WNBA Finals
[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 | 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 |
| 2006 | Detroit Shock | 5 | 3-2 | Sacramento Monarchs | Deanna Nolan |
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.
