2019 WNBA Finals

The 2019 WNBA Finals, officially WNBA Finals 2019 presented by YouTube TV for sponsorship reasons, was the best-of-five championship series for the 2019 season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Finals featured the top seeded Washington Mystics facing off against the second seed Connecticut Sun. The Washington Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun through five turbulent games, with the Mystics winning the odd-numbered games and the Sun emerging victorious through the even-numbered games, exploiting a temporary absence of Elena Delle Donne and drawing upon unrelenting resolve to keep the series going, to make their bid for a championship that ultimately failed after the Mystics resurged in Game 5's final quarter. This was the first-ever Finals win for the Washington Mystics, as well as the Connecticut Sun's third Finals appearance.

2019 WNBA Finals

Team Coach Wins Washington Mystics Mike Thibault 3 Connecticut Sun Curt Miller 2
Dates	September 29 – October 10
MVP	Emma Meesseman
Eastern finals	Washington Mystics defeated Las Vegas Aces 3–1
Western finals	Connecticut Sun defeated Los Angeles Sparks 3–0

Road to the Finals

Standings

#	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

#	Eastern Conference	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Conf.
1	Washington Mystics (1)	26	8	.765	–	14–3	12–5	13–3
2	Connecticut Sun (2)	23	11	.676	3	15–2	8–9	11–5
3	Chicago Sky (5)	20	14	.588	6	12–5	8–9	11–5
4	e –Indiana Fever	13	21	.382	13	7–10	6–11	7–9
5	e –New York Liberty	10	24	.294	16	4–13	6–11	3–13
6	e –Atlanta Dream	8	26	.235	18	5–12	3–14	3–13

Playoffs

Main article: 2019 WNBA Playoffs

	First round: Single elimination (Sept. 11)					Second round: Single elimination (Sept. 15)					Semifinals: Best-of-five (Sept. 17 – Sept. 24)								WNBA Finals: Best-of-five (Sept. 29 – Oct. 10)
											1	Washington Mystics	97	103	75	94
						4	Las Vegas Aces	93			4	Las Vegas Aces	95	91	92	90
	5	Chicago Sky	105			5	Chicago Sky	92											1	Washington Mystics	95	87	94	86	89
	8	Phoenix Mercury	76																2	Connecticut Sun	86	99	81	90	78
											2	Connecticut Sun		84	94	78
						3	Los Angeles Sparks	92			3	Los Angeles Sparks		75	68	56
	6	Seattle Storm	84			6	Seattle Storm	69
	7	Minnesota Lynx	74

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

Summary

This finals was the third time in the four years since the WNBA switched playoff formats in 2016 that two teams from the same conference met in the WNBA Finals. In 2016 and 2017, two teams from the Western Conference met. This would be the first time two teams from the Eastern Conference met in the Finals. This Finals is also the third time that the top two seeds have made it to the finals since the WNBA switched playoff formats in 2016. The lone non-top two seed to make the finals was the third seeded Washington Mystics in 2018.

The Mystics' home court advantage figured to play a critical role in these finals. The Mystics had a 14–3 home record during the regular season and the Connecticut Sun had a 15–2 regular season home record. However, the Mystics had a regular season away record advantage 12–5 vs. 8–9. The Sun won the regular season series 2–1, with the home team winning each game.

Game 1

Ariel Atkins turned around her recent poor form to lead the Mystics to a win in Game 1 of the Finals. Atkins was 5–21 during the Mystic's semifinal series, but scored 21 points in Game 1 of the Finals on 6–7 shooting. Additionally, Elena Delle Donne and Emma Meesseman played for the Mystics. This was a change from the regular season series, where both players did not play. Delle Donne in particular made her presence felt, leading the Mystics with twenty-two points and ten rebounds. The Sun got a big performance from Courtney Williams, who scored a game high twenty-six points. However, the Sun's bench contributed only eight total points, while the Mystic's bench scored sixteen.

