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 best-of-three series. This was Los Angeles' second title. As of 2017, this is the last time a WNBA franchise won back to back championships. Coincidentally 2 months before the finals, the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA would win their 14th title by sweeping a New York Metro team, the New Jersey Nets 4-0.
The Liberty made their fourth appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Sparks made their second straight Finals appearance.
The Sparks went into the series as defending champions. 2002 marked their second WNBA championship.
The Sparks had a 25–7 record, good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Liberty.
To date, this is the last time the New York Liberty have reached the WNBA Finals.

Road to the finals

Regular season series

The teams had split the regular season series:

Game summaries

All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time.

Game 1

Game 2

Nikki Teasley hit a series-winning three pointer with 2.1 seconds left. Teresa Weatherspoon tried to repeat history by trying to make a halfcourt heave at the buzzer, but the shot was blocked, and the Sparks won their second consecutive title.

Awards