Can Seattle Storm be among WNBA's elite? Consistency will be key.

SEATTLE — Nearing the midpoint of the WNBA’s 44-game season, the Storm have shown signs of being a legit championship contender.

They’re tied for fourth in the standings at 11-7, and they’re the only squad that’s beaten the top four teams.

And yet, Seattle just might be the most polarizing team in the league considering a couple of head-scratching upset performances against the Golden State Valkyries.

“We have to really understand who we are,” coach Noelle Quinn said. “When we are playing at a high level and locked in, we're a really good team.

“When we’re not locked in with the energy, the effort and the execution, we're just not a very good team. So, I think it’s on us to really own it. It's time to show and prove every single game who we are.”

In the most recent Associated Press WNBA power rankings, Seattle fell four spots to No. 7 — slightly ahead of Indiana by a point. One AP voter slotted the Storm 10th among the league’s 13 teams.

Here’s a look at where Seattle ranks in the latest power rankings.

Newsweek (3): “The Storm are one of the best passing teams in the league, always looking to make the right read. Couple those traits with high efficiency and high-impact players like Nneka Ogwumike, and you have one of the most consistent teams in the league.”

CBS Sports (5): “The Storm continued their roller-coaster season with a downward swing this week. Most notably, they shot 27% from the field in a blowout loss to the Valkyries, which was their worst single-game field goal percentage since 2015. … Was that a blip? Or are they coming back down to Earth?”

Sports Illustrated (6): “The Storm remain unpredictable, putting up only 57 points in a 27-point loss to the Valkyries on Sunday. Seattle has a win over the mighty Lynx on its résumé and is also capable of clunkers like the thumping from Golden State. Right now, Quinn’s squad feels firmly in the middle tier of teams, fighting to ascend to the top.”

Swish Appeal (7): “Seattle’s season has been defined by inconsistency, with flashes of their championship pedigree mixed with puzzling losses. Veteran leadership remains strong, but the supporting cast has struggled to find reliable rhythm on both ends of the floor.”

ESPN (9): “If you have been following the Power Rankings this season, you know the Storm have moved up and down more than any other team. If they fare well on their upcoming East Coast swing, they will climb right back up again.”

Suffice to say, opinions are mixed on the Storm, who roll into Sunday’s 10 a.m. matchup against New York (12-5) at Barclays Center and televised nationally on CBS with newfound momentum following their last-second 80-79 road win against Atlanta on Thursday.

“It's a difficult season,” Quinn said while noting Seattle is in the middle of a three-game road trip that ends Wednesday against the Connecticut Sun. “I know our schedule is really rigorous, but at the end of the day, we have players in our locker room who are committed to each other, committed to the success of the team, and because of that we want it so bad, and I want it so bad for them.

“The times that it doesn't feel good, we know it. I don't beat them up about it, but at the end of the day, in order to be a top team, you have to beat the top teams, especially on the road.”

Here’s the quick synopsis of the Storm so far.

The great: Seattle’s offense has been tremendous while ranking second in fast-break points (13.8), assists (21.7), fewest turnovers (13.3) and 3-point shooting percentage (35.9%). The Storm are also third in points in the paint (37.1) and field-goal shooting percentage (45.7%).

The good: Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins are heading to the WNBA All-Star Game and the league will announce Sunday morning if Gabby Williams joins them. It’s the highest scoring trio (55.5 points per game) in the league among groupings with at least 10 games played together.

The surprise (in a good way): Erica Wheeler averaged 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a reserve last year in Indiana. This season, the 11-year veteran is averaging 11.9 points and 3.4 rebounds — both career highs — and 3.6 assists while starting 11 of 18 games.

The surprise (in a not-so-good way): Ezi Magbegor ranks third in the league with 2.1 blocks and she’s an elite rim protector for Seattle, which is second in the WNBA, while averaging 4.6 blocks. But she’s shooting career lows on field-goal attempts (47.0%), 3-pointers (12.5%) and free throws (48.3%) while averaging 6.9 points — nearly five fewer than last year.

The bad: Considering Williams, Magbegor, Ogwumike and Diggins are vying for All-Defensive team honors, the Storm’s defense should be better. Seattle ranks fifth in opponent’s scoring (79.8 points per game), seventh in defensive rating (100.1) and eighth in opponent’s field-goal (44.2%) and 3-point shooting (33.3%)

The ugly: The rebounding has been atrocious. Seattle ranks last in offensive rebounds (6.8 per game), 12th in rebounds (31.0) and second-chance points (8.9), 10th in opponent’s rebounds (35.4) and ninth in opponent’s offensive rebounds (9.1).

At their best, the Storm throttled league-leading Minnesota 94-84 in May and toppled the defending champion Liberty 89-79 last month in Seattle while they were missing stars Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones due to illness.

Jones (ankle) remains out for short-handed New York, which is 5-5 in its last 10 games and is in danger of slipping out of the second spot in the standings if its slump continues.

Meanwhile, Seattle is seeking further affirmation to support its claim as one of the league’s elite teams.

“When we really understand who we are, we'll continue to find success and hit the ground running and have some consistency,” Quinn said. “It's about being confident in ourselves, and that can't waver, no matter the day.

“So, I just want our team to continue to understand that we have the pieces to have confidence in each other and in ourselves and continue to play some really good basketball.”