WNBA Finals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), held in early September and played under a best-of-five playoff format. The team winning the Eastern Conference Finals earns one of the two seeds in the championship round, with the other going to the team that wins the Western Conference Finals. This event has been played at the conclusion of every WNBA playoffs, the first being held in 1997.
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[edit] History
The WNBA Finals were originally a single championship game to decide the WNBA champion. However, in 1998, after the addition of two teams and the realignment of the league into divisions of teams, the WNBA Finals were turned into a best-of-three games series. In 2005, the WNBA Finals adopted a best-of-five format.
| Year | Champions | Format | Result | Opponent | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Houston Comets | 1 game | 65 - 51 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1998 | Houston Comets | 2-of-3 | 2 - 1 | Phoenix Mercury | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1999 | Houston Comets | 2-of-3 | 2 - 1 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2000 | Houston Comets | 2-of-3 | 2 - 0 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Sparks | 2-of-3 | 2 - 0 | Charlotte Sting | Lisa Leslie |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Sparks | 2-of-3 | 2 - 0 | New York Liberty | Lisa Leslie |
| 2003 | Detroit Shock | 2-of-3 | 2 - 1 | Los Angeles Sparks | Ruth Riley |
| 2004 | Seattle Storm | 2-of-3 | 2 - 1 | Connecticut Sun | Betty Lennox |
| 2005 | Sacramento Monarchs | 3-of-5 | 3 - 1 | Connecticut Sun | Yolanda Griffith |
| 2006 | Detroit Shock | 3-of-5 | 3 - 2 | Sacramento Monarchs | Deanna Nolan |
[edit] Highlights
- The 2003 Finals was best known for rekindling a heated rivalry between the two teams' head coaches, Los Angeles Sparks head coach Michael Cooper and Detroit Shock head coach Bill Laimbeer. Both coaches were fierce NBA competitors who played in the NBA Finals against each other in 1988 and 1989.
- In 2001, the #4 seed Charlotte Sting was the lowest seed ever to make the WNBA Finals.
- 2006 marked the first time that a #1 seed did not participate in the WNBA Finals. Detroit and Sacramento were both 2 seeds.
- Only the Los Angeles Sparks and Sacramento Monarchs have both won and lost WNBA Finals series.
- The New York Liberty have the most Finals appearances (4) without winning one.
- The Detroit Shock are the 3rd team to win multiple championships (following LA and HOU). However, there are the first team to win non-consecutive championships.
[edit] See also
- Category:Women's National Basketball Association seasons
- WNBA Coach of the Year
- WNBA Finals MVP
- WNBA MVP
- WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
- WNBA Most Improved Player
- WNBA Rookie of the Year
- Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award
