The end of the 2023 season is drawing nearer, so it's time for teams, and us, to determine the best lineups in the WNBA.
The WNBA regular season is nearing its conclusion. At this point in the year, every team needs to know what its best five-person lineup is. For the teams outside the playoff bubble, it's good to know who they may want to carry over into next season. And for the teams inside the bubble, it's important to know who your most reliable five are.
Whether it's for your starting lineup, closing lineup, or who you need on the court in a key moment.
Factoring in production, minutes played, and team success we were able to rank the top five lineups in the WNBA this season. But let's start with a group that just missed the cut.
Note: All stats in this article are as of Thursday, Aug. 10 before the evening's games were played.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – Honorable Mention: Connecticut Sun
Lineup: DeWanna Bonner, Tiffany Hayes, Natisha Hideman, Brionna Jones, Alyssa Thomas
The best lineup on the season for the Connecticut Sun has not been on the court together since June. But it's also still the most-played lineup at nearly 209 minutes. The lineup was productive with 7.6 points per 100 possessions (PTS) which is among the highest in the W for the most played lineups in the league. It's also fair to assume it could have only gotten better had Brionna Jones stayed healthy.
Jones moved into the starting lineup this year after Jonquel Jones moved on to the New York Liberty. She was averaging career highs in points (15.9), rebounds (8.2), assists (2.4) and steals (1.8).
Connecticut is 11-4 in the games since Jones has been out after starting 10-3. But they're new starting lineup with Rebecca Allen in for Jones is producing just 2.6 PTS in less than 200 minutes played.
I wanted to at least mention this lineup because, from a talent and cohesion standpoint, they are every bit as good as the lineups we'll talk about next. But because that overall production is slightly below the other teams, and we know we won't be seeing this lineup again this season, it gets relegated into the "honorable mention" category.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – No. 5: Dallas Wings
Lineup: Crystal Dangerfield, Natasha Howard, Teaira McCowan, Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally
The Dallas Wings are having another fine season in 2023. They are currently 15-14 which makes them the fifth seed in the league. That success is primarily due to this lineup. The above five have played over 300 minutes together this season making it the second most played lineup in the WNBA. They've also been productive in that time with 11.2 PTS.
The Wings are extremely reliant on this lineup. It's played more minutes than their next four most-played lineups combined. And not only is it by far the most used, but it's by far the most productive. Dallas doesn't have another lineup producing positive points per 100 possessions that has played more than 35 minutes together all season.
This lineup is led by All-Star Arike Ogunbowale who is currently fourth in the WNBA in points per game (PPG) at 20.8. Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally, and Natasha Howard all play at least 33 minutes per game (MPG) and average at least 17 PPG.
The Wings being so reliant on this lineup to keep them afloat is very similar to the next team we'll talk about. And it's a good thing Dallas has remained relatively healthy. Because if this lineup wasn't on the court as often as it was, it's scary to think about how far down the standings they could have fallen.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – No. 4: Washington Mystics
Lineup: Ariel Atkins, Shakira Austin, Natasha Cloud, Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Sykes
Going into this season we knew the Mystics would once again be heavily reliant on their starting five, just like last year. The above lineup has played 182 minutes together despite Shakira Austin not playing since June and Elena Delle Donne not playing since July.
To highlight the importance of this lineup, it produced 19.6 PTS in those minutes. Washington's next positive lineup is their seventh most used lineup which has only played 21 minutes together all season.
Their reliance on this lineup has shown since the injuries to their two star post players. In the 10 games since Delle Donne went out Washington is just 3-7. They've dropped to 13-15 on the year which ranks them seventh in the league.
The good news is Delle Donne and Austin both began practicing again and are eyeing a comeback sooner rather than later. But will the lineup go back to its early season productivity right away? The Mystics will sure need it too if they want any hope of making noise this season.
I debated making this the number five lineup due to the injuries, but Austin and Delle Donne started practicing again this week and should return soon.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – No. 3: Las Vegas Aces
Lineup: Chelsea Gray, Candace Parker, Kelsey Plum, A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young
The Las Vegas Aces' healthy starting lineup comes in third on this list – and mostly because we don't know if we'll see Candace Parker back healthy this season. Still, this lineup has played 238 minutes together and produced ridiculously high numbers at 23.6 PTS.
The defending champions already had a loaded roster before adding Parker to it over the offseason. When healthy, this team was the runaway best team in the league. The Aces were 16-1 going into the last game Parker played in.
Parker had surgery done to repair a foot fracture in July and was given an "indefinite" timetable for a return. If Parker were able to come back to the lineup, we could see this group go back to being at the very top of the league.
Leading this particular lineup is last year's MVP A'ja Wilson who is averaging 20.5 PPG and career-highs in rebounds (9.6) and blocks (2.2). Wilson headlines a group with three other All-Stars on it. The 2022 MVP is making a case to repeat that title in 2023.
Now, it's hard to get one lineup into the top five. But getting two should be impossible. Right? Not for these Aces.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – No 2: Las Vegas Aces
Lineup: Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Kiah Stokes, A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young
The Aces second most played lineup, and their starting group since Parker's injury comes in at number two on the board. In 186 minutes together they've produced a list-leading 26.8 PTS.
Stepping in for Parker is Kiah Stokes who is averaging 3.3 PPG and 6.4 rebounds per game (RPG) in 10 games as the starter. Stokes has been on the Aces since 2021 when she came over from the New York Liberty.
Guard Kelsey Plum took the biggest leap from June to July after Parker went down. Through the first two months of the season Plum was averaging less than 17 PPG, then in July that skyrocketed to 23.9 PPG.
Las Vegas is 9-1 in the 10 games that it has relied on this lineup. With so much talent on the roster, it would be pretty easy for this team to sustain even another injury and still be productive. But let's hope they don't have to.
The fact that the Aces have had two very impressive lineups almost keeps one of them from being named the top lineup in the league. But there are a couple of reasons why this next one takes the crown.
Best Lineups in the WNBA – No. 1: New York Liberty
Lineup: Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Britajeh Laney, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot
The No. 1 lineup in the WNBA this year has been the above group from the New York Liberty. In a league-leading nearly 369 minutes they've produced 21.7 PTS. The top seed in the East has solely relied on this lineup to get them there with their second-most played lineup playing barely 55 minutes total on the season.
The Liberty made multiple splashes last offseason to get this group together, and the returns are great so far. Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP, seems to have sacrificed the most in coming to the Sun. But she's still plenty useful averaging 11.8 PPG and 8.4 RPG.
Meanwhile, the 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart is averaging a career-high in points (22.7 PPG) and is currently the frontrunner to win MVP.
What sealed the deal for this lineup to be named number one was the August 6th game against the Aces. These top two lineups went head-to-head in a game that ended with a score of 99-61 in New York's favor.
The Liberty spent big this offseason to make this lineup happen and challenge the Aces for the title. So far that gamble has proved to at least give them a chance.
