The Mercury were on a six-game winning streak, as they beat teams such as the Las Vegas Aces and the Chicago Sky. They also defeated the New York Liberty twice during that stretch.

They move up one spot mostly because the New York Liberty are in a rut. The Dream have some questionable losses last week to the Dallas Wings and in overtime to the Minnesota Lynx.

The Liberty were third in the standings entering Thursday, and the second-place Mercury were playing the Wings. After New York beat the Sparks, Brondello and the rest of her team were surprised to ...

The schedule also gets kinder to the Liberty with an eight-game homestand for most of July. With the All-Star break thrown in, New York doesn't leave Barclays Center until a game at Dallas on July 28.

The schedule also gets kinder to the Liberty with an eight-game homestand for most of July. With the All-Star break thrown in, New York doesn't leave Barclays Center until a game at Dallas on July 28.