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Western Conference (WNBA)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Western Conference
LeagueWNBA
SportBasketball
First season1997
No. of teams7
Most recent
champion(s)		Seattle Storm (2020)
Most titlesMinnesota Lynx (4)

The Western Conference is one of two conferences that make up the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the other being the Eastern Conference. Both conferences currently consist of 6 teams, until 2025, when the Golden State Valkyries will join the Western Conference.[1][2]

From the league's second season in 1998 through 2015, the WNBA operated separate playoff brackets for its Eastern and Western Conferences. Each conference's playoff was divided into two playoff rounds, the Conference Semi-Finals and the Conference Finals, with the Conference Finals winners receiving Conference Championships and advancing to the WNBA Finals to determine the WNBA champion. In the final years of this playoff scheme, all in-conference playoff series were best-of-three.

Since 2016, the league has abandoned separate conference playoffs in favor of a single league-wide playoff bracket. The top eight teams in the regular season, without regard to conference affiliation, advance to the playoffs, which are seeded based strictly on regular-season record (with tiebreakers as needed). The bottom four playoff teams play single-elimination games (5 vs. 8, 6 vs. 7) in the first round, with the higher seeds (5 and 6) hosting the games. The first-round winners advance to the second round, where they play the 3 and 4 seeds in single-elimination games. The 3 seed hosts the lower seed among the first-round winners, with the 4 seed hosting the other first-round survivor. The winners of these games advance to the WNBA Semifinals, where they face the top two seeds in best-of-five series. In this round, the 1 seed plays the lower seed among the second-round winners, and the 2 seed plays the other second-round winner. Both series are best-of-five and played in a 2–2–1 formet, with the higher seeds (1 and 2) hosting the first two games plus a possible fifth game. The winners of these series advance to the best-of-seven WNBA Finals.

Teams

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Team City/Area Arena Colors Joined WNBA Head coach
Dallas Wings Arlington, Texas College Park Center Dark blue, lime green, white 1998* Vickie Johnson
Golden State Valkyries San Francisco, California Chase Center Black, purple 2025 Natalie Nakase
Las Vegas Aces Paradise, Nevada Michelob Ultra Arena Red, black, gold, silver 1997* Becky Hammon
Los Angeles Sparks Los Angeles, California Staples Center Purple, gold, teal 1997 Fred Williams
Minnesota Lynx Minneapolis, Minnesota Target Center Blue, green, white, silver 1999 Cheryl Reeve
Phoenix Mercury Phoenix, Arizona Footprint Center Purple, yellow, orange, white 1997 Nikki Blue
Seattle Storm Seattle, Washington Climate Pledge Arena Green, red, white, gold 2000 Noelle Quinn

Former teams

[edit]

Defunct

Relocated

Western Conference champions

[edit]

The WNBA awarded conference championships between 1998 and 2015 to the winners of the Conference Finals in the playoffs. Conference championships were not awarded in the 1997 inaugural season, and they were again discontinued since the WNBA adopted its current single-table playoff format in 2016.

WNBA champions in bold

All-time regular-season conference standings

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2024 season

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# Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 yx – New York Liberty 32 8 .800 — 16–4 16–4 16–4 5–0
2 cx – Minnesota Lynx 30 10 .750 2 14–6 16–4 14–6 4–1
3 x – Connecticut Sun 28 12 .700 4 14–6 14–6 14–6 4–1
4 x – Las Vegas Aces 27 13 .675 5 12–8 13–7 14–6 2–3
5 x – Seattle Storm 25 15 .625 7 13–7 14–6 11–9 4–1
6 x – Indiana Fever 20 20 .500 12 11–9 12–8 8–12 3–2
7 x – Phoenix Mercury 19 21 .475 13 10–10 10–10 9–11 3–2
8 x – Atlanta Dream 15 25 .375 17 7–13 8–12 7–13 1–4
9 e – Washington Mystics 14 26 .350 18 7–13 5–15 9–11 1–4
10 e – Chicago Sky 13 27 .325 19 5–15 6–14 7–13 1–4
11 e – Dallas Wings 9 31 .225 23 6–14 7–13 2–18 0–5
12 e – Los Angeles Sparks 8 32 .200 24 5–15 5–15 3–17 2–3

