2004 WNBA season

2004 WNBA season
LeagueWomen's National Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationMay 20 - September 19, 2004
Number of games34
Number of teams13
Total attendance1,903,427
Average attendance8,613
TV partner(s)ABC, ESPN, Oxygen, NBATV
2004 WNBA Draft
Top draft pickUnited States Diana Taurasi
Picked byPhoenix Mercury
Regular season
Season MVPUnited States Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles)
Playoffs
Eastern championsConnecticut Sun
  Eastern runners-upNew York Liberty
Western championsSeattle Storm
  Western runners-upSacramento Monarchs
Finals
ChampionsSeattle Storm
  Runners-upConnecticut Sun
Finals MVPUnited States Betty Lennox (Seattle)
WNBA seasons

The 2004 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's eighth season. The league had one fewer team than in 2003 as the Cleveland Rockers folded after the 2003 season. The season ended with the Seattle Storm winning their first WNBA Championship, as their head coach Anne Donovan became the first female coach to win a WNBA championship.

Regular season standings

Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Connecticut Sun x 18 16 .529 – 10–7 8–9 14–6
New York Liberty x 18 16 .529 – 11–6 7–10 10–10
Detroit Shock x 17 17 .500 1.0 8–9 9–8 11–9
Washington Mystics x 17 17 .500 1.0 11–6 6–11 9–11
Charlotte Sting o 16 18 .471 2.0 10–7 6–11 8–12
Indiana Fever o 15 19 .441 3.0 10–7 5–12 8–12

Western Conference

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

Season award winners

Award Winner Team
WNBA Finals MVP Award Betty Lennox Seattle Storm
WNBA Most Valuable Player Award Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Most Improved Player Award Kelly Miller/ Wendy Palmer (co-winners) Indiana Fever/ Connecticut Sun
WNBA Peak Performer Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm
WNBA Peak Performer Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA Rookie of the Year Award Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award Teresa Edwards Minnesota Lynx
WNBA Coach of the Year Award Suzie McConnell Serio Minnesota Lynx

Playoffs

Main article: 2004 WNBA Playoffs
Main article: 2004 WNBA Finals
First Round
Best of 3 		Conference Finals
Best of 3 		WNBA Finals
Best of 3
         
E1 Connecticut 2
E4 Washington 1
E1 Connecticut 2
Eastern Conference
E2 New York 0
E2 New York 2
E3 Detroit 1
E1 Connecticut 1
W2 Seattle 2
W1 Los Angeles 1
W4 Sacramento 2
W4 Sacramento 1
Western Conference
W2 Seattle 2
W2 Seattle 2
W3 Minnesota 0

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference