2003 WNBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season
, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs
. The Detroit Shock
, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference
, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks
, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference
, two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Detroit's first title.
The Shock made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Sparks made their third straight Finals appearance.
Going into the series, the Sparks had won two WNBA championships (2001
, 2002
). The Houston Comets
hold the record with four championships won.
The Shock had a 25-9 record (.735), good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sparks (24-10).
collected 23 points and 12 rebounds as the two-time defending champion Sparks used a huge first half for a 75-63 victory over the Detroit Shock
in Game One of the WNBA Finals
.
Detroit entered with the Coach of the Year in Bill Laimbeer
, who has put his stamp on a physical frontcourt that features Swin Cash
, rookie Cheryl Ford
and Ruth Riley
. But Leslie and Delisha Milton led a defensive effort that bottled up the Shock's vaunted trio and opened up a 42-21 cushion at halftime.
Leslie scored 12 points in a 25-4 tear that broke open the game for the Sparks. Her basket with just under three minutes remaining before halftime gave Los Angeles a 38-16 cushion.
The Shock shot a woeful 19 percent (7-of-37) in the first half. Ford made just one of her first seven attempts and had her shot blocked emphatically by Milton on one occasion and Leslie on another.
Milton scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Tamecka Dixon
added 15 points. Point guard Nikki Teasley
handed out 11 assists.
Leslie had little trouble against the 6-5 Riley, scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the first half. The success did not come as a surprise to her.
Cash scored 16 points and Deanna Nolan
, who was listed as questionable due to a back injury, added 15 for Detroit. Cash, Riley and Ford, who collected 11 points and 12 rebounds, combined to make just 10-of-39 shots.
Riley managed only six points and six rebounds in 32 foul-plagued minutes. Detroit finished at just under 29 percent (20-of-70).
and the Detroit Shock
found a way to stave off elimination.
Nolan made two foul shots with 12 seconds left and the Shock made a final defensive stand to hold off the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks
for a 62-61 victory in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals
.
Detroit blew a 19-point lead and seemed on the verge of being swept out of the WNBA Finals. Lisa Leslie
's basket capped an 11-0 spurt that provided a 61-57 advantage for Los Angeles with 1:28 remaining.
Detroit's Kedra Holland-Corn
answered with a 3-pointer, and Los Angeles' Tamecka Dixon
misfired on the other end. After a timeout, Nolan drew a foul on Sparks forward Delisha Milton and made her foul shots to give the Shock the lead.
After a timeout by Sparks coach Michael Cooper, Los Angeles went to Leslie. The 6-5 center was swarmed by the Shock defense and kicked it out to Milton, who tried to get off a shot but lost the ball instead as time expired.
Holland-Corn came off the bench for 10 of her 16 points in the second half. Nolan scored 14 points and Ruth Riley
added 11 as the Shock overcame 32 percent shooting (9-of-28) over the final 20 minutes.
Leslie scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and also grabbed 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. Milton netted 18 points despite 6-of-18 shooting.
The Shock dominated play from the outset, using a 22-5 tear for a 24-9 cushion on a three-pointer by Holland-Corn near the midway point of the first half. A foul shot by Riley with 2:49 left before halftime opened up a 38-19 advantage.
won the WNBA Finals
, defeating the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks
, 83-78, as Ruth Riley
dominated the decisive third game.
Riley scored a career-high 27 points on 11-for-19 shooting and won the showdown of All-Star centers as she thoroughly outplayed Lisa Leslie
, who managed 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting before fouling out in the final minute.
The 6-5 Riley was named Most Valuable Player. It was somewhat of a reprise of 2001, when she led Notre Dame to the national championship with the same sort of post play she displayed in this series.
After the final buzzer, confetti fell from the rafters of The Palace of Auburn Hills and Riley triumphantly hoisted a sign that read, "2003 WNBA champions" as the crowd of 22,076—the largest in league history—celebrated.
The Shock became the first team in American pro sports to go from having the worst record in the league to champions the following season.
The Sparks did not go down without a fight. They erased a 14-point deficit in the first half and an 11-point deficit in the second half, opening a three-point lead with 3:40 left.
Leslie made 1-for-2 free throws to provide a 73-70 lead, but the Sparks went scoreless for more than three minutes. Riley made a short jumper, then harassed Leslie into a miss at the other end with 1:10 left.