Notes

(#) – League Standing
c – Commissioner's Cup winners
y – Regular Season Champion
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings


2023 season

[edit]
# Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 x – Las Vegas Aces 34 6 .850 – 18–2 19–1 15–5 9–1
2 x – New York Liberty 32 8 .800 2 16–4 15–5 17–3 7–3
3 x – Connecticut Sun 27 13 .675 7 14–6 13–7 14–6 7–3
4 x – Dallas Wings 22 18 .550 12 11–9 11–9 11–9 6–4
5 x – Atlanta Dream 19 21 .475 15 11–9 11–9 8–12 6–4
6 x – Minnesota Lynx 19 21 .475 15 12–8 9–11 10–10 5–5
7 x – Washington Mystics 19 21 .475 15 9–11 12–8 7–13 5–5
8 x – Chicago Sky 18 22 .450 16 5–15 7–13 11–9 3–7
9 e – Los Angeles Sparks 17 23 .425 17 9–11 10–10 7–13 5–5
10 e – Indiana Fever 13 27 .325 21 5–15 6–14 7–13 2–8
11 e – Seattle Storm 11 29 .275 23 8–12 4–16 7–13 4–6
12 e – Phoenix Mercury 9 31 .225 25 2–18 8–12 1–19 1–9

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from postseason contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

2022 season

[edit]
#
Team
 W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 x – Las Vegas Aces 26 10 .722 – 15–3 13–5 13–5 9–1
2 x – Chicago Sky 26 10 .722 – 15–3 14–4 12–6 9–1
3 x – Connecticut Sun 25 11 .694 1.0 11–7 13–5 12–6 5–5
4 x – Seattle Storm 22 14 .611 4.0 10–8 13–5 9–9 6–4
5 x – Washington Mystics 22 14 .611 4.0 11–7 12–6 10–8 5–5
6 x – Dallas Wings 18 18 .500 8.0 8–10 8–10 10–8 5–5
7 x – New York Liberty 16 20 .444 10.0 10–8 9–9 7–11 6–4
8 x – Phoenix Mercury 15 21 .417 11.0 7–11 11–7 4–14 3–7
9 e – Minnesota Lynx 14 22 .389 12.0 8–10 7–11 7–11 4–6
10 e – Atlanta Dream 14 22 .389 12.0 5–13 8–10 6–12 3–7
11 e – Los Angeles Sparks 13 23 .361 13.0 6–12 7–11 6–12 3–7
12 e – Indiana Fever 5 31 .139 21.0 2–16 3–15 2–16 2–8

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

2021 season

[edit]
# Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1 x – Connecticut Sun 26 6 .813 – 12–3 15–1 11–5 9–1
2 x – Las Vegas Aces 24 8 .750 2 11–4 13–3 11–5 6–4
3 x – Minnesota Lynx 22 10 .688 4 10–5 13–3 9–7 7–3
4 x – Seattle Storm 21 11 .656 5 9–6 11–5 10–6 8–2
5 x – Phoenix Mercury 19 13 .594 7 6–9 7–9 12–4 5–5
6 x – Chicago Sky 16 16 .500 10 10–5 6–10 10–6 6–4
7 x – Dallas Wings 14 18 .438 12 7–8 7–9 7–9 3–7
8 x – New York Liberty 12 20 .375 14 6–9 7–9 5–11 5–5
9 e – Washington Mystics 12 20 .375 14 7–8 8–8 4–12 4–6
10 e – Los Angeles Sparks 12 20 .375 14 2–13 8–8 4–12 1–9
11 e – Atlanta Dream 8 24 .250 18 6–9 4–12 4–12 4–6
12 e – Indiana Fever 6 26 .188 20 4–11 4–12 2–14 2–8

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings


2020 season

[edit]
# Team W L PCT GB Conf.
1 x – Las Vegas Aces 18 4 .818 – 8–2
2 x – Seattle Storm 18 4 .818 – 8–2
3 x – Los Angeles Sparks 15 7 .682 3 5–5
4 x – Minnesota Lynx 14 8 .636 4 4–6
5 x – Phoenix Mercury 13 9 .591 5 4–6
6 x – Chicago Sky 12 10 .545 6 6–4
7 x – Connecticut Sun 10 12 .455 8 7–3
8 x – Washington Mystics 9 13 .409 9 6–4
9 e – Dallas Wings 8 14 .364 10 1–9
10 e – Atlanta Dream 7 15 .318 11 5–5
11 e – Indiana Fever 6 16 .273 12 4–6
12 e – New York Liberty 2 20 .091 16 2–8

