1998 WNBA playoffs

1998 WNBA Playoffs

Dates	August 22–September 1, 1998
Final positions
Champions	Houston Comets (Finals Champion)

The 1998 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 1998 season which ended with the Houston Comets beating the Phoenix Mercury, 2-1. Cynthia Cooper was named the MVP of the Finals. The Comets repeated as champions.

Regular season standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference	W	L	PCT	Conf.	GB
Cleveland Rockers ^x	20	10	.667	12–4	–
Charlotte Sting ^x	18	12	.600	11–5	2.0
New York Liberty ^o	18	12	.600	8–8	2.0
Detroit Shock ^o	17	13	.567	8–8	3.0
Washington Mystics ^o	3	27	.100	1–15	17.0

Western Conference

Western Conference	W	L	PCT	Conf.	GB
Houston Comets ^x	27	3	.900	15–1	–
Phoenix Mercury ^x	19	11	.633	10–6	8.0
Los Angeles Sparks ^o	12	18	.400	6–10	15.0
Sacramento Monarchs ^o	8	22	.267	5–11	19.0
Utah Starzz ^o	8	22	.267	4–12	19.0

Note: Teams with an "X" clinched playoff spots.

Playoffs

Format

• The four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four.
• Each round of the playoffs was a best-of-three series.

Bracket

	Semi-Finals Best-of-3					WNBA Championship Best-of-3
	1	Houston	2
	4	Charlotte	0
						1	Houston	2
						3	Phoenix	1
	2	Cleveland	1
	3	Phoenix	2

• Bold – Series winner

Semifinals

Houston Comets vs. Charlotte Sting

August 22

Recap

Houston Comets 85, Charlotte Sting 71
Scoring by half: 39–37, 46–34
Pts: Cynthia Cooper 27 Rebs: Tina Thompson 10 Asts: Kim Perrot 6		Pts: Rhonda Mapp 16 Rebs: Andrea Stinson 7 Asts: Andrea Stinson 7
Houston leads series, 1–0

Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina Attendance: 6,087 Referees: Bob Trammell, Teresa Dahlem, Sally Bell

August 24

Recap

Charlotte Sting 61, Houston Comets 77
Scoring by half: 34–45, 27–32
Pts: Tracy Reid 18 Rebs: Vicky Bullett 11 Asts: Andrea Stinson 6		Pts: Cynthia Cooper 23 Rebs: Tina Thompson 14 Asts: Cooper, Perrot 5 each
Houston wins series, 2–0

Compaq Center, Houston, Texas Attendance: 11,901 Referees: Bill Stokes, Gary Zielinski, Jason Phillips

Cleveland Rockers vs. Phoenix Mercury

August 22

Recap

Cleveland Rockers 68, Phoenix Mercury 78
Scoring by half: 31–37, 37–41
Pts: Isabelle Fijalkowski 20 Rebs: Isabelle Fijalkowski 9 Asts: Nemcova, Edwards 4 each		Pts: Jennifer Gillom 21 Rebs: Gillom, Reed 5 each Asts: Umeki Webb 6
Phoenix leads series, 1–0

America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 11,631 Referees: Stan Gaxiola, June Courteau, Michael Price

August 24

Recap

Phoenix Mercury 66, Cleveland Rockers 67
Scoring by half: 24–32, 42–35
Pts: Jennifer Gillom 27 Rebs: Jennifer Gillom 10 Asts: Michele Timms 6		Pts: Michelle Edwards 18 Rebs: Janice Braxton 10 Asts: Suzie McConnell-Serio 9
Series tied, 1–1

Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio Attendance: 10,465 Referees: Scott Yarbrough, Patty Broderick, Bill Kennedy

August 25

Recap

Phoenix Mercury 71, Cleveland Rockers 60
Scoring by half: 32–35, 39–25
Pts: Bridget Pettis 27 Rebs: Bridget Pettis 11 Asts: Michele Timms 8		Pts: Isabelle Fijalkowski 17 Rebs: Isabelle Fijalkowski 11 Asts: Eva Nemcova 5
Phoenix wins series, 2–1

Gund Arena, Cleveland, Ohio Attendance: 8,420 Referees: Sally Bell, Gary Zielinski, Bill Stokes

WNBA Championship

Main article: 1998 WNBA Championship

August 27

Recap

Houston Comets 51, Phoenix Mercury 54
Scoring by half: 29–33, 22–21
Pts: Cynthia Cooper 29 Rebs: Sheryl Swoopes 11 Asts: Swoopes, Perrot 6 each		Pts: Jennifer Gillom 15 Rebs: Michelle Griffiths 12 Asts: Michele Timms 5
Phoenix leads series, 1–0

America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 13,634 Referees: Bill Stokes, June Courteau, Bill Kennedy

August 29

Recap

Phoenix Mercury 69, Houston Comets 74 (OT)
Scoring by half: 37–32, 29–34 Overtime: 3–8
Pts: Michele Timms 21 Rebs: Jennifer Gillom 9 Asts: Michelle Griffiths 3		Pts: Cynthia Cooper 27 Rebs: Sheryl Swoopes 13 Asts: Cynthia Cooper 6
Series tied, 1–1

Compaq Center, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,285 Referees: Sally Bell, Gary Zielinski, Michael Price

September 1

Recap

Phoenix Mercury 71, Houston Comets 80
Scoring by half: 26–32, 45–48
Pts: Michelle Griffiths 24 Rebs: Jennifer Gillom 6 Asts: Michele Timms 7		Pts: Cynthia Cooper 23 Rebs: Tina Thompson 6 Asts: Swoopes, Cooper 6 each
Houston wins series, 2–1

Compaq Center, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,285 Referees: June Courteau, Gary Zielinski, Bill Kennedy

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See also

• WNBA Finals

References

1. WNBA.com: WNBA Playoffs History: 1998