After Deanna Nolan
's three-pointer gave Detroit the lead for good, Leslie missed a short banker and fouled out chasing the rebound.
Nolan scored 17 points, Swin Cash added 13, 12 rebounds and nine assists and Ford had 10 and 12 boards for the Shock, who won the last two games at home after dropping the opener in L.A.
Mwadi Mabika
had 29 points and nine rebounds, Delisha Milton scored 19 points and Tamecka Dixon
added 14 for the Sparks, who were 0-4 on the road in the postseason.
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #00008B; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2003 Detroit Shock Finals roster
|- style="background-color: #DC143C;color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;"
! Players !! Coaches
|-
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{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%; width: 100%;"
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! colspan="2" style="background-color: #4B0082; color: #FFC322; text-align: center;" | 2003 Los Angeles Sparks Finals roster
|- style="background-color: #FFC322;color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;"
! Players !! Coaches
|-
| valign="top" |
{| class="sortable" style="background:transparent; margin:0px; width:100%;"
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2003 WNBA season
-External links:***...
, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
. The Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (WNBA)
The Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Eastern Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Western Conference...
, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
, two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Detroit's first title.
The Shock made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Sparks made their third straight Finals appearance.
Going into the series, the Sparks had won two WNBA championships (2001
2001 WNBA Championship
The 2001 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2001 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the Charlotte Sting, fourth-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in...
, 2002
2002 WNBA Finals
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a...
). The Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
hold the record with four championships won.
The Shock had a 25-9 record (.735), good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sparks (24-10).
Road to the finals
| Los Angeles Sparks | Detroit Shock | |
|---|---|---|
| 24–10 (.706) 1st West, 2nd overall |
Regular season 2003 WNBA season -External links:***... |
25–9 (.735) 1st East, 1st overall |
| Defeated the (4) Minnesota Lynx Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season... , 2–1 |
Conference Semifinals | Defeated the (4) Cleveland Rockers Cleveland Rockers This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which... , 2–1 |
| Defeated the (3) Sacramento Monarchs Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 2–1 |
Conference Finals | Defeated the (3) Connecticut Sun Connecticut Sun The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season... , 2–0 |
Regular season series
The Shock won the regular season series:Game 1
Lisa LeslieLisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
collected 23 points and 12 rebounds as the two-time defending champion Sparks used a huge first half for a 75-63 victory over the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in Game One of the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Detroit entered with the Coach of the Year in Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
, who has put his stamp on a physical frontcourt that features Swin Cash
Swin Cash
Swintayla Marie Cash , better known as Swin Cash, is an American WNBA player who plays for the Seattle Storm. A prolific scorer and rebounder, as well as a capable ball handler and defender, she helped lead the University of Connecticut women's basketball team to national titles in 2000 and 2002...
, rookie Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford
Cheryl Ford is a professional basketball player in the WNBA.-Personal information:Cheryl Ford is the daughter of Bonita Ford and former NBA player Karl Malone.-High school:...
and Ruth Riley
Ruth Riley
Ruth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006...
. But Leslie and Delisha Milton led a defensive effort that bottled up the Shock's vaunted trio and opened up a 42-21 cushion at halftime.
Leslie scored 12 points in a 25-4 tear that broke open the game for the Sparks. Her basket with just under three minutes remaining before halftime gave Los Angeles a 38-16 cushion.
The Shock shot a woeful 19 percent (7-of-37) in the first half. Ford made just one of her first seven attempts and had her shot blocked emphatically by Milton on one occasion and Leslie on another.
Milton scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
added 15 points. Point guard Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
handed out 11 assists.
Leslie had little trouble against the 6-5 Riley, scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the first half. The success did not come as a surprise to her.
Cash scored 16 points and Deanna Nolan
Deanna Nolan
Deanna "Tweety" Nicole Nolan is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, but occasionally plays the point guard position...
, who was listed as questionable due to a back injury, added 15 for Detroit. Cash, Riley and Ford, who collected 11 points and 12 rebounds, combined to make just 10-of-39 shots.
Riley managed only six points and six rebounds in 32 foul-plagued minutes. Detroit finished at just under 29 percent (20-of-70).
Game 2
Deanna NolanDeanna Nolan
Deanna "Tweety" Nicole Nolan is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, but occasionally plays the point guard position...
and the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
found a way to stave off elimination.