ESPN, TSN5

September 29 3:00pm ET

Box Score

Connecticut Sun 86, Washington Mystics 95
Scoring by quarter: 17–30, 29–25, 20–21, 20–19
Pts: Courtney Williams (26) Rebs: Alyssa Thomas / Jonquel Jones (6) Asts: Alyssa Thomas (6)		Pts: Elena Delle Donne (22) Rebs: Elena Delle Donne (10) Asts: Natasha Cloud (7)

St. Elizabeth's East Arena Attendance: 4,200 Referees: Roy Gulbeyan Byron Jarrett Tim Greene Cheryl Flores

Game 2

Elena Delle Donne only played 3:20 of the first quarter before experiencing back spasms that saw her miss the remainder of the game. The Sun took advantage of the League MVP's absence and won Game Two by twelve points. The Sun were led by Jonquel Jones who achieved the WNBA Finals' first ever thirty point and fifteen rebound game. Jones finished with thirty-two points and eighteen rebounds. The Mystics were able to tie the score at seventy-six, with eight minutes remaining, but Jones re-entered the game after sitting on the bench with four fouls. She returned to the game and helped the Sun finish off the win. With the series tied at one game apiece, the series heads to Connecticut for the next two games. The Sun now have home court advantage in the series.

ESPN, TSN2

October 1 8:00pm ET

Box Score

Connecticut Sun 99, Washington Mystics 87
Scoring by quarter: 29–17, 27–29, 17–23, 26–18
Pts: Jonquel Jones (32) Rebs: Jonquel Jones (18) Asts: Alyssa Thomas / Courtney Williams (6)		Pts: Emma Meesseman (27) Rebs: Emma Meesseman (8) Asts: Kristi Toliver (7)

St. Elizabeth's East Arena Attendance: 4,200 Referees: Michael Price Maj Forsberg Tim Greene Billy Smith

Game 3

Elena Delle Donne played through her herniated disk and contributed 13 points in the Mystics road win. Washington got out to a hot start, going up fifteen points in the first quarter. They then took a five-point lead into halftime and never looked back, winning by thirteen points. Their road win brings them within one game of the WNBA Championship. The Mystics had four players score in double figures, with two reaching over twenty points. The Sun also had four players score in double figures, but none reached the twenty point mark.

ABC, SN360

October 6 3:30pm ET

Box Score

Washington Mystics 94, Connecticut Sun 81
Scoring by quarter: 32–17, 11–22, 25–18, 26–24
Pts: Emma Meesseman (21) Rebs: Aerial Powers (8) Asts: Kristi Toliver (10)		Pts: Shekinna Stricklen / Jasmine Thomas (16) Rebs: Jonquel Jones (9) Asts: Alyssa Thomas (9)

Mohegan Sun Arena Attendance: 9,160 Referees: Eric Brewton Roy Gulbeyan Tiffany Bird

Game 4

The Sun stormed out to a fifteen-point lead in the first quarter and held off a late Mystics charge to win Game 4, and force a deciding Game 5. The Mystics made a run after halftime, winning the third quarter by sixteen points, and tying the game going into the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to overcome the Sun. Alyssa Thomas starred for the Sun, coming within two rebounds of the first WNBA Finals triple double. Jonquel Jones also recorded a double double for the Sun. The Mystics led by five at one point in the fourth, but the Sun hit two three pointers to gain the lead for good with 2:22 left. Connecticut went four for four on free throws in the last minute to seal the game.

ESPN2, TSN4/5

October 8 8:00pm ET

Box Score

Washington Mystics 86, Connecticut Sun 90
Scoring by quarter: 17–32, 23–24, 28–12, 18–22
Pts: Aerial Powers (15) Rebs: Natasha Cloud (7) Asts: Natasha Cloud (9)		Pts: Jonquel Jones (18) Rebs: Jonquel Jones (13) Asts: Alyssa Thomas (11)

Mohegan Sun Arena Attendance: 8,458 Referees: Michael Price Maj Forsberg Byron Jarrett

Game 5

Game five was a tight affair in the first half, with the Sun taking a one-point lead into half time. The game continued to be close in the third quarter. The Sun took a two-point lead into the final period. However, season MVP Elena Delle Donne scored four of her twenty-one points during an 8–0 run with three minutes left to seal the win for the Mystics. The Mystics won the fourth quarter by thirteen points, and the game by eleven. The win secured the Mystic's their first title in franchise history, and leaves the Sun still looking for their franchise's first title. Emma Meesseman lead the Mystics in scoring, with twenty two points. She was named the Finals MVP and became the first bench player to win the award. Jonquel Jones lead the Sun with twenty-five points and Alyssa Thomas had twenty-one points and twelve rebounds, but it was not enough to overcome the Mystics.

