WNBA Finals
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The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), 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.
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 | Championship Team | Best of | Result | Opponent | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Houston Comets | 1 | 1–0 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1998 | Houston Comets | 3 | 2–1 | Phoenix Mercury | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1999 | Houston Comets | 3 | 2–1 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2000 | Houston Comets | 3 | 2–0 | New York Liberty | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Sparks | 3 | 2–0 | Charlotte Sting | Lisa Leslie |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Sparks | 3 | 2–0 | New York Liberty | Lisa Leslie |
| 2003 | Detroit Shock | 3 | 2–1 | Los Angeles Sparks | Ruth Riley |
| 2004 | Seattle Storm | 3 | 2–1 | Connecticut Sun | Betty Lennox |
| 2005 | Sacramento Monarchs | 5 | 3–1 | Connecticut Sun | Yolanda Griffith |
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, and fans on both sides were rampant, knowing the history of the Lakers-Pistons rivalry of the late 1980's was back with their leaders.
See also
- 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
External links
- [WNBA.com]
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