season matchups. Don’t expect that to continue this series.

There’s a high probability the series winner goes to the championship. The Mercury have forwards Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, guards Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner and centers Natasha Mack and Kalani Brown. The Liberty have forward Breanna Stewart and center Jonquel Jones back at full health. Guards Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu, and forwards Leonie Fiebich, Isabelle Harrison and Emma Meesseman round out a fantastic roster.

Coaching is always a factor since Sandy Brondello’s won titles in both cities. However, Phoenix has the better overall, determined roster. The chemistry between Thomas, Bonner, Sabally and Copper will be too much for the smaller Liberty. Jonquel Jones’ inconsistent play this season should be something to remember, especially in the second half of each game.

Prediction: Mercury win series 2-1

August 2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Move Over Napheesa, it’s the A’ja Wilson Show

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Aces star center A’ja Wilson shrugs after she scored 29 points on her 29th birthday August eighth in Seattle.

For most of this season, the unanimous MVP pick has been Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier. Collier is a shut-down defender, an elite scorer and the Lynx’s team leader on every side of the ball. Without Napheesa Collier’s leadership, Minnesota is not seen as a championship contender despite the complimentary players, great coaching and first place record. Collier’s importance can’t be stressed enough.

So when she injured her ankle against the Las Vegas Aces on August 3rd, shockwaves rippled throughout the league. Collier will remain out another week as the Lynx stay on autopilot and try to keep hold of the top playoff seed. The conversation now pivots to who else could win Defensive Player of the Year and MVP. Many will ask and guess which other top players should be considered for the league’s top awards. The longer Collier stays out, the more likely voters go in another direction and choose someone else.

Defensive player of the year could go back to Minnesota’s newly acquired forward DiJonai Carrington. Not only was she the Dallas Wings’ best defender until her trade, she has elevated the Lynx defense since Collier’s absence. Seattle’s Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams have kept the Storm competitive in the playoff race as long as possible because of their improved defense. Opposing offenses hate going to the basket when Magbegor’s in the paint, and Williams is a menace one-on-one.

MVP talks may also shift to Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas, who has recorded five triple doubles this season (with four in August). The Mercury are a roller coaster since the signing of DeWanna Bonner, so the Thomas take may not go far. The biggest name that currently stands out for MVP is Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson. Voters could choose her for both MVP and DPoY.

A month ago, many were hoping Wilson wouldn’t injure herself with how many games the Aces had after the All-Star break. Not only has A’ja Wilson been on another level since play resumed, she’s finally getting needed help from the coaches and role players. Las Vegas has played like their former champion selves with how their offense shreds opposing defenses. They can keep up with almost every team on a nightly and weekly basis (except Minnesota) after their recent wins against New York and Phoenix.

Wilson’s performances this month show she’s not just a valid candidate for MVP, but still the league’s best player. Wilson’s 29 point performance on her 29th birthday (August eighth) led to a win in Seattle that gave the Storm their fourth straight loss and the Aces a top eight playoff seed. Two days later against lowly Connecticut, Wilson recorded the league’s first ever 30 point, 20 rebound game. Las Vegas had to fight for the victory, but there was never a doubt which team would win.

The Aces have won seven straight and nine of their last ten games. One factor that should help determine who wins MVP is how both teams would look without their stars. The Aces are not a playoff contender without A’ja Wilson. The Lynx boast one of the WNBA’s best players in Napheesa Collier, but anyone who has watched Minnesota closely knows the most important person on that team is coach Cheryl Reeve. The Lynx still haven’t lost a game since Collier injured her ankle in a 50+ point win against Las Vegas over two weeks ago. If Wilson missed over two weeks of the regular season, the Aces could be one of the worst teams to watch in professional sports.

There is balance and even irony here after Napheesa Collier tried closing the MVP race gap when A’ja Wilson won the award last year, because this year it’s Wilson trying to do the same to Collier. The most important factors will be how much longer Collier sits out and how Minnesota plays after a loss without her. If Las Vegas and Wilson keep winning pivotal games against the other top three teams before September, then the MVP conversation and pick may be a toss-up. Not to mention the other six teams will be upset the Aces are the worst team to play right before the playoffs. Only a well-built, well-coached and organized team could win a series against Las Vegas right now.

Reigning WNBA MVP center A’ja Wilson is second in points and rebounds, fourth in steals, third in blocks and double-doubles, and first in stocks and 30 point games this season.

Time for the final monthly power rankings of the regular season. Some teams will have tiebreakers based on how they perform on a neutral site.

