View source for 1999 WNBA Championship

{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{WNBA Finals summary
| image = 1999 WNBA Finals logo.png
| caption =
| league = WNBA
| year = 1999
| runnerup = [[1999 New York Liberty season|New York Liberty]]
| runnerup_coach = [[Richie Adubato]]
| runnerup_games = 1
| champion = [[1999 Houston Comets season|Houston Comets]]
| champion_coach = [[Van Chancellor]]
| champion_games = 2
| date=September 2-5
| MVP = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]] (Houston Comets)
| HOFers = '''Comets:'''<br>[[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]] (2010)<br>[[Sheryl Swoopes]] (2016)<br>[[Tina Thompson]] (2018)<br/>'''Liberty:'''<br>[[Becky Hammon]] (2023)<br>[[Rebecca Lobo]] (2017; did not play)<br>[[Teresa Weatherspoon]] (2019)<br>'''Coaches:'''<br>[[Van Chancellor]] (2007)
| television = [[WNBA on ESPN|ESPN]] (Game 1)<br>[[NBC Sports|NBC]] (Games 2 and 3)
| announcers = [[Mike Breen]] and [[Ann Meyers]] (ESPN and NBC)
| referees_1 = Bell, Collins, Zielinski
| referees_2 = Corteau, Kirkland, Phillips
| referees_3 = Bell, Gaxiola, Price
| ECF result = [[1999 New York Liberty season|New York]] defeated [[1999 Charlotte Sting season|Charlotte]], 2–1
| WCF result = [[1999 Houston Comets season|Houston]] defeated [[1999 Los Angeles Sparks season|Los Angeles]], 2–0
| prev_year = [[1998 WNBA Championship|1998]]
| next_year = [[2000 WNBA Championship|2000]]
}}

The '''1999 WNBA Championship''' was the championship [[Playoff format#Best-of-three playoff|series]] of the [[1999 WNBA season]], and the conclusion of [[WNBA Playoffs|the season's playoffs]]. The [[1999 Houston Comets season|Houston Comets]], top-seeded champions of the [[Western Conference (WNBA)|Western Conference]], defeated the [[1999 New York Liberty season|New York Liberty]], top-seeded champions of the [[Eastern Conference (WNBA)|Eastern Conference]], two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Houston's third title.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Jack |date=30 May 2000 |title=WNBA CHAMPS PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/418997955/EEC42A9E75064EC0PQ/5 |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>

The Comets made their third appearance in the Finals in franchise history. The Liberty made their second Finals appearance.

Going into the series, no other team except the Houston Comets had ever won a WNBA championship ([[1997 WNBA Championship|1997]] and [[1998 WNBA Championship|1998]]).

The Comets had a 26–6 record (.813), good enough to receive home-court advantage over the Liberty (18–14).

==Road to the finals==
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 60%; font-size:90%;"
|- valign=top
!width=50%|Houston Comets
!
!width=50%|New York Liberty
|-
|align=right|26–6 (.813)<br />1st West, 1st overall
! [[2001 WNBA season|Regular season]]
|align=left|18–14 (.563)<br />1st East, 4th overall
|-
|align=right|Received a bye
! Conference Semifinals
|Received a bye
|-
|align=right|Defeated the (2) [[Los Angeles Sparks]], 2–1
! Conference Finals
|align=left|Defeated the (3) [[Charlotte Sting]], 2–1
|}

===Regular season series===
The Comets and the Liberty split the regular season series:
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = July 3
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990824013301/http://wnba.com/games99/990703/NYLHOU/boxscore.html |date=August 24, 1999 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[New York Liberty]] |score1=50
 | team2 = '''[[Houston Comets]] |score2=65'''
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | TV =
 }}
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = August 8
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010305025615/http://wnba.com/games99/990808/HOUNYL/boxscore.html |date=March 5, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[Houston Comets]] |score1=71
 | team2 = '''[[New York Liberty]] |score2=74'''
 | place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York]]
 | TV =
 }}

==Game summaries==
All times listed below are [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Daylight Time]].

