WNBA Power Rankings: Evaluating playoff landscape entering Olympic break

It seems a bit crazy to herald the play of a 6-19 team, but the Washington Mystics are playing quite well. Unfortunately, Washington began the season at 0-12 and may have lost the opportunity to compete in the 2024 WNBA Playoffs.

In saying that, Washington is 6-7 over its past 13 games, routinely playing well in both victory and defeat.

The Mystics picked up wins over the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, which are on pace for postseason appearances. It also pushed the Connecticut Sun to the limit before ultimately falling 94-91 in overtime.

It's unfortunate that Washington struggled so mightily early in the season, but it's a testament to the strength of the locker room that it continues to compete.

The Chicago Sky have been trending upward since starting the season at 4-9. Led by Rookie of the Year candidate Angel Reese, dynamic scorer Chennedy Carter, and the all-around production of Marina Mabrey, Chicago is 6-5 over the past 11 outings.

The Sky are currently the No. 8 seed in the playoff hunt, and recent performances suggest they could reach .500 by the end of the season.

Reese recently made waves by setting the all-time WNBA record with 15 consecutive double-doubles. Carter hasn't received as much fanfare, but has been tremendous in recent games, scoring 20-plus points in seven of the past 10 outings.

Led by Carter's 34 points, the Sky recently upset the Las Vegas Aces heading into the Olympic break and look the part of a team that could pull off a massive postseason upset.