In today's world, 1997 WNBA season has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide variety of people. Whether due to its impact on society, its historical relevance, its importance in technological development or its influence in the cultural sphere, 1997 WNBA season has captured the attention of people of all ages and contexts. In this article, we will explore the topic of 1997 WNBA season in depth, analyzing its different dimensions and how it has evolved over time. From its origins to its current state, 1997 WNBA season has been the subject of study, debate and admiration by academics, enthusiasts and the curious alike.
1997 WNBA season | |
---|---|
League | Women's National Basketball Association |
Sport | Basketball |
Duration | June 21 - August 30, 1997 |
Number of games | 28 |
Number of teams | 8 |
Total attendance | 1,082,963 |
TV partner(s) | ESPN, NBC, Lifetime |
1997 WNBA Draft | |
Top draft pick | Tina Thompson |
Picked by | Houston Comets |
Regular season | |
Season MVP | Cynthia Cooper (Houston) |
Top scorer | C. Cooper (22.2) |
Playoffs | |
Eastern champions | Houston Comets, New York Liberty |
Eastern runners-up | Charlotte Sting |
Western champions | none due to setup |
Western runners-up | Phoenix Mercury |
Finals | |
Champions | Houston Comets |
Runners-up | New York Liberty |
Finals MVP | Cynthia Cooper (Houston) |
The 1997 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's inaugural season. It started off with 8 franchises: Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz. It featured an inaugural game between the New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks lost to the New York Liberty, 67–57. The attendance at the Forum was 14,284. The season ended with the Comets defeating the Liberty in a one-game series 65–51. Cynthia Cooper was named MVP of the game.
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 |
There were only 8 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four. Houston was in the Eastern Conference in 1997 so two Eastern Conference teams matched up in the WNBA Finals.
WNBA Semi-Finals Single game | WNBA Championship Single game | ||||||||
E1 | Houston | 70 | |||||||
E3 | Charlotte | 54 | |||||||
E1 | Houston | 65 | |||||||
E2 | New York | 51 | |||||||
W1 | Phoenix | 41 | |||||||
E2 | New York | 59 |