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Dates | August 30-September 1 | |||||||||
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MVP | Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks) | |||||||||
Hall of Famers | Sparks: Lisa Leslie (2015) Sting: Dawn Staley (2013) Coaches: Michael Cooper (2024, player) Anne Donovan (1995, player) | |||||||||
Eastern finals | Charlotte defeated New York, 2–1 | |||||||||
Western finals | Los Angeles defeated Sacramento, 2–1 | |||||||||
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 a best-of-three series. This was Los Angeles' first title.
The Sparks made their first appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Sting also made their first Finals appearance.
Going into the series, no other team except the Houston Comets had ever won a WNBA championship (1997-2000).
The Sparks had a 28–4 record (.875), good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Sting (18–14). It did not matter, however, as the Sparks swept the Sting.