#13 Connecticut Sun (last ranking: 13)

There is no doubt that this season has been one kick to the jewels after another for Connecticut. If it’s not being embarrassed each night and going in the record books for the wrong reasons, the growing takes about a bidding war regarding the Sun staying in Hartford versus moving to Boston dominate headlines. This may be one of the worst seasons a professional U.S. sports team has recorded in a long time.

#12 Dallas Wings (last ranking: 12)

There have been a lot of front office blunders and mis-managment this season. Very few understand why DiJonai Carrington was traded. Unanimous rookie of the year Paige Bueckers continues to play with an injured back. Coach Chris Koclanes seemingly has no idea what he’s doing nor can he utilize the best out of his forwards and centers. I would normally say the offseason would help, but with Dallas messing up more than one offseason, one has to wonder how much worse things can get.

#11 Chicago Sky (last ranking: 10)

Center Kamilla Cardoso has quietly been one of the best bigs since play resumed. Not only is she leading the team each game, she looks more confident and determined. Despite how well she has played, Chicago’s front office did nothing at the trade deadline and didn’t sign a meaningful player. How is it Indiana signed Odyssey Sims by August tenth when Chicago had at least two weeks to make the move? The Sky haven’t scored 80+ points since Angel Reese last played. Coach Tyler Marsh has no answers for how to improve the offense in the second half of each game and the schedule doesn’t get any easier.

#10 Washington Mystics (last ranking: 6)

Originally, the main article in these power rankings was supposed to be a proper conversation about Washington’s improvement since last season’s abysmal start. Then the Mystics traded Brittney Sykes to Seattle and last year’s first round pick Aaliyah Edwards to Connecticut. In the short-term, those moves torpedoed a lot of good feelings and serious playoff chances. What saves the Mystics from being worse than the three teams listed above is their front office’s long-term commitment to building a championship caliber roster via the draft and free agency. Washington drafted two talented rookie guards to build around and have made them the franchise faces. Now the Mystics have to add the proper forward and center depth around them this offseason.

#9 Seattle Storm (last ranking: 4)

In a complete and shocking reverse from last rankings, Seattle has tumbled since the All-Star break. Part of the fall is due to the trade for Brittney Sykes at the trade deadline and coaching. However, I see a more glaring problem: the Storm have an old starting five. Seattle’s double overtime loss to Los Angeles August second may go down as their most important game of this season and possibly this decade given how it exposed the team’s exhaustion against a younger, more inexperienced Sparks each minute. The Storm went from a dark-horse title contender to a probable, easy out if they make the playoffs. That is the biggest shock of the season.

#8 Los Angeles Sparks (last ranking: 11)

On the flip, Los Angeles’s double over-time home win against Seattle on August 2 may be the start of something special with this roster. The decision to give Cameron Brink a minutes restriction was a great call after her recent ankle scare in New York August 12. Brink looks fantastic after missing a year of play, and the starters are a handful for any team. Azura Stevens is an underrated three-point shooter and former Aces Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum compliment last year’s first round pick Rickea Jackson well. Outside of games against the Liberty, Mercury, and a weird loss to the Mystics, Los Angeles could roll into a lower playoff seed as one of the most dangerous teams this postseason.

#7 Indiana Fever (last ranking: 7)

Until they signed Odyssey Sims, injuries to Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson reduced Indiana to one starting guard. McDonald was also in the most improved player conversation after injuries to Kayla Thornton and Angel Reese. Many are left nervously wondering who else goes down to season ending injuries by next month, after guard Sophie Cunningham suffered what looked like a serious knee injury Sunday in Connecticut.

#6 Golden State Valkyries (last ranking: 9)

It’s a shame Kayla Thornton is lost for the rest of the regular season after suffering a knee injury after the All-Star game. It took a few weeks for Golden State to find a suitable replacement. Luckily they have something special with guard Tiffany Hayes. Hayes has played well this month as she’s second in team points and third in assists. The Valkyries drafted some great players their first year and coach Natalie Nakase could be a coach of the year finalist if Golden State hangs on to their current playoff position.

#5 Las Vegas Aces (last ranking: 8)

A’ja Wilson’s MVP-caliber play aside, two changes have made Las Vegas a better, more competitive team: trading for Dallas forward NaLyssa Smith, and coach Becky Hammon relegating Jewell Loyd to the bench.

Smith is already the second best rebounder on the Aces and gives her new teammates a cushion on defense. Her ability to take care of the opposing offense’s top scorer puts Wilson in better defensive positions and analyze how the offense can take advantage in transition.

