The WNBA champion title was won for the first-time by a team representing the Pacific Northwest. The Chicago Sky finished this regular season as a wildcard, finishing sixth in the standings. However, they defeated the Phoenix Mercury at the Finals. Kahleah Silver was named Finals MVP.
Washington Mystics vs. Seattle Storm
The Washington Mystics and the Seattle Storm will be playing in the WNBA Championship 2018 Finals. The Storm is back in Finals after an eight-year absence. The team lost Lauren Jackson due to retirement but has restocked its lineup by Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell L.
In the regular season, The Seattle Storm was the league leader in 3-point accuracy. The Mystics were second with 29.8%. This accuracy carried over into the playoffs.
Breanna Stewart wins WNBA Finals MVP award
Seattle Storm guard Breanna Stewart has won the WNBA Finals MVP award. The 24-year-old led her team to the title by averaging 28.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. She was recognized for her contributions to the Storm winning the league title in 2020. She was proud of her MVP award, arriving at the media availability postgame with champagne in her hand. She also wore a pair of celebratory goggles.
Stewart, a twice-time WNBA MVP steered the Storm to their second championship title in less then two years. She performed exceptionally in Game 1 with 37 points, 15 rebounds and an impressive performance. That made her the player who averaged 35 points in Game 1. She finished the series averaging 28.3 points and shot 65 percent from the field. Stewart is also an inductee to the Hall of Fame.
Phoenix Sun's Diana Taurasi wins first WNBA title
Diana Taurasi, a former NBA player, is now the leading scorer for the WNBA. She is the MVP award winner and has won three WNBA championships. She has also been awarded four Olympic golds medals and five WNBA scoring awards. She has also won three NCAA championships at the University of Connecticut. She has also won six Euroleague Championships.
Diana Taurasi, after winning her first WNBA championship title, is now the most decorated player ever to play in WNBA history. This win also marked the start of a long and successful career for the 22year-old. Taurasi is the Western Conference's first champion. She will be inducted into league's Hall of Fame by 2020.
Seattle Storm's Sue Bird leads Seattle towards victory
Sue Bird has led the Seattle Storm to their WNBA championship. The Storm finished the regular season at 26-8. They also topped the Western Conference standings. The team was led by Bird, who was a top pick in 2001. Bird's offensive efficiency and quickness enabled the Storm to defeat the Washington Mystics from the perimeter. The Storm shot 13 for 26 from three-point range and outscored the Mystics by 21 points. In Game 3, the Mystics only shot 8 of 23 from behind-the-arc and closed the series with an impressive 11 for 60.
Bird was the main star for the Storm during the playoffs. She came up big in Game 5 against Phoenix Mercury. Bird was wearing a mask for a broken nose but she scored 10 points and took out clutch jumpers to send Mercury home.