1997 WNBA Playoffs
| East champion | New York Liberty (Coach: Nancy Darsch) |
|---|---|
| West champion | Houston Comets (Coach: Van Chancellor) |
→ | |
The 1997 WNBA Playoffs was the
postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 1997 season which ended with the Houston Comets beating the New York Liberty, 1-0 (65-51). Cynthia Cooper
was named the MVP of the Finals. This was the first year of WNBA playoffs.
Road to the playoffs
Eastern Conference
| Eastern Conference | W | L | PCT | Conf. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Comets x | 18 | 10 | .643 | 6–6 | – |
| New York Liberty x | 17 | 11 | .607 | 8–4 | 1.0 |
| Charlotte Sting x | 15 | 13 | .536 | 5–7 | 3.0 |
| Cleveland Rockers o | 15 | 13 | .536 | 5–7 | 3.0 |
Western Conference
| Western Conference | W | L | PCT | Conf. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Mercury x | 16 | 12 | .571 | 9–3 | – |
| Los Angeles Sparks o | 14 | 14 | .500 | 8–4 | 2.0 |
| Sacramento Monarchs o | 10 | 18 | .357 | 4–8 | 6.0 |
| Utah Starzz o | 7 | 21 | .250 | 3–9 | 9.0 |
Note:Teams with an "X" clinched playoff spots.
Playoffs
Semifinals
Charlotte Sting vs. Houston Comets
August 28
|
| Charlotte Sting 54, Houston Comets 70 | ||
| Scoring by half: 33–29, 21–41 | ||
| : Rhonda Mapp 5 | Pts: Cynthia Cooper 31 Rebs: Tina Thompson 12 Asts: Cynthia Cooper 5 | |
New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury
August 28
|
| New York Liberty 59, Phoenix Mercury 41 | ||
| Scoring by half: 23–18, 36–23 | ||
| 5 | Pts: Gillom, Askamp 9 each Rebs: Jennifer Gillom 7 Asts: Webb, Pettis 2 each | |
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 16,751 Referees: Bob Trammel, June Courteau, Violet Palmer |
WNBA Championship
August 30
|
| New York Liberty 51, Houston Comets 65 | ||
| Scoring by half: 24–28, 27–37 | ||
| 5 | Pts: Cynthia Cooper 25 Rebs: Tammy Jackson 11 Asts: Cynthia Cooper 4 | |
, June Courteau, Sally Bell
|