WNBA Power Rankings 2024: Connecticut Sun take over top spot - ESPN

One game was the difference-maker for the top spot in this week's ESPN WNBA Power Rankings.

And for the first time in over 650 days, a team other than the Las Vegas Aces or New York Liberty is No. 1.

The Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota Lynx 83-82 in overtime Tuesday. Combined with the Aces' loss to the Phoenix Mercury, Connecticut — the lone unbeaten team in the WNBA — moves to the No. 1 spot.

The top two teams in our preseason rankings — the 2023 champion Aces and runner-up Liberty — have lost home games already, which few would have predicted. Chelsea Gray's absence (foot injury) is one of the things that has kept the Aces from being their best, while the Liberty have looked really good at times — and really out of sync other times.

The Sun have proved they don't have to be atop any particular statistical category to top the WNBA standings. But the categories they lead — free throws made (20.6 per game) and attempted (24.6) — illustrate how aggressive the Sun are.

The Lynx, meanwhile, have won every other game this season. Minnesota leads the league in field goals made (33.0), field goal percentage (47.0), 3-point percentage (38.6), assists (24.4) and steals (11.8).

And that helps make Wednesday's Lynx-Aces matchup in Minneapolis one of the most anticipated games of this week.

Las Vegas or New York ranked first every week of ESPN's 2023 Power Rankings. Up until this week, the Chicago Sky are the most recent team outside of the Aces or Liberty to lead the rankings, in August 2022, the final week of that regular season.

Previous rankings: Preseason | May 20

Previous ranking: 3

This week: vs. PHO (May 28), vs. DAL (May 31), @ ATL (June 2)

Nothing stopped the Sun last week. They held off upset-minded Indiana by four