Notes

x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoffs
Home and Away records not shown, as all games played at a neutral location.
Updated to include results from September 13, 2020
Source


2019 season

[edit]
# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Los Angeles Sparks (3) 22 12 .647 – 15–2 7–10 10–6
2 Las Vegas Aces (4) 21 13 .618 1 13–4 8–9 11–5
3 Seattle Storm (6) 18 16 .529 4 11–6 7–10 10–6
4 Minnesota Lynx (7) 18 16 .529 4 11–6 7–10 7–9
5 Phoenix Mercury (8) 15 19 .441 7 9–8 6–11 5–11
6 e – Dallas Wings 10 24 .294 12 8–9 2–15 5–11

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
e – Eliminated from playoffs

2018 season

[edit]
# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Seattle Storm (1) 26 8 .765 – 13–4 13–4 11–5
2 Phoenix Mercury (5) 20 14 .588 6 9–8 11–6 8–8
3 Los Angeles Sparks (6) 19 15 .559 7 11–6 8–9 9–7
4 Minnesota Lynx (7) 18 16 .529 8 9–8 9–8 9–7
5 Dallas Wings (8) 15 19 .441 11 10–7 5–12 7–9
6 e –Las Vegas Aces 14 20 .412 12 8–9 6–11 4–12

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing, Playoff Seeds shown to the right of team name
x – Qualified for playoffs
e – Eliminated from playoffs

2017 season

[edit]
# Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 Minnesota Lynx - (1) 27 7 .794 – 15–2 12–5 13–3
2 Los Angeles Sparks - (2) 26 8 .765 1 16–1 10–7 12–4
3 Phoenix Mercury - (5) 18 16 .529 9 9–8 9–8 7–9
4 Dallas Wings - (7) 16 18 .471 11 10–7 6–11 7–9
5 Seattle Storm - (8) 15 19 .441 12 10–7 5–12 8–8
6 San Antonio Stars - e 8 26 .235 19 6–11 2–15 1–15

Notes

(#) – Conference Standing
Playoff Seeds shown next to team name
e – Eliminated from playoffs

2016 season

[edit]
Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
1 - Minnesota Lynx 28 6 .824 — 15–2 13–4 15–1
2 - Los Angeles Sparks 26 8 .765 2 14–3 12–5 11–5
7 - Seattle Storm 16 18 .471 12 10–7 6–11 7–9
8 - Phoenix Mercury 16 18 .471 12 11–6 5–12 6–10
e - Dallas Wings 11 23 .324 17 6–11 5–12 8–8
e - San Antonio Stars 7 27 .206 21 4–13 3–14 1–15

Notes

# – Playoff seed
e – Eliminated from playoffs

2015 season

[edit]
Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
z - Minnesota Lynx 22 12 .647 – 13–4 9–8 16–6
x - Phoenix Mercury 20 14 .588 2 13–4 7–10 15–7
x - Tulsa Shock 18 16 .529 4 12–5 6–11 11–11
x - Los Angeles Sparks 14 20 .412 8 9–8 5–12 10–12
e - Seattle Storm 10 24 .294 12 8–9 2–15 8–14
e - San Antonio Stars 8 26 .235 14 7–10 1–16 6–16

2014 season

[edit]
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB GP
1 y-Phoenix Mercury 29 5 .853 - 34
2 x-Minnesota Lynx 25 9 .735 4.0 34
3 x-San Antonio Stars 16 18 .471 13.0 34
4 x-Los Angeles Sparks 16 18 .471 13.0 34
5 e-Tulsa Shock 12 22 .353 17.0 34
6 e-Seattle Storm 12 22 .353 17.0 34

2013 season

[edit]
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB GP
1 z-Minnesota Lynx 26 8 .765 - 34
2 x-Los Angeles Sparks 24 10 .706 2 34
3 x-Phoenix Mercury 19 15 .559 7 34
4 x-Seattle Storm 17 17 .500 9 34
5 e-San Antonio Silver Stars 12 22 .353 14 34
6 e-Tulsa Shock 11 23 .324 15 34