The second change had to happen before September. Loyd’s play got worse each game and she had to be benched at some point. Then Loyd herself requested that she come off the bench. Having Jewell Loyd watch and analyze what’s going on to start each game, make adjustments and then substitute in could be the difference from Vegas going home early to favored for a deep playoff run.

#4 Phoenix Mercury (last ranking: 2)

I have Phoenix above Las Vegas because they would have the advantage of winning a full series. The Aces struggled most of their last game against the Mercury and many believe forward Kahleah Copper would have a similar, if not better performance (she usually plays well in the postseason). However, Phoenix has been one of the more inconsistent teams since play resumed. One could say the Mercury are trying to figure out how to play veteran DeWanna Bonner with the starters, but that doesn’t explain why they look great for a few games and awful the next one or two. For a team that has one of the most talented rosters in the WNBA, Phoenix has been a disappointment.

#3 New York Liberty (last ranking: 3)

The same can be said with New York, but their excuse is Breanna Stewart hasn’t and probably won’t play this month because of a leg injury. Whenever the Liberty were hot, a crucial player went out for a month with an injury. It’s a shame too because without the injuries, New York could be the league’s best team.

#2 Atlanta Dream (last ranking: 5)

My predictions for Coach of the Year are between Natalie Nakase, Cheryl Reeve, and Karl Smesko. Smesko’s work with Atlanta catapulted the Dream from playoff outlier to second best. Atlanta is the best rebounding team and hard to stop at the three-point line. The Dream also caught a big break considering star guard Jordin Canada is sidelined for two weeks with a hamstring injury. Atlanta can’t afford to be without Canada the whole playoffs.

#1 Minnesota Lynx (last ranking: 1)

It is almost unfair how good Minnesota is despite Napheesa Collier’s ankle injury. Almost. Not even 24 hours after Collier was went down, the Lynx went all-in and picked up the ambitious Dijonai Carrington from Dallas. Minnesota is more aggressive on defense and veteran guard Kayla McBride has stepped up on offense. It is hard to fathom how the Lynx wouldn’t make the championship with how they adapt each game.

Forward Dijonai Carrington was thrilled to be traded to Minnesota since she stated her desire was to win a championship.

2025 WNBA First Half Questions, Power Rankings and All-Star Analysis

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What a fun season first half. Ratings are climbing and there is more demand. Unlike last season, most awards will be toss-ups. Whoever wins the MVP, Rookie of the Year or Most Improved Player award will be talked about for at least half a year. The eight team playoff race should also have an exciting finish. The bottom three spots will be up for grabs and could be determined by which star players miss significant time in the second half of the season. Here are some main questions and talking points that stand out most with the second half of the regular season starting tonight.

Which team has the best chance of winning the championship this year? Could the New York Liberty repeat as champions?

Minnesota and Phoenix are two of the WNBA’s best teams after the All-Star break. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they faced off in the 2025 championship.

If New York wants to repeat their title run, they need star players like center Jonquel Jones fully healthy and role players like Isabelle Harrison scoring and out-rebounding opposing offenses. The Liberty have been streaky but were good enough to be the second best team at the break.

The two teams that have a good chance to reach and win the championship are Minnesota and Phoenix. Despite the number of games the Lynx played the last three weeks, they’re still the league’s best team. Forward Napheesa Collier is (currently) a lock for league MVP and is the first Lynx player to lead the WNBA in scoring since Maya Moore. Cheryl Reeve remains the league’s best coach and gets the most out of a roster where the second best player is veteran guard Kayla McBride.

Yet the Mercury could be the most dangerous team entering the second half. They signed one of the league’s best all-time scorers in DeWanna Bonner not even a week after Indiana waived her. For now, the 16 year veteran comes off the bench (even with Satou Sabally out with an ankle injury). Many expect she’ll be a starter at some point before the playoffs. The starting five of Bonner, Sabally, Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and Kalani Brown can overwhelm opponents and make Phoenix the most dangerous team entering August.

National media still struggles to cover the WNBA objectively on almost every level

Sports media’s obsession with certain WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark still alienates real and new fans of the sports. The launch of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman’s StudBudz livestream All-Star weekend could be the push towards refreshing content the league needs to promote from their stars and colorful personalities.

Multiple things can be true: a good amount of the sudden, spike of interest in the WNBA is because of Indiana Fever star point guard Caitlin Clark getting drafted number one overall last year. The last two drafts have introduced stars at multiple positions in multiple cities. There’s also a bias in reporting on certain players, teams and games that have made watching much of the last two seasons difficult.