ESPN2, TSN4

October 10 8:00pm ET

Box Score

Connecticut Sun 78, Washington Mystics 89
Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 23–19, 21–20, 14–27
Pts: Jonquel Jones (25) Rebs: Alyssa Thomas (12) Asts: Alyssa Thomas / Jasmine Thomas (6)		Pts: Emma Meesseman (22) Rebs: Elena Delle Donne (9) Asts: Kristi Toliver (4)

St. Elizabeth's East Arena Attendance: 4,200 Referees: Eric Brewton Roy Gulbeyan Maj Forsberg

Team rosters

2019 Washington Mystics roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs G 7 Atkins, Ariel 5' 11" (1.8m) 167 lb (76kg) 07-30-1996 Texas 1 G 15 Cloud, Natasha 5' 9" (1.75m) 160 lb (73kg) 02-22-1992 Saint Joseph's 4 G/F 11 Delle Donne, Elena 6' 5" (1.96m) 187 lb (85kg) 09-05-1989 Delaware 6 F 21 Hawkins, Tianna 6' 3" (1.91m) 186 lb (84kg) 03-02-1991 Maryland 5 F 2 Hines-Allen, Myisha 6' 2" (1.88m) 200 lb (91kg) 05-30-1996 Louisville 1 G 5 Leslie, Kiara 6' 0" (1.83m) 175 lb (79kg) 12-06-1995 NC State R F 33 Meesseman, Emma 6' 4" (1.93m) 191 lb (87kg) 05-13-1993 Belgium 5 G 6 Mestdagh, Kim 5' 9" (1.75m) 154 lb (70kg) 03-12-1990 Colorado State R G/F 23 Powers, Aerial 5' 9" (1.75m) 159 lb (72kg) 07-17-1994 Michigan State 3 F/C 30 Sanders, LaToya 6' 2" (1.88m) 170 lb (77kg) 09-11-1986 North Carolina 6 G 20 Toliver, Kristi 5' 7" (1.7m) 130 lb (59kg) 01-27-1987 Maryland 10 G 32 Walker-Kimbrough, Shatori 5' 9" (1.75m) 140 lb (64kg) 05-18-1995 Maryland 2	Head coach Mike Thibault (St. Martin's) Assistant coaches Marianne Stanley (Immaculata) Eric Thibault (Missouri) Athletic trainer Chalisa Fonza (Western Illinois) Strength and conditioning coach Vacant Legend (C) Team captain (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended Injured

2019 Connecticut Sun roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs G 1 Banham, Rachel 5' 9" (1.75m) 168 lb (76kg) 07-15-1993 Minnesota 3 G 23 Clarendon, Layshia 5' 9" (1.75m) 158 lb (72kg) 05-02-1991 California 6 G 2 Hiedeman, Natisha 5' 7" (1.7m) 125 lb (57kg) 02-10-1997 Marquette R G 32 Holmes, Bria 6' 1" (1.85m) 170 lb (77kg) 04-19-1994 West Virginia 2 F/C 35 Jones, Jonquel 6' 6" (1.98m) 190 lb (86kg) 01-05-1994 George Washington 3 F 42 Jones, Brionna 6' 3" (1.91m) 230 lb (104kg) 12-18-1995 Maryland 2 F/C 55 Plaisance, Theresa 6' 5" (1.96m) 200 lb (91kg) 05-18-1992 LSU 5 G/F 40 Stricklen, Shekinna 6' 2" (1.88m) 178 lb (81kg) 07-30-1990 Tennessee 7 F 25 Thomas, Alyssa 6' 2" (1.88m) 185 lb (84kg) 04-12-1992 Maryland 5 G 5 Thomas, Jasmine 5' 9" (1.75m) 145 lb (66kg) 09-30-1989 Duke 8 F 33 Tuck, Morgan 6' 2" (1.88m) 200 lb (91kg) 04-30-1994 Connecticut 3 G 10 Williams, Courtney 5' 8" (1.73m) 136 lb (62kg) 05-11-1994 South Florida 3	Head coach Curt Miller (Baldwin Wallace) Assistant coaches Brandi Poole Chris Koclanes Legend (C) Team captain (FA) Free agent (IN) Inactive (S) Suspended Injured

External links

• WNBA Playoffs Home