2008 WNBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 2008 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2008 WNBA season
, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs
. The Detroit Shock
, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference
, defeated the San Antonio Silver Stars
, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference
, three games to none in a best-of-five series. This was Detroit's third title in six years.
2008 marked the first time since switching to a five-game format that the Finals series was swept. The Shock made their fourth appearance in the Finals in six years. The Silver Stars appeared in the Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Going into the series, the Shock had won two championships, tied with the Los Angeles Sparks
for second most in WNBA history. The now defunct Houston Comets
hold the record with four championships won.
The Silver Stars' 24–10 record gave them home court advantage over Detroit (22–12). It did not matter, however, as the Shock swept the series, winning the first two games on the Silver Stars' home floor.
won both games in the regular season series:
to just 10 points in forty minutes of play. But they had no answer for Katie Smith
(25 points, 4-8 3P-FG) or Taj McWilliams-Franklin (24 points, 65% FG).
The Silver Stars, who lost to an Eastern Conference team for the first time all season season after 14 wins, were led by Sophia Young
's 21 points and 16 from Ann Wauters
.
Detroit didn't get its first lead until 2:19 into the second quarter when Smith made two free throws to go up 21-20 before the Shock outscored San Antonio 21-12 the rest of the half for the double-digit margin.
The Silver Stars went cold, shooting 4-of-16 in the second quarter. San Antonio played without key reserves Helen Darling
and Edwige Lawson-Wade. Darling strained her right calf and Lawson-Wade sprained her right ankle during Saturday's Game 2 victory over Los Angeles in the Western Conference semifinals.
Detroit, already without All-Star forward Cheryl Ford
, missed Plenette Pierson
for the third time in the last five games because of a labrum tear in her right shoulder.
Detroit made nine of its first 10 shots and San Antonio missed its first seven attempts, allowing the Shock to build a 10-0 lead. The Silver Stars didn't score from the floor until 5:57 into the game, when Hammon converted on a drive to the basket that made it 19-4.
The Silver Stars tied the game with 3:26 left in the third quarter on a pair of free throws by Hammon, and she put San Antonio ahead 45-44 with 1:46 left in the quarter on another pair of free throws. Plenette Pierson, wearing a protective wrap on her shoulder after missing Game 1 with an injury, answered with a reverse layup for her only points of the night. Smith followed with two free throws that gave Detroit a 48-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Shock expanded the lead to 66-55 with 2:15 to play after Smith hit a 10-foot jumper, Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored on a 17-footer and Braxton made a layup.
, who won the first four (1997–2000), have more. Los Angeles
(2001, 2002) is the only other team with more than one. It was a redeeming win for the Shock, who let the 2007 title slip away, losing Game 5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills
to the Phoenix Mercury
.
Detroit swept the league's best regular-season team, winning the clincher at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center
, a venue forced upon them because of a scheduling conflict. The Shock won their 2003 championship at The Palace and their '06 title at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, also a substitute venue because of a logistical conflict.
The game was tight for three quarters with San Antonio leading by six on several occasions. But the veteran Shock were too much to take in the fourth with the title on the line. The Shock had been one of the league's best teams for much of the year, but sputtered a bit after losing top post player Cheryl Ford to a season-ending knee injury in July.
But a trade for the veteran McWilliams-Franklin over the Olympic break was just what Detroit needed. It won its last five games of the regular season and six of seven after the monthlong Olympic break and carried the momentum into the playoffs.
The Shock are now considered the second dynasty of the WNBA.
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! colspan="2" style="background-color: #00008B; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2008 Detroit Shock Finals roster
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! colspan="2" style="background-color: #000000; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2008 San Antonio Silver Stars Finals roster
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2008 WNBA season
-Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions....
, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs
2008 WNBA Playoffs
The 2008 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2008 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Shock defeating the Western Conference champion San Antonio Silver Stars 3-0.-Format:...
. 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 San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
, 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...
, three games to none in a best-of-five series. This was Detroit's third title in six years.
2008 marked the first time since switching to a five-game format that the Finals series was swept. The Shock made their fourth appearance in the Finals in six years. The Silver Stars appeared in the Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Going into the series, the Shock had won two championships, tied with 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...
for second most in WNBA history. The now defunct 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 Silver Stars' 24–10 record gave them home court advantage over Detroit (22–12). It did not matter, however, as the Shock swept the series, winning the first two games on the Silver Stars' home floor.
Road to the finals
| San Antonio Silver Stars | Detroit Shock | |
|---|---|---|
| 24–10 (.706) 1st West, 1st overall |
Regular season 2008 WNBA season -Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions.... |
22–12 (.647) 1st East, 2nd overall |
| Defeated the (4) 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 Semifinals | Defeated the (4) Indiana Fever Indiana Fever The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 2–1 |
| Defeated the (3) 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... , 2–1 |
Conference Finals | Defeated the (3) New York Liberty New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... , 2–1 |
Regular season series
The San Antonio Silver StarsSan Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
won both games in the regular season series:
Game 1
The Silver Stars' defense was able to hold 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...
to just 10 points in forty minutes of play. But they had no answer for Katie Smith
Katie Smith
Katherine May "Katie" Smith is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, although she sometimes plays small forward or point guard. She is the all time leading scorer in women's professional basketball, having notched over 7000 points in both...