Say whatever you want about Chicago’s star forward Angel Reese, she is in the news for every possible reason. Audiences know when she doesn’t play well versus when she dominates. Clark was said and promised to be a lot of things during and after last year’s rookie season. Her struggles ranging from dribbling weaknesses to her road game shooting accuracies have silenced major sports outlets like ESPN, FoxSports and CBS. In fact, ESPN’s Andraya Carter made a weird pivot to start July by saying the face of the league (which was said to be Clark) should be a player who’s shown staying power and won championships.

How fascinating that when the topic is the WNBA, actual sports broadcasters, journalists and analysts suddenly don’t know how to do their jobs. They can skip over certain players struggling as much as they’re not praising certain rookie players, improved teams or other issues plaguing the league’s progress. Number one pick of this year’s draft Paige Bueckers has surprisingly become the best player on the Wings (despite how veteran guard Arike Ogunbowale was consistently the best scorer and most well known name for the franchise). Sadly, the media doesn’t cover how well Bueckers plays because she doesn’t feed into certain narratives. Many new fans who would love to hear about Washington rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron. Veteran stars like Kahleah Copper should be as celebrated and talked about on a level similar to A’ja Wilson. Unfortunately, the league and media covering them either lack incentives to promote certain players or seemingly try to sabotage the product put out.

This is why the launch of the recent Twitch livestream StudBudz by Minnesota Lynx players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman last weekend was important and a rousing success. Not only were the shenanigans, fun, light-hearted or engaging interviews with numerous All-Stars a refreshing watch, they wound up going viral and talked about everywhere in the U.S. sports world. No one would ever do or replicate something as fascinating and must-watch worthy in the NBA. This is what the WNBA needs and should have more focus on instead of traditionally nonchalant (and often woefully ill-informed) outlets spouting their own biases with women’s sports.

The hardest award to determine will be Most Improved Player

Forward Kayla Thornton (5) has been Golden State’s best player this season and is a favorite to be nominated for most improved player.

The WNBA’s Most Improved Player award has a lot of competition this year. All but three women will miss out despite improved stats and contributions to their team’s successes. Right now serious analysts have Chicago’s Angel Reese, Golden State’s Kayla Thornton and Seattle’s Gabby Williams as the top three choices. These three are the top reasons why their teams stay in the playoff race.

  • Angel Reese has taken a big step forward after last year’s season ending wrist injury. Reese has improved her shut-down defense and rebounding presence while improving her shooting and free-throw accuracy. Reese has also refined her passing to open teammates and has more control over the team’s offensive rhythm and her shot selection.
  • Kayla Thornton is Golden State’s motor each game. The brand new Valkyries leading scorer, rebounder and defender came off a 2024 championship determined to repeat or at least drag her team into the playoffs. She was one of the WNBA’s most underrated players and impressed viewers in the All-Star game.
  • Last power rankings gave Gabby Williams the credentials showing why she will be nominated. She is top four in every major stat category for her team. The Storm is also the fourth best team and has more than enough to win a series against New York, Connecticut and Minnesota. That starts with Williams’ multi-faceted play.

Whoever wins this award will be a bigger name next season for both their teams and national ratings. All three teams will be wise to continue building around these stellar stars in the offseason.

The biggest story of the season is under-reported…and could determine what happens the next few years

WNBA player leadership had a daunting task at the recent CBA meetings in Indianapolis. Right now the players (led by President Nneka Ogwumike) and the owners (led by commissioner Cathy Engelbert) are far apart on negotiations.

The WNBA’s two seasons of incredible, new-found popularity have upended a lot of previous discussions about how much revenue share, media rights, free agency, balance and control for both the league’s top corporate promoters and players should share. Three years ago, every side knew the gradually rising popularity would guarantee more rights and proper funding from the owners and league’s front office. It probably wouldn’t have been as bitter a fight given how all sides knew there was a lot at stake for the league.

Gone are those days. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s timid ineptitude at every level of attempting to run an increasingly popular sport continues to hold the league back, even against the wishes of various owners. The players now have more support from the public, partly due to the talented bigger names recently added to the league the last few seasons. Right now, the impasse could be similar to the 2011 NFL CBA talks and what led to lockouts in the NHL back in 2004 and 2012. It may be devastating for the WNBA to have a partial or full lockout after the league has grown this much the last three years.

(From top left to bottom right) WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Nneka Ogwumike, Angel Reese and Breanna Stewart wear shirts advocating for better pay and rights in the All-Star pre-game warmups last Saturday. The move instantly grabbed the mainstream media’s attention.

