The 2012 WNBA Playoffs was the postseason for the Women's National Basketball Association's 2012 season. Four teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, seeded 1 to 4 in a tournament bracket, with the two opening rounds in a best-of-three format, and the final in a best-of-five format.
 | |
| Dates | September 27 – October, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Indiana Fever (Finals Champion) |
| East champion | Indiana Fever (Coach: Lin Dunn) |
| West champion | Minnesota Lynx (Coach: Cheryl Reeve) |
The Minnesota Lynx qualified as the overall top seed, and the Los Angeles Sparks, San Antonio Silver Stars, and Seattle Storm also qualified in the West. The Connecticut Sun were the top seed in the East, joined by the Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, and New York Liberty.[1][2]
Minnesota won the Western Conference championship, and Indiana won the Eastern Conference championship. The Fever won the 2012 WNBA Finals, winning three games to the Lynx's one.
Tiebreak procedures
editTwo-team tie
edit- Better record in head-to-head games.
- Better winning percentage within own conference.
- Better winning percentage against all teams with .500 or better record at the end of the season.
- Better point differential in games head-to-head.
- Coin toss.
Three or more-team tie
edit- Better winning percentage among all head-to-head games involving tied teams.
- Better winning percentage against teams within conference (for first two rounds of playoffs) or better record against teams in the opposite conference (for Finals).
- Better winning percentage against all teams with a .500 or better record at the end of the season.
- Better point differential in games involving tied teams.
- Coin toss.
Playoff qualifying
editEastern Conference
edit| Seed | Team | W | L | Tiebreaker | Clinched | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | Conference homecourt | |||||||
| 1 | Connecticut Sun | 25 | 9 | – | August 28 | September 17 | ||
| 2 | Indiana Fever | 22 | 12 | – | August 31 | – | ||
| 3 | Atlanta Dream | 19 | 15 | – | September 14 | – | ||
| 4 | New York Liberty | 15 | 19 | – | September 18 | – | ||
Western Conference
edit| Seed | Team | W | L | Tiebreaker | Clinched | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | League homecourt | |||||||
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 27 | 7 | – | August 19 | September 15 | ||
| 2 | Los Angeles Sparks | 24 | 10 | – | August 23 | – | ||
| 3 | San Antonio Silver Stars | 21 | 13 | – | August 25 | – | ||
| 4 | Seattle Storm | 16 | 18 | – | September 9 | – | ||
Bracket
edit| Conference Semi-Finals Best-of-3 | Conference Finals Best-of-3 | WNBA Finals Best-of-5 | ||||||||||||
| E1 | Connecticut | 2 | ||||||||||||
| E4 | New York | 0 | ||||||||||||
| E1 | Connecticut | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana | 2 | ||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana | 2 | ||||||||||||
| E3 | Atlanta | 1 | ||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana | 3 | ||||||||||||
| W1 | Minnesota | 1 | ||||||||||||
| W1 | Minnesota | 2 | ||||||||||||
| W4 | Seattle | 1 | ||||||||||||
| W1 | Minnesota | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||
| W2 | Los Angeles | 0 | ||||||||||||
| W2 | Los Angeles | 2 | ||||||||||||
| W3 | San Antonio | 0 | ||||||||||||
Eastern Conference
editConference semifinals
edit(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (4) New York Liberty
editSeptember 27
8:00pm ET |
| New York Liberty 60, Connecticut Sun 65 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 13–23, 21–18, 11–8, 15–16 | ||
| Pts: Pondexter (14) Rebs: Pierson (9) Asts: Pondexter (6) |
Pts: Charles (17) Rebs: Mims (7) Asts: Hightower, Lawson (5) | |
Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Attendance: 5,520 Referees:
|
September 29
7:00pm ET |
| Connecticut Sun 75, New York Liberty 62 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 11–22, 16–11, 23–19, 25–10 | ||