(25 points, 4-8 3P-FG) or Taj McWilliams-Franklin (24 points, 65% FG).
The Silver Stars, who lost to an Eastern Conference team for the first time all season season after 14 wins, were led by Sophia Young
Sophia Young
Sophia Yvonne Ashley Young is a Vincentian professional women's basketball player with the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA...
's 21 points and 16 from Ann Wauters
Ann Wauters
Ann Hilde Willy Wauters is a Belgian professional basketball player who currently plays for Ros Casares Valencia in Euroleague Women. Wauters played in the WNBA from 2000 to 2009, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars. Her primary position is center.-Personal:Wauters began playing...
.
Detroit didn't get its first lead until 2:19 into the second quarter when Smith made two free throws to go up 21-20 before the Shock outscored San Antonio 21-12 the rest of the half for the double-digit margin.
The Silver Stars went cold, shooting 4-of-16 in the second quarter. San Antonio played without key reserves Helen Darling
Helen Darling
Helen Marie Darling is an American professional basketball player, who played most recently for the San Antonio Silver Stars of the Women's National Basketball Association ; as of May 15, 2011 Darling was an unsigned free agent....
and Edwige Lawson-Wade. Darling strained her right calf and Lawson-Wade sprained her right ankle during Saturday's Game 2 victory over Los Angeles in the Western Conference semifinals.
Detroit, already without All-Star forward 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:...
, missed Plenette Pierson
Plenette Pierson
Plenette Pierson is a professional WNBA player for the New York Liberty. In the 2007 season, Pierson won the first ever Sixth Woman of the Year Award given in the WNBA.-College:...
for the third time in the last five games because of a labrum tear in her right shoulder.
Game 2
Katie Smith scored 22 points and the Shock built a big lead in the first quarter, then hung on to beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 69-61 and go up 2-0. Deanna Nolan and Kara Braxton added 12 points each for the Shock, who led 19-2 less than 6 minutes into the game.Detroit made nine of its first 10 shots and San Antonio missed its first seven attempts, allowing the Shock to build a 10-0 lead. The Silver Stars didn't score from the floor until 5:57 into the game, when Hammon converted on a drive to the basket that made it 19-4.
The Silver Stars tied the game with 3:26 left in the third quarter on a pair of free throws by Hammon, and she put San Antonio ahead 45-44 with 1:46 left in the quarter on another pair of free throws. Plenette Pierson, wearing a protective wrap on her shoulder after missing Game 1 with an injury, answered with a reverse layup for her only points of the night. Smith followed with two free throws that gave Detroit a 48-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Shock expanded the lead to 66-55 with 2:15 to play after Smith hit a 10-foot jumper, Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored on a 17-footer and Braxton made a layup.
Game 3
Detroit became the second team in league history to win a third championship. Only the Houston CometsHouston 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...
, who won the first four (1997–2000), have more. Los Angeles
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...
(2001, 2002) is the only other team with more than one. It was a redeeming win for the Shock, who let the 2007 title slip away, losing Game 5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association...
to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
.
Detroit swept the league's best regular-season team, winning the clincher at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center
Convocation Center (Eastern Michigan University)
The Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center is a multi-purpose arena, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The facility is owned by Eastern Michigan University. The event has hosted concerts, graduation ceremonies and athletic events...
, a venue forced upon them because of a scheduling conflict. The Shock won their 2003 championship at The Palace and their '06 title at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, also a substitute venue because of a logistical conflict.
The game was tight for three quarters with San Antonio leading by six on several occasions. But the veteran Shock were too much to take in the fourth with the title on the line. The Shock had been one of the league's best teams for much of the year, but sputtered a bit after losing top post player Cheryl Ford to a season-ending knee injury in July.
But a trade for the veteran McWilliams-Franklin over the Olympic break was just what Detroit needed. It won its last five games of the regular season and six of seven after the monthlong Olympic break and carried the momentum into the playoffs.
The Shock are now considered the second dynasty of the WNBA.
Awards
- 2008 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: Katie SmithKatie SmithKatherine May "Katie" Smith is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA. Her primary position is shooting guard, although she sometimes plays small forward or point guard. She is the all time leading scorer in women's professional basketball, having notched over 7000 points in both...
Rosters
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%; width: 100%;"|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color: #00008B; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2008 Detroit Shock Finals roster
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{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 95%; width: 100%;"
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! colspan="2" style="background-color: #000000; color: #D3D3D3; text-align: center;" | 2008 San Antonio Silver Stars Finals roster
|- style="background-color: #D3D3D3;color: #000000; text-align: center;"
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{| class="sortable" style="background:transparent; margin:0px; width:100%;"
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