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Dates | October 14 – 21 | |||||||||
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MVP | Tamika Catchings | |||||||||
Hall of Famers | Fever: Tamika Catchings (2020) Lynx: Seimone Augustus (2024) Lindsay Whalen (2022) | |||||||||
Eastern Finals | Indiana defeated Connecticut, 2–1 | |||||||||
Western Finals | Minnesota defeated Los Angeles, 2–0 | |||||||||
The 2012 WNBA Finals was the series for the 2012 season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. [1] The Minnesota Lynx, champions of the Western Conference, faced the Indiana Fever, champions of the Eastern Conference. The Fever defeated the Lynx three games to one becoming only the second Eastern Conference franchise to capture a WNBA title.
The WNBA Finals were under a 2–2–1 rotation. The Lynx held home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record (27–7) than the Fever (22–12). The Lynx were defending their 2011 WNBA Championship. The Fever appeared in the 2009 Finals. [2]
Eastern Conference | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Conf. |
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Connecticut Sun y | 25 | 9 | .735 | – | 12–5 | 13–4 | 18–4 |
Indiana Fever x | 22 | 12 | .647 | 3.0 | 13–4 | 9–8 | 15–7 |
Atlanta Dream x | 19 | 15 | .559 | 6.0 | 11–6 | 8–9 | 12–10 |
New York Liberty x | 15 | 19 | .441 | 10.0 | 9–8 | 6–11 | 10–12 |
Chicago Sky o | 14 | 20 | .412 | 11.0 | 7–10 | 7–10 | 8–14 |
Washington Mystics o | 5 | 29 | .147 | 20.0 | 4–13 | 1–16 | 3–19 |
Western Conference | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Conf. |
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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 |
Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever | ||
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27–7 (.794) 1st West, 1st overall | Seeding | 22–12 (.647) 2nd East, 4th overall | |
Defeated the (4) Seattle Storm, 2–1 | Conference Semifinals | Defeated the (3) Atlanta Dream, 2–1 | |
Defeated the (2) Los Angeles Sparks, 2–0 | Conference Finals | Defeated the (1) Connecticut Sun, 2–1 |
The Indiana Fever finished 22–12, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever lost their first playoff game against the Atlanta Dream, but rallied to win two straight elimination games, setting up a conference final against the Connecticut Sun. Once again, Indiana lost the first game of the series, but rallied to win two straight to reach the finals for the second time in four years.
The Minnesota Lynx finished with the best record in the WNBA for the second straight year, finishing with a 27–7 record. The Lynx were taken to three games by the Seattle Storm, winning Game 3 by one point. The Lynx then swept the Los Angeles Sparks in the Western Conference Finals, which gave them a chance to defend their 2011 WNBA title.
The Minnesota Lynx won the season series 2–0:
October 17 8:00pm ET |
Indiana Fever 71, Minnesota Lynx83 | ||
Scoring by quarter:18–11, 15–20, 22–29, 16–23 | ||
Pts: Catchings (27) Rebs: Catchings (8) Asts: Phillips (4) | Pts: Augustus (27) Rebs: Brunson (7) Asts: McWilliams-Franklin, Moore, Whalen (4) | |
Series tied 1–1 |
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Attendance: 13,478 Referees: Michael Price, Roy Gulbeyan, Brenda Pantoja |
October 19 8:00pm ET |
Minnesota Lynx 59, Indiana Fever76 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 16–21, 11–24, 11–25, 21–6 | ||
Pts: Brunson (12) Rebs: Brunson (9) Asts: Wiggins (3) | Pts: Zellous (30) Rebs: Larkins (12) Asts: Davenport (4) | |
Indiana lead series, 2–1 |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN Attendance: 18,165 Referees: Denise Brooks, Lamont Simpson, Eric Brewton |
October 21 8:00pm ET |
Minnesota Lynx 78, Indiana Fever 87 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 24–22, 16–18, 20–24 | ||
Pts: Whalen (22) Rebs: Augustus (7) Asts: Whalen (8) | Pts: Catchings (28) Rebs: Larkins (13) Asts: Catchings (8) | |
Indiana win series, 3–1 |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN Attendance: 15,213 Referees: Sue Blauch, Michael Price, Roy Gulbeyan |
Minnesota Lynx roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). One of eight original franchises, it was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began.
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.
Lindsay Marie Whalen is a former professional basketball player and coach. She most recently served as the head coach at Minnesota.
Tamika Devonne Catchings is an American retired professional basketball player who played her entire 15-year career for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Catchings has won a WNBA championship (2012), WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (2011), WNBA Finals MVP Award (2012), five WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards, four Olympic gold medals, the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2002), and an NCAA championship with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols (1998). She is one of only 11 women to receive an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold and a WNBA Championship. She has also been selected to ten WNBA All-Star teams, 12 All-WNBA teams, 12 All-Defensive teams and led the league in steals eight times. In 2011, Catchings was voted in by fans as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time, and would be named to two more all-time WNBA teams, the WNBA Top 20@20 in 2016 and The W25 in 2021.
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The 2013 WNBA Finals was the playoff series for the 2013 season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx, champions of the Western Conference, defeated the Atlanta Dream, champions of the Eastern Conference.
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The 2013 WNBA season was the 15th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Lynx won their second WNBA Championship in three years, and led the league in wins for the third straight season.
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