Now, it’s time for the monthly power rankings. These show where all 13 teams currently stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based on how they could perform on a neutral site.

#13 Connecticut Sun (last ranking: 13)

Future Hall of Fame center Tina Charles was asked if she considers retirement after 2025. The 15 year veteran responded that she thinks about it everyday. If Charles didn’t consider it before signing with Connecticut last offseason, she definitely has each game with the Sun.

#12 Dallas Wings (last ranking: 12)

Paige Bueckers will easily win rookie of the year. She leads Dallas in points per game (almost three more than her dangerous scorer teammate Arike Ogunbowale), assists and steals. Opposing defenses already struggle to defend Bueckers. If the Wings can add more help at forward and center in the offseason, there might not be a limit to Paige Bueckers’ game.

#11 Los Angeles Sparks (last ranking: 10)

The move to cut forward Satou Sabally after the last rankings was published was weird. Although the move didn’t spark too much of a change, the Sparks remain difficult to read. They cannot get past Chicago but can beat Indiana and a resurgent Washington. I guess when the mentality is to outscore the other team with little defense, it simplifies things.

#10 Chicago Sky (last ranking: 11)

Chicago’s two wins over Los Angeles and a throwaway loss against Atlanta gives them the top ten edge. The loss against the Dream has only one major takeaway: if Ariel Atkins and Angel Reese are out, center Kamilla Cardoso has to play better and be the main star. Cardoso is the highest drafted player on the Sky and was out-hustled by 12 year veteran Brittney Griner the entire game. Perhaps there was some exhaustion given how Cardoso came back from the AmeriCup tournament, but she can’t have another performance like that as the star again.

#9 Golden State Valkyries (last ranking: 7)

Some readers probably thought I was too harsh with the WNBA’s newest team starting off well and how it wouldn’t last, but I wasn’t wrong. The Valkyries are 1-5 in their July games. Fortunately, Golden State finishes the month with Dallas, Connecticut and Atlanta. If they don’t win two of the three, August could be worse.

#8 Las Vegas Aces (last ranking: 8)

Yikes, what a drop! Vegas went from the WNBA’s top team for two years to a three way tie with Indiana and Washington for the 6-8 spot in the rankings.

If the Aces miss the playoffs, missing out on signing DeWanna Bonner after she was waived by the Fever will be a big reason. Center A’ja Wilson is going to have to drag Vegas through five games to end July and she’ll need all the available help. It will be difficult for her to be at 100% all of August.

#7 Indiana Fever (last ranking: 6)

The only reason Indiana hasn’t cratered is because of their bench scoring. Guards Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald and forward Damiris Dantas have been underrated in how the Fever steal wins from quality teams like Atlanta. Whether healthy or injured, franchise star point guard Caitlin Clark has cost Indiana a better season. She has a lot to work on by next year or there may be some uncomfortable conversations.

#6 Washington Mystics (last ranking: 9)

Amazing what a year can do for a team. Washington started off the 2024 season winless after one month of play. One year later they’re in the best position to start August on a playoff run against the more favored Aces and Fever. While rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will make more mistakes during this run, guard Brittney Sykes and center Stefanie Dolson should cancel a good number of them out with their production and drive. Serious basketball fans must watch the Mystics soon.

#5 Atlanta Dream (last ranking: 4)

If we eliminate the easy home win against Chicago, Atlanta has lost three of their last four games. Probably the best example of what the Dream can’t afford to do is what happened in their July 12th loss to Indiana. All-Stars Allisha Gray and Brionna Jones combined for 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Atlanta’s best players were embarrassed by a younger, more determined Fever. They can’t afford to lose games against teams fighting to clinch lower playoff seeds.

#4 Seattle Storm (last ranking: 5)

Seattle is a dark horse to reach and win the WNBA finals. Like Los Angeles, they have been inconsistent in a July split with Connecticut, wins against Minnesota and losses versus Golden State. If the Storm can get on a roll and not be a mystery box every night, this could be the most dangerous team this postseason.

#3 New York Liberty (last ranking: 3)

It took a longer time than expected for New York to play at a high level without center Jonquel Jones for a month. Her return this week and the recent signing of veteran champion forward Emma Meesseman will make the Liberty a more fun and interesting team to watch. No matter what happens this week, their first game of the season against Minnesota will be must-watch t.v.

#2 Phoenix Mercury (last ranking: 2)

I had Phoenix at number one until both Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally went down with leg and ankle injuries. The timing of signing DeWanna Bonner couldn’t have been better. Bonner not only comes off the bench and plays solid minutes, but she’s easing in as a starter before the playoffs start. This potential run could mean a lot for the Mercury given what veteran forwards Alyssa Thomas and Sabally said about the incoming lockout becoming more real (the latter going as far as calling the league’s new proposal, “a slap to the face”).

#1 Minnesota Lynx (last ranking: 1)

For anyone questioning why Minnesota remains number one, consider they played eight games in 13 days before the All-Star break and won six. The rest came at the best time for the Lynx. One thing Minnesota can add by next month is a center or quality rebounder. If the Lynx can find or trade for one, they will be the unquestionable favorite to win the championship.

MVP favorite Napheesa Collier found out how Sky forward Angel Reese can shut her down in the paint. Collier returned the favor the following game with 29 points in their second win of the season against Chicago.

June 2025 WNBA Power Rankings: The Sky is Falling in Chicago

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Sky center Kamilla Cardoso’s (10, black) having a rocky start to her sophomore season. Despite her personal best performance against Los Angeles June 24th, she’ll be playing overseas the next month, seriously changing how Chicago can play without a dual threat center.

It’s been a rough time for the Chicago Sky. They fizzled out of a playoff run after last year’s All-Star break and haven’t recovered. Once Chicago was eliminated, the takes, criticisms, and opinions poured in on how they should improve. Most were fair and honest with coaching, adding depth and better roster pieces, and even changing the focus from star forward Angel Reese to third overall pick center Kamilla Cardoso. Sky management had half a year to seriously look at and fix the issues holding the team back from a better and more successful season.

The result? Chicago is easily one of the worst WNBA teams this year.

To the organization’s credit, they did try to address a lot of last season’s issues that made the playoffs an afterthought. The Sky brought back and signed former franchise legend and point guard Courtney Vandersloot to usher a more stable backcourt transition in free agency. They also drafted guard Hailey Van Lith and forward Maddy Westbeld in this year’s draft. Van Lith would take over once she felt ready and grew her game next to two talented sophomore stars. Chicago also added guard depth signing Ariel Atkins and Kia Nurse. Those moves were meant to give Vandersloot and Van Lith a cushion. It would be rough to make a 14 year veteran and a rookie create and lead the offense a whole season.

Add in new coach Tyler Marsh and this was supposed to be a team contending for one of the eight playoff spots. While growing pains were expected, the Sky are awful in a list of categories. The offense is bottom three in the league from points per game to free throw percentage. Chicago is last in turnovers per game (17.8, yikes) and bottom five in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) Next month’s schedule doesn’t get easier. They’re 4-1 against three of the four worst teams (Chicago has the third worst overall record) but winless against the top eight playoff contenders. The Sky can pick up some wins the next couple of weeks, but they have four games in July against Minnesota. Don’t be surprised if the Lynx leave with four wins and make Chicago look like one of the most inept teams this season.

There were complaints that the Sky made too many unnecessary changes by not bringing back leading scorer and talented point guard Chennedy Carter in the offseason. Carter made it known she didn’t want to come back unless coach Teresa Weatherspoon stayed. That wasn’t going to happen either because Weatherspoon was fired for a terrible end to the season for which she had no answers. (Yes, injuries were part of the season-ending slump but Weatherspoon was often out-coached), There were also reports suggesting she lost the locker room by playing favorites. Despite negative reactions from Weatherspoon’s firing, it was inevitable if there were internal problems and locker room leaks. As any sports fan understands, those problems don’t disappear because an offseason arrives. It grows the next season if not properly addressed.

This is what makes a lot of Chicago’s issues mind-boggling. The Sky never planned for what would happen if Courtney Vandersloot went down to a season ending injury. Hailey Van Lith is now the de facto starter, and while she may turn out to be a great player for the franchise, she’ll have a much different experience each game that she could’ve had better time preparing for if the team added better guard depth. Pundits want Chicago to make peace with Chennedy Carter and bring her back to the Sky. Carter isn’t going to come back anytime this year or next. Even if she could, her troubled past with multiple teams has been seen as too much of a liability. These same pundits also complain about the coaching change. Tyler Marsh might not be the right coach for this specific team/roster, but Weatherspoon wouldn’t do any better with this mess since she had no answers for how to make rookie center Kamilla Cardoso a consistent threat on offense and couldn’t get the most out of last year’s guard depth.

If the Sky added a coach with similar styles and experience like LSU’s Kim Mulkey or South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, this may be a much better, organized and disciplined team. It’s unfortunate both Cardoso and franchise star forward Angel Reese may not have the best chance of having that until next season.