===Game 1===
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = September 2
 | time =
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010422162718/http://wnba.com/games99/990902/HOUNYL/boxscore.html |date=April 22, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[Houston Comets]]'''
 | score1 = '''73'''
 | score2 = 60
 | team2 = [[New York Liberty]]
 | H1 = 29–20 | H2 = 44–40
 | points1 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (29)
 | points2 = [[Sophia Witherspoon|Witherspoon]] (18)
 | rebounds1 = [[Tina Thompson|Thompson]] (7)
 | rebounds2 = [[Sue Wicks|Wicks]] (11)
 | assist1 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (6)
 | assist2 = [[Teresa Weatherspoon|Weatherspoon]] (10)
 | place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York]]
 | attendance = 17,113
 | referee =<br/>
*Sally Bell
*Derek Collins
*Gary Zielinski
 | TV = [[WNBA on Lifetime|Lifetime]]
}}

===Game 2===
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = September 4
 | time =
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010422163124/http://wnba.com/games99/990904/NYLHOU/boxscore.html |date=April 22, 2001 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = '''[[New York Liberty]]'''
 | score1 = '''68'''
 | score2 = 67
 | team2 = [[Houston Comets]]
 | H1 = 23–37 | H2 = 45–30
 | points1 = [[Crystal Robinson|Robinson]] (20)
 | points2 = [[Tina Thompson|Thompson]] (16)
 | rebounds1 = [[Kym Hampton|Hampton]] (9)
 | rebounds2 = [[Sheryl Swoopes|Swoopes]], [[Polina Tzekova|Tzekova]] (6)
 | assist1 = [[Teresa Weatherspoon|Weatherspoon]] (5)
 | assist2 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (6)
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | attendance = 16,285
 | referee =<br/>
*June Corteau
*Courtney Kirkland
*Jason Phillips
 | TV = [[NBC Sports|NBC]]
}}
With Houston leading 67–65 over New York and the Liberty out of timeouts with only 2.4 seconds remaining on the clock after Tina Thompson's jumper, New York would have to go the length of the court if they had any hope of winning. Kym Hampton inbounded the ball to [[Teresa Weatherspoon]] who took a couple dribbles and let the ball fly 50 feet away from the basket. To the awe and ire of the Houston fans, the ball smacked off the backboard and banked into the basket and the Liberty won the game 68–67. The lasting image of this moment is Weatherspoon falling over on the ground smiling as her teammates mob her from the bench.

===Game 3===
{{basketballbox
 | bg = #eee
 | date = September 5
 | time =
 | report = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000918095026/http://wnba.com/games99/990905/NYLHOU/boxscore.html |date=September 18, 2000 |title=Recap }}
 | team1 = [[New York Liberty]]
 | score1 = 47
 | score2 = '''59'''
 | team2 = '''[[Houston Comets]]'''
 | H1 = 25–33 | H2 = 22–26
 | points1 = [[Sue Wicks|Wicks]] (11)
 | points2 = [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cooper]] (24)
 | rebounds1 = [[Sue Wicks|Wicks]] (9)
 | rebounds2 = [[Tammy Jackson|Jackson]] (11)
 | assist1 = [[Crystal Robinson|Robinson]] (3)
 | assist2 = [[Sonja Henning|Henning]] (2)
 | place = [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]
 | attendance = 16,285
 | referee =<br/>
*Sally Bell
*Stan Gaxiola
*Michael Price
 | TV = [[NBC]]
}}

==Awards==
*'''1999 WNBA champion:''' [[Houston Comets]]
*'''[[Women's National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Finals MVP]]''': [[Cynthia Cooper-Dyke|Cynthia Cooper]]