Nolan made two foul shots with 12 seconds left and the Shock made a final defensive stand to hold off the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
for a 62-61 victory in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Detroit blew a 19-point lead and seemed on the verge of being swept out of the WNBA Finals. Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
's basket capped an 11-0 spurt that provided a 61-57 advantage for Los Angeles with 1:28 remaining.
Detroit's Kedra Holland-Corn
Kedra Holland-Corn
Kedra Holland-Corn is a WNBA basketball player. After attending the University of Georgia, she played for the Sacramento Monarchs and Houston Comets, and now plays for the Detroit Shock....
answered with a 3-pointer, and Los Angeles' Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
misfired on the other end. After a timeout, Nolan drew a foul on Sparks forward Delisha Milton and made her foul shots to give the Shock the lead.
After a timeout by Sparks coach Michael Cooper, Los Angeles went to Leslie. The 6-5 center was swarmed by the Shock defense and kicked it out to Milton, who tried to get off a shot but lost the ball instead as time expired.
Holland-Corn came off the bench for 10 of her 16 points in the second half. Nolan scored 14 points and Ruth Riley
Ruth Riley
Ruth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006...
added 11 as the Shock overcame 32 percent shooting (9-of-28) over the final 20 minutes.
Leslie scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and also grabbed 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. Milton netted 18 points despite 6-of-18 shooting.
The Shock dominated play from the outset, using a 22-5 tear for a 24-9 cushion on a three-pointer by Holland-Corn near the midway point of the first half. A foul shot by Riley with 2:49 left before halftime opened up a 38-19 advantage.
Game 3
The Detroit ShockDetroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
won the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, defeating the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
, 83-78, as Ruth Riley
Ruth Riley
Ruth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006...
dominated the decisive third game.
Riley scored a career-high 27 points on 11-for-19 shooting and won the showdown of All-Star centers as she thoroughly outplayed Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
, who managed 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting before fouling out in the final minute.
The 6-5 Riley was named Most Valuable Player. It was somewhat of a reprise of 2001, when she led Notre Dame to the national championship with the same sort of post play she displayed in this series.
After the final buzzer, confetti fell from the rafters of The Palace of Auburn Hills and Riley triumphantly hoisted a sign that read, "2003 WNBA champions" as the crowd of 22,076—the largest in league history—celebrated.
The Shock became the first team in American pro sports to go from having the worst record in the league to champions the following season.
The Sparks did not go down without a fight. They erased a 14-point deficit in the first half and an 11-point deficit in the second half, opening a three-point lead with 3:40 left.
Leslie made 1-for-2 free throws to provide a 73-70 lead, but the Sparks went scoreless for more than three minutes. Riley made a short jumper, then harassed Leslie into a miss at the other end with 1:10 left.
After Deanna Nolan
Deanna Nolan
Deanna "Tweety" Nicole Nolan is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, but occasionally plays the point guard position...
's three-pointer gave Detroit the lead for good, Leslie missed a short banker and fouled out chasing the rebound.
Nolan scored 17 points, Swin Cash added 13, 12 rebounds and nine assists and Ford had 10 and 12 boards for the Shock, who won the last two games at home after dropping the opener in L.A.
Mwadi Mabika
Mwadi Mabika
Mwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
had 29 points and nine rebounds, Delisha Milton scored 19 points and Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Dixon
Tamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
added 14 for the Sparks, who were 0-4 on the road in the postseason.
Awards
- 2003 WNBA Champion: Detroit ShockDetroit ShockThe Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
- Finals MVP: Ruth RileyRuth RileyRuth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006...
Rosters
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%; width: 100%;"|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #00008B; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2003 Detroit Shock Finals roster
|- style="background-color: #DC143C;color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;"
! Players !! Coaches
|-
| valign="top" |
{| class="sortable" style="background:transparent; margin:0px; width:100%;"
! Pos. !! # !! Nat. !! Name !! Height !! Weight !!class="unsortable"| !! From
|-
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%; width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #4B0082; color: #FFC322; text-align: center;" | 2003 Los Angeles Sparks Finals roster
|- style="background-color: #FFC322;color: #FFFFFF; text-align: center;"
! Players !! Coaches
|-
| valign="top" |
{| class="sortable" style="background:transparent; margin:0px; width:100%;"
! Pos. !! # !! Nat. !! Name !! Height !! Weight !!class="unsortable"| !! From
|-