If Chicago was serious about establishing a winning culture, they’d hire LSU’s Kim Mulkey by the All-Star break. Her success with Angel Reese and rookie Hailey Van Lith, plus added respect from Kamilla Cardoso could quickly fix most of the Sky’s on-court issues.

It’s time for the inaugural jdsportscorner WNBA power rankings. As I’ve done with the previous NBA & NHL rankings, these will show where all 13 teams currently stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#13 Connecticut Sun

Tina Charles is a top 25 WNBA player all-time, but if your current best player is a 15 year veteran playing close to 40 minutes a night, there’s a problem. The inconsistent Marina Mabrey is Connecticut’s second best player and now out at least three weeks with an injured left knee. This will be a long and stressful season for Sun fans, who also aren’t happy the team is in current discussions to relocate within the next few years.

#12 Dallas Wings

2025 first overall pick Paige Bueckers became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 points and 50 assists last Sunday. Dallas won’t have a great year due to how little defense they play, but the Bueckers pick is an instant success and should make the Wings a fun watch the next few seasons.

#11 Chicago Sky

Chicago picked up a much needed home win against the Sparks yesterday. Although this was the last game center Kamilla Cardoso will play with Chicago until near mid-July, (she will compete in the AmeriCup Tournament with Team Brazil starting June 28th) news that guard Moriah Jefferson could come back by the start of next month could make the Sky a more interesting team to watch. Chicago desperately needs a guard who can facilitate, play good defense, and take offensive pressure off Ariel Atkins and rookie Hailey Van Lith. We’ll also see how well team leader Angel Reese plays with no talented center taking pressure off her on both sides of the court.

#10 Los Angeles Sparks

Give Los Angeles credit for building a better roster than what they had two years ago. Unfortunately last year’s second overall pick Cameron Brink is still injured and guard Odyssey Sims has been out for personal reasons. That means the offense has to be almost perfect since the defense is a mess. Once both return, the starting five of Brink, Sims, Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum can add another serious playoff contender to the western conference.

#9 Washington Mystics

The Sky are not the subject of the first power rankings article if they weren’t outscored 68-46 after a dominant first quarter and blew a 12 point first half lead against Washington on June 17th. Brittney Sykes’ 32 points were the major reason for a comeback, and further shows how desperate Chicago is to get better guards.

#8 Las Vegas Aces

Guards Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray each have 50 assists after a month into the season. Vegas is last in assists and that’s because they don’t have playmakers outside of Young, Gray or league MVP center A’ja Wilson. Jewell Loyd is a solid guard, but she’s not an upgrade over Kelsey Plum. Forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is out for two more months because of pregnancy. Management has to get aggressive and sign someone like the newly, released DeWanna Bonner or make a trade for a few more complimentary players.

#7 Golden State Valkyries

It’s best to tune out the pundits and sports takes saying Golden State’s off to a great start in their first WNBA season. Six or seven teams look mediocre and earlier today, the Valkyries made an eyebrow raising move cutting guard Aerial Powers after she played well alongside Kate Martin. A rookie franchise is prone to making a lot of mistakes, but Golden State cutting top players doesn’t help their playoff chances.

#6 Indiana Fever

Are the Fever this good, or are the other seven teams that disappointing? It’s hard to get a read on Indiana as June ends, but it does feel like a team that could be dangerous after the All-Star break. Stephanie White is still learning and teaching a younger, more talented roster that will be around for a while. The Fever have to make sure no more injury concerns pop up this season.

#5 Seattle Storm

Gabby Williams makes Seattle a more complete team. She is the only Storm player who is top four in points scored (third), total rebounds (third), assists (second), steals (first), blocked shots (fourth) and three-point shots made (first). Seattle’s playoff and championship hopes depend on how well Williams plays.

#4 Atlanta Dream

The trio of Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones and Rhyne Howard gives Atlanta lots to love, but the free agent signing of Brittney Griner could be one of the most underrated additions last offseason. Griner’s defensive presence and veteran leadership makes the Dream one of the best defensive and rebounding teams in the WNBA.

#3 New York Liberty

First New York squeaked out some wins against Atlanta, Golden State and Indiana. Then they lost Jonquel Jones for almost two months to a right ankle sprain and their last three of four games. If the Liberty aren’t careful, that hot start to the season might be their highlight of 2025.