==Rosters==
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:Houston Comets roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=1999
|team=Houston Comets Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #B22222|color1= #D3D3D3|bg2= #D3D3D3|color2= #FFFFFF
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 4 | first = Janeth | last = Arcain | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 11 | lbs = 147 | from = Brazil | nat = BRA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 14 | first = Cynthia | last = Cooper |link=Cynthia Cooper-Dyke | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 150 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 34 | first = Sonja | last = Henning | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 7 | lbs = 143 | college = Stanford | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Tammy | last = Jackson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 190 | college = Florida | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 40 | first = Monica | last = Lamb | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 206 | college = USC | nat = USA | note = IN}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 24 | first = Mila | last = Nikolich | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 183 | from = Israel | nat = Israel}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 21 | first = Jennifer | last = Rizzotti | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 146 | college = Connecticut | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 22 | first = Sheryl | last = Swoopes | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 145 | college = Texas Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 7 | first = Tina | last = Thompson | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 178 | college = USC | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 15 | first = Polina | last = Tzekova | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 189 | from = Bulgaria | nat = Bulgaria}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 13 | first = Amaya | last = Valdemoro | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 160 | from = Spain | nat = Spain}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 52 | first = Kara | last = Wolters | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 227 | college = Connecticut | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Van | last = Chancellor| college = Mississippi State}}
| asst_coach =

}}
<!-- This is an intentionally substituted copy of [[Template:New York Liberty roster]] kept as a "snapshot" for this championship series -->
{{sports roster
|season=1999
|team=New York Liberty Finals
|style=WNBA
| bg1 = #0047AB|color1= #FFFFFF|bg2= #66CDAA|color2= #FF4500
|players=
<!-- list of players -->
{{sports roster/entry | num = 25 | first = Becky | last = Hammon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 136 | college = Colorado State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 34 | first = Kym | last = Hampton | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 210 | college = Arizona State | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 55 | first = Vickie | last = Johnson | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 150 | college = Louisiana Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 12 | first = Carolyn | last = Jones-Young | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 9 | lbs = 175 | college = Auburn | nat = USA | note = IN}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 5 | first = Venus | last = Lacy | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 234 | college = Louisiana Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 50 | first = Rebecca | last = Lobo | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 185 | college = Connecticut | nat = USA | inj = yes}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 3 | first = Crystal | last = Robinson | pos = F | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 175 | from = Southeastern Oklahoma State University | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 31 | first = Michele | last = VanGorp | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 187 | college = Duke | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 4 | first = Coquese | last = Washington | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 6 | lbs = 138 | college = Notre Dame | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 11 | first = Teresa | last = Weatherspoon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 8 | lbs = 161 | college = Louisiana Tech | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 44 | first = Tamika | last = Whitmore | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 190 | college = Memphis | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 23 | first = Sue | last = Wicks | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 174 | college = Rutgers | nat = USA}}
{{sports roster/entry | num = 13 | first = Sophia | last = Witherspoon | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 145 | college = Florida | nat = USA}}
<!-- end list of players -->
| head_coach =
{{sports roster/entry|nat=USA| first = Richie | last = Adubato| college = William Paterson University}}
| asst_coach =

}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/playoffs/1999-FIN-HOU-NYL.html Basketball-Reference.com – 1999 WNBA Finals]
*[https://www.wnba.com/archive/wnba/history/history_1999.html WNBA.com – 1999 WNBA Finals]

{{WNBA Finals}}
{{1999 WNBA season by team}}
{{Houston Comets 1999 WNBA Champions}}
{{New York Liberty}}
{{Houston Comets}}
{{NBA on NBC}}
{{WNBA on ESPN}}

[[Category:1999 WNBA season|Finals]]
[[Category:Houston Comets]]
[[Category:New York Liberty]]
[[Category:1999 in sports in Texas|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:1999 in sports in New York City|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:WNBA Finals]]
[[Category:September 1999 sports events in the United States|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:1999 in Houston|WNBA Championship]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in Houston]]
[[Category:Basketball competitions in New York City]]
[[Category:1990s in Manhattan]]