| Pts: Charles (25) Rebs: Charles (14) Asts: Lawson (6) |
Pts: Pondexter (20) Rebs: Vaughn (9) Asts: Pierson (5) | |
| Connecticut won the series, 2–0 | ||
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Attendance: 7,854 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
Connecticut won the regular-season series 4–1:
(2) Indiana Fever vs. (3) Atlanta Dream
editSeptember 28
7:00pm ET |
| Atlanta Dream 75, Indiana Fever 66 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–15, 16–17, 18–14, 16–20 | ||
| Pts: Harding (23) Rebs: Lyttle, McCoughtry (9) Asts: Harding (7) |
Pts: Douglas (13) Rebs: Catchings (11) Asts: Catchings, January (3) | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 7,776 Referees:
|
September 30
4:00pm ET |
| Indiana Fever 103, Atlanta Dream 88 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–24, 25–21, 31–20, 25–23 | ||
| Pts: Catchings (25) Rebs: Catchings (13) Asts: January (7) |
Pts: McCoughtry (22) Rebs: de Souza (9) Asts: Harding (6) | |
Philips Arena, Atlanta
Attendance: 6,890 Referees:
|
October 2
7:00pm ET |
| Atlanta Dream 64, Indiana Fever 75 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–25, 22–14, 12–15, 13–21 | ||
| Pts: Harding (17) Rebs: de Souza, Harding (7) Asts: Price (4) |
Pts: Douglas (24) Rebs: Larkins (20) Asts: January (5) | |
| Indiana won the series, 2–1 | ||
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 6,840 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
Indiana won the regular season series 3–2:
Conference finals
edit(1) Connecticut Sun vs. (2) Indiana Fever
editOctober 5
8:00pm ET |
| Indiana Fever 64, Connecticut Sun 76 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–14, 8–16, 13–22, 21–24 | ||
| Pts: Douglas (27) Rebs: Catchings (9) Asts: Catchings (5) |
Pts: Charles (18) Rebs: Charles (15) Asts: Montgomery (7) | |
Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Attendance: 7,599 Referees:
|
October 8
8:00pm ET |
| Connecticut Sun 76, Indiana Fever 78 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–20, 19–26, 14–10, 19–22 | ||
| Pts: Lawson (18) Rebs: Jones (10) Asts: Jones, Montgomery (4) |
Pts: Douglas (24) Rebs: Larkins (11) Asts: Douglas, January (2) | |
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Attendance: 9,225 Referees:
|
October 11
8:30pm ET |
| Indiana Fever 87, Connecticut Sun 71 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–10, 25–14, 25–24, 19–23 | ||
| Pts: Catchings (22) Rebs: Catchings (13) Asts: Catchings, January (4) |
Pts: Charles (18) Rebs: Charles (10) Asts: Lawson (4) | |
| Indiana won the series, 2–1 | ||
Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
Attendance: 6,516 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
The Connecticut Sun won 3–1 in the regular season series:
Western Conference
editConference semifinals
edit(2) Los Angeles Sparks vs. (3) San Antonio Silver Stars
editSeptember 27
10:00pm ET |
| San Antonio Silver Stars 86, Los Angeles Sparks 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–24, 19–16, 23–25, 19–28 | ||
| Pts: Hammon (19) Rebs: Appel (7) Asts: Hammon (6) |
Pts: Toliver (29) Rebs: Parker (9) Asts: Beard (3) | |
Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 5,013 Referees:
|
September 29
3:00pm ET |
| Los Angeles Sparks 101, San Antonio Silver Stars 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–16, 25–24, 31–26, 19–28 | ||
| Pts: Parker (32) Rebs: Parker (9) Asts: Parker (6) |
Pts: Young (28) Rebs: Adams (8) Asts: Robinson (5) | |
| Los Angeles won the series, 2–0 | ||
Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, TX
Attendance: 5,293 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
San Antonio won the regular-season series 3–1:
(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (4) Seattle Storm
editSeptember 28
9:00pm ET |
| Seattle Storm 70, Minnesota Lynx 78 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–