#2 Phoenix Suns

Kahleah Copper’s return instantly makes Phoenix a top three team in both the league and these rankings. Copper gives the Mercury an overwhelming edge to bully opponents in the paint on both sides of the court and the needed talent to put less skilled teams away early in games. Don’t be surprised if the trio of Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally make a run for the number one seed the next few months.

#1 Minnesota Lynx

Coach Cheryl Reeve and forward Napheesa Collier entered this season mad at losing the last game of the 2024 WNBA Finals. Collier is easily the league’s MVP choice a month into the season. Hopefully her back injury isn’t too serious because the Lynx are playing their best basketball since the mid-2010s dynasty days.

Napheesa Collier’s the first Lynx since Maya Moore to lead the league in scoring during the regular season.

2025 NBA Championship Finals Prediction

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The NBA conference finals went faster than many expected. Oklahoma City dominated Minnesota in five games while Indiana won a thriller series against New York in six. The Thunder lost only four games in three western conference matchups. Whoever wins this year’s championship deserves the praise and accolades. It’s time to break down which team has the best chance of winning their first franchise championship in the NBA’s 78th season.

#4 Indiana Pacers v. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder

This is the first thrilling NBA finals matchup we’ve had since Golden State won their last championship in 2022. Both teams are young, have fast-paced offenses and improved defenses. The Thunder have more depth while the Pacers have better coaching.

In both regular season games between Oklahoma City and Indiana, two things stood out: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored at least 33+ points, and forwards Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams combined for 30+ points. There were roster changes and coverage improvements since both games were between late January and late March. Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton struggled shooting the ball in both games finishing with 50% accuracy or less and scored a total of 22 points.

If there is anyone who can elevate the Pacers in an unlikely finals run, it is coach Rick Carlisle. Back in 2011, Carlisle’s Mavericks won their first and only franchise title in what many believe is one of the most well-earned championships of all time against the star-studded Miami Heat. Unlike those Mavericks, the Pacers never beat their finals opponent in the regular season. If Carlisle steals a few wins against Oklahoma City, Haliburton has to play better, forward Pascal Siakam and center Myles Turner have to play their best on both ends of the court and bench players like Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell need to win their matchups against Cason Wallace and Jaylin Williams.

Unlike last year’s finals, the favored team won’t have it easy. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault doesn’t have experience coaching in the NBA finals compared to the Pacers’ Rick Carlisle. This series could have a rough patch for the young, mostly inexperienced Thunder. Regardless of probable hiccups, Oklahoma City showed how to clamp and shut down Indiana’s stars. If the Thunder win this series, they’ll go into the offseason with a championship trophy, lots of draft capital and a parade to plan. Oklahoma City’s first franchise championship will make them the envy of the league and general manager Sam Presti one of, if not the best general manager in American sports this century.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 4-2 and win their first ever Larry O’Brien Trophy

2025 NBA Eastern Conference Second Round Playoff Predictions

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The first round was fun but didn’t have many surprises or upsets. New York’s last second win in Detroit helped avoid a full, seven game series. Cleveland swept Miami and both Boston and Indiana took care of Orlando and Milwaukee respectively in five games. All teams in this upcoming round made it to last year’s semi-conference finals. The Celtics and Knicks have great offenses and defenses to make a fun series while the Pacers will be more of a challenge for the Cavaliers. Two of the remaining four will advance to the conference finals. Time to break down which of the two have the best chance to make round three.

#3 New York Knicks v. #2 Boston Celtics

New York point guard Jalen Brunson (11) might not be enough to overcome Boston forward Jaylen Brown (7) and center Kristaps Porzingis (8)

This is the easiest series in either round. New York cannot beat Boston to save their lives. Asking the Knicks to beat the Celtics four times in seven games is too much. Pencil in Boston for the eastern conference finals.

Prediction: Celtics win series 4-1

#4 Indiana Pacers v. #1 Cleveland Cavaliers

If Cleveland wants to make this a fast series, players like center Jarrett Allen (31) have to shut down Indiana’s offense each game.

This isn’t the easy series many expect for Cleveland. Both teams pulled their starters in two of their four regular season games and Indiana has improved each week and month. We’ll see how ready the Cavaliers are to take the next step by winning a championship without LeBron James.

Cleveland is fortunate to have the better roster depth and to know the Pacers weren’t challenged much last round against Milwaukee. Both teams will go all-out in this series and try to undermine the other’s patience. Unlike the Cavaliers, Indiana’s defense isn’t as good and still reverts to bad habits when tested by star scorers. It might be a longer series many expect, but there’s no doubt who wins.

Prediction: Cavaliers win series 4-2

Eastern conference first round playoffs record: 4-0