WNBA Power Rankings: Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings climbing as All-Star

The Las Vegas Aces picked up their second loss, responded to it with their highest point total of the season, secured their place in the Commissioner’s Cup final and are looking forward to hosting WNBA All-Star weekend.

Despite falling at the Dallas Wings 80-78 on Friday, the Aces remain where they’ve been since the preseason: No. 1 in ESPN’s weekly WNBA Power Rankings. The Aces are averaging a league-best 93.6 PPG, so scoring fewer than 80 points was downright bizarre. But it wasn’t surprising they beat the Minnesota Lynx 113-89 on Sunday. That’s how the Aces roll.

But it’s noteworthy the Aces weren’t the winningest team for the week. That was the Atlanta Dream, who went 3-0 and move back into the top half of the Power Rankings.

In the four games since the All-Star reserves were named July 1, Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard has averaged 26.8 PPG, including a career-high 43 points on July 2. Howard was an All-Star last season, when she was also Rookie of the Year after being the No. 1 pick. Howard wasn’t selected this year, but she’s playing like an All-Star.

.@LaChinaRobinson, @CAROLYNPECK and @McNuttMonica reflected on their memories of Nikki McCray-Penson. pic.twitter.com/9uGeZzTUmj

— ESPN (@khbrksport) July 8, 2023

Her Dream teammates Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker are headed to Saturday’s All-Star Game (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN App). But earlier that day, a woman very dear to Gray and many people in the basketball world will be eulogized in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Nikki McCray-Penson — the former Tennessee Lady Vols star who won two Olympic gold medals and played in the WNBA and ABL before becoming a college coach — died Friday at age 51. She had first been diagnosed with breast cancer almost 10 years ago.

McCray-Penson was a three-time WNBA All-Star….