The 2021 WNBA Finals, officially the WNBA Finals 2021 presented by

YouTube TV YouTube TV is an American streaming television service operated by YouTube, a wholly owned subsidiary of Google. Announced on February 28, 2017, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor offers a selection of live linear channel f ...

for sponsorship reasons, was the best-of-five championship series for the 2021 season of the

Women's National Basketball Association The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the Natio ...

(WNBA). The finals featured the fifth-seeded

Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league ...

facing off against the sixth-seeded

Chicago Sky The Chicago Sky are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Sky compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The franchise was founded prior to the 20 ...

, a rematch of the 2014 Finals. The Sky defeated the Mercury in 4 games, winning their first WNBA Championship, as well as Chicago's first professional basketball championship since

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...

Road to the Finals

Standings

Playoffs

Summary

This finals was only the second time since the WNBA switched playoff formats in 2016 that two teams from different conferences met in the finals. The previous time was in

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

, when the

Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Mystics compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was founded pri ...

faced off against the

Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerl ...

. This finals is also the first time since the format switch where the number one seed did not make the finals. The finals was the first time since the format switch that a team that was not the #1 or #2 seed won the championship. Additionally, the match up between the Mercury and Sky was be a rematch of the

2014 WNBA Finals The 2014 WNBA Finals was the playoff series for the 2014 season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Phoenix Mercury, champions of the Western Conference, faced the Chicago Sk ...

. The

qualified for the finals after finishing fifth in the regular season standings. They defeated the

New York Liberty The New York Liberty are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Liberty compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the league's Eastern Conference. The team was f ...

in the First Round, the defending champions

in the Second Round, and the second seeded

Las Vegas Aces The Las Vegas Aces are an American professional basketball team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Aces compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conferenc ...

3–2 in the Semifinals. The Mercury are the third non-top two seed to make the finals. The

qualified for the finals after finishing sixth in the regular season standings. They defeated the

Dallas Wings The Dallas Wings are an American basketball team based in Arlington, Texas. The Wings play in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team is owned by a group which is led by chairman Bill Cameron. Greg ...

in the First Round, the

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded pr ...

in the Second Round, and the top seeded

Connecticut Sun The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference (WNBA), Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was established ...

3–1 in the Semifinals. The Sky are only the second non-top two seed to make the finals. The Mystics in 2018 were the third seed. The sixth-seeded Sky are also the lowest seed to make the finals under the new playoff format. The Sky are the third team to qualify for the finals after having a regular season record of .500 or lower. This was second finals appearance in franchise history for the Sky, with the other coming in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

. During the regular season, the teams faced off three times, with the Mercury winning all three games.

Game 1

The series began in Phoenix, in front of a bumper crowd of over 10,000 fans. The Mercury gave the fans something to cheer, winning the first quarter by five points, 25–20. However, the Sky came roaring back in the second quarter to quiet the crowd. The Sky won the quarter by sixteen points, 26–10, and took an eleven-point lead into half time. Quarter three was tightly contested, but the Mercury could not reduce the deficit. The Sky won the quarter by two points, 28–26, and took a thirteen-point lead into the final period. The Sky also won the final quarter by a point, 17–16, and therefore the game, by a total of fourteen points. The Sky were led by

Kahleah Copper Kahleah Copper (born August 28, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by the Washington Mystics in 2016, and was traded to the Chicago Sky th ...

who scored 21 points and recorded 10 rebounds to complete a

double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...

. Guard

Courtney Vandersloot Courtney Vandersloot (born February 8, 1989) is an American and Hungarian basketball point guard for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for Sopron Basket in the Hungarian National Championship. The third s ...

also had a double-double, with 12 points and 11 assists.

Allie Quigley Alexandria "Allie" Quigley (born June 20, 1986) is an American and Hungarian professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Quigley played for DePaul University in Chicago. After gradua ...

Candace Parker Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los An ...

Stefanie Dolson Stefanie Dolson (born January 8, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted sixth overall in the 2014 WNBA draft. Dolson played center for th ...

, and

Azurá Stevens Azurá Breeona Stevens (born February 1, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Stevens played collegiately for the Duke Blue Devils and the Connectic ...

all scored in double figures for the Sky. However, no other Sky players scored in the game. The Mercury were led by

Brittney Griner Brittney Yevette Griner (; born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's natio ...

with 20 points,

Diana Taurasi Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has w ...

with 17, and Skylar Diggins-Smith with 15.

Game 2

Over 13,000 fans were in attendance for Game 2 in Phoenix, but the home team couldn't take advantage of the home crowd in the first quarter. The Sky took the opening period by six points, 26–20. However, the Mercury came back in the second and won the quarter by six points, 20–14. The game was tied going into halftime, and the Sky came out strong in the third quarter and won by six points, 23–17. The Mercury won the fourth quarter by six points, 22–16 to force

overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...

. The six point trend was broken as the Mercury won the overtime period by five points, 12–7. The Mercury had four players score in double figures, led by

with 29 points.

scored 20 points, Skylar Diggins-Smith added 13 points, and

Shey Peddy Sheylani "Shey" Marie Peddy (born October 28, 1988) is an American basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the 2012 WNBA draft and has played for m ...

added 10 points from the bench. The Sky also had four players score in double figures, led by

with 20 points.

scored 19 points,

scored 15, and

rounded out the double digit scorers with 13 points. Five players also recorded nine rebounds in the game, leaving three players one rebound shy of a

Game 3

The series moved to Chicago for Game Three and the Sky took advantage to start the game, winning the first quarter by nine points, 20–11. The Sky continued their dominance into the second quarter, winning the quarter by thirteen points, 26–13. The Sky then took a twenty two point lead into halftime. The halftime lead tied the largest ever in the WNBA Finals. With such a big lead, the Sky did not let up, winning the third quarter by two points and the fourth quarter by twelve points to win the game by thirty six points. The Sky had three players score in double digits, led by

with 22 points.

scored 13 and

Diamond DeShields Diamond Danae-Aziza DeShields (born March 5, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Wings of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted by the Chicago Sky with the third overall pick in the 2 ...

added 11 off the bench.

recorded 10 assists. The Mercury only had one player score in double digits,

with 16 points.

Game 4

Game four began with a close first quarter that Phoenix won by three points, 28–25. The Mercury kept their momentum going and won the second quarter by four points, 16–12, to take a seven point lead into half time. They expanded on that lead by winning the third quarter by two points, 19–17. However, the Sky would make a comeback in the fourth quarter, winning the quarter by fifteen points to erase the Mercury's nine point lead. The explosive quarter saw the Sky win the game by six points, and secure their first WNBA Title. The Sky had four players score in double digits, led by

who scored 26 points.

added 16 points, and both

and

scored 10 points to round out the double digit scorers. Parker and Vandersloot also recorded

double-doubles In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...

. Parker by virtue of recording 13 rebounds and Vandersloot by way of 15 assists. The Mercury had three players score in double digits, led by

with 28 points.

and Skylar Diggins-Smith both scored 16 points to round out the double digit scorers. Following their victory, the city of Chicago held a huge parade to celebrate.

Team Rosters

References

External links

WNBA Playoffs Home
{{Phoenix Mercury Women's National Basketball Association Finals

Finals Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...

WNBA Finals The WNBA Finals are the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the conclusion of the league's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002. Starting 2016 Verizon is the officia ...

Chicago Sky Phoenix Mercury