2012 season

[edit]
Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Minnesota Lynx z 27 7 .794 – 16–1 11–6 17–5
Los Angeles Sparks x 24 10 .706 3.0 16–1 8–9 15–7
San Antonio Silver Stars x 21 13 .618 6.0 12–5 9–8 14–8
Seattle Storm x 16 18 .471 11.0 10–7 6–11 11–11
Tulsa Shock o 9 25 .265 18.0 6–11 3–14 5–17
Phoenix Mercury o 7 27 .206 20.0 3–14 4–13 4–18

2011 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Minnesota Lynx x 27 7 .794 – 14–3 13–4 18–4
Seattle Storm x 21 13 .618 6.0 15–2 6–11 15–7
Phoenix Mercury x 19 15 .559 8.0 11–6 8–9 11–11
San Antonio Silver Stars x 18 16 .529 9.0 9–8 9–8 11–11
Los Angeles Sparks o 15 19 .441 12.0 10–7 5–12 10–12
Tulsa Shock o 3 31 .088 24.0 2–15 1–16 1–21

2010 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Seattle Storm x 28 6 .824 – 17–0 11–6 20–2
Phoenix Mercury x 15 19 .441 13.0 9–8 6–11 13–9
San Antonio Silver Stars x 14 20 .412 14.0 8–9 6–11 11–11
Los Angeles Sparks x 13 21 .382 15.0 8–9 5–12 10–12
Minnesota Lynx o 13 21 .382 15.0 7–10 6–11 8–14
Tulsa Shock o 6 28 .176 22.0 4–13 2–15 4–18

2009 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Phoenix Mercury x 23 11 .676 – 12–5 11–6 13–7
Seattle Storm x 20 14 .588 3.0 13–4 7–10 13–7
Los Angeles Sparks x 18 16 .529 5.0 11–6 7–10 11–9
San Antonio Silver Stars x 15 19 .441 8.0 10–7 5–12 10–10
Minnesota Lynx o 14 20 .412 9.0 9–8 5–12 7–13
Sacramento Monarchs o 12 22 .353 11.0 7–10 5–12 6–14

2008 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
San Antonio Silver Stars x 24 10 .706 – 15–2 9–8 10–10
Seattle Storm x 22 12 .647 2.0 16–1 6–11 13–7
Los Angeles Sparks x 20 14 .588 4.0 12–5 8–9 12–8
Sacramento Monarchs x 18 16 .529 6.0 5–12 13–4 9–11
Houston Comets o 17 17 .500 7.0 13–4 4–13 10–10
Minnesota Lynx o 16 18 .471 8.0 10–7 6–11 8–12
Phoenix Mercury o 16 18 .471 8.0 9–8 7–10 8–12

2007 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Phoenix Mercury x 23 11 .676 – 12–5 11–6 17–5
San Antonio Silver Stars x 20 14 .588 3.0 9–8 11–6 13–9
Sacramento Monarchs x 19 15 .559 4.0 12–5 7–10 12–10
Seattle Storm x 17 17 .500 6.0 12–5 5–12 11–11
Houston Comets o 13 21 .382 10.0 7–10 6–11 10–12
Minnesota Lynx o 10 24 .294 13.0 7–10 3–14 8–14
Los Angeles Sparks o 10 24 .294 13.0 5–12 5–12 6–16

2006 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Los Angeles Sparks x 25 9 .735 – 15–2 10–7 15–5
Sacramento Monarchs x 21 13 .618 4.0 14–3 7–10 10–10
Houston Comets x 18 16 .529 7.0 12–5 6–11 11–9
Seattle Storm x 18 16 .529 7.0 9–8 9–8 10–10
Phoenix Mercury o 18 16 .529 7.0 10–7 8–9 8–12
San Antonio Silver Stars o 13 21 .382 12.0 6–11 7–10 10–10
Minnesota Lynx o 10 24 .294 15.0 8–9 2–15 6–14

2005 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Sacramento Monarchs x 25 9 .735 – 15–2 10–7 17–5
Seattle Storm x 20 14 .588 5.0 14–3 6–11 13–9
Houston Comets x 19 15 .559 6.0 11–6 8–9 11–11
Los Angeles Sparks x 17 17 .500 8.0 11–6 6–11 12–10
Phoenix Mercury o 16 18 .471 9.0 11–6 5–12 12–10
Minnesota Lynx o 14 20 .412 11.0 11–6 3–14 9–13
San Antonio Silver Stars o 7 27 .206 18.0 5–12 2–15 3–19

2004 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Los Angeles Sparks x 25 9 .735 – 15–2 10–7 16–6
Seattle Storm x 20 14 .588 5.0 13–4 7–10 13–9
Minnesota Lynx x 18 16 .529 7.0 11–6 7–10 12–10
Sacramento Monarchs x 18 16 .529 7.0 10–7 8–9 12–10
Phoenix Mercury o 17 17 .500 8.0 10–7 7–10 11–11
Houston Comets o 13 21 .382 12.0 9–8 4–13 7–15
San Antonio Silver Stars o 9 25 .265 16.0 6–11 3–14 6–16

2003 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Los Angeles Sparks x 24 10 .706 – 11–6 13–4 17–7
Houston Comets x 20 14 .588 4.0 14–3 6–11 14–10
Sacramento Monarchs x 19 15 .559 5.0 12–5 7–10 13–11
Minnesota Lynx x 18 16 .529 6.0 11–6 7–10 14–10
Seattle Storm o 18 16 .529 6.0 13–4 5–12 11–13
San Antonio Silver Stars o 12 22 .353 12.0 9–8 3–14 10–14
Phoenix Mercury o 8 26 .235 16.0 6–11 2–15 5–19

2002 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Los Angeles Sparks x 25 7 .781 17–4 –
Houston Comets x 24 8 .750 16–5 1.0
Utah Starzz x 20 12 .625 12–9 5.0
Seattle Storm x 17 15 .531 10–11 8.0
Portland Fire o 16 16 .500 8–13 9.0
Sacramento Monarchs o 14 18 .438 8–13 11.0
Phoenix Mercury o 11 21 .344 7–14 14.0
Minnesota Lynx o 10 22 .313 6–15 15.0

2001 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Los Angeles Sparks x 28 4 .875 19–2 –
Sacramento Monarchs x 20 12 .625 13–8 8.0
Utah Starzz x 19 13 .594 11–10 9.0
Houston Comets x 19 13 .594 13–8 9.0
Phoenix Mercury o 13 19 .406 8–13 15.0
Minnesota Lynx o 12 20 .375 9–12 16.0
Portland Fire o 11 21 .344 5–16 17.0
Seattle Storm o 10 22 .313 6–15 18.0

2000 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Los Angeles Sparks x 28 4 .875 17–4 –
Houston Comets x 27 5 .844 17–4 1.0
Sacramento Monarchs x 21 11 .656 13–8 7.0
Phoenix Mercury x 20 12 .625 11–10 8.0
Utah Starzz o 18 14 .563 13–8 10.0
Minnesota Lynx o 15 17 .469 5–16 13.0
Portland Fire o 10 22 .313 4–17 18.0
Seattle Storm o 6 26 .188 4–17 22.0

1999 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Houston Comets x 26 6 .813 16–4 –
Los Angeles Sparks x 20 12 .625 12–8 6.0
Sacramento Monarchs x 19 13 .594 9–11 7.0
Phoenix Mercury o 15 17 .469 7–13 11.0
Minnesota Lynx o 15 17 .469 8–12 11.0
Utah Starzz o 15 17 .469 8–12 11.0

1998 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Houston Comets x 27 3 .900 15–1 –
Phoenix Mercury x 19 11 .633 10–6 8.0
Los Angeles Sparks o 12 18 .400 6–10 15.0
Sacramento Monarchs o 8 22 .267 5–11 19.0
Utah Starzz o 8 22 .267 4–12 19.0

1997 season

[edit]
Western Conference W L PCT Conf. GB
Phoenix Mercury x 16 12 .571 9–3 –
Los Angeles Sparks o 14 14 .500 8–4 2.0
Sacramento Monarchs o 10 18 .357 4–8 6.0
Utah Starzz o 7 21 .250 3–9 9.0

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/western-conference
  2. ^ https://www.wnba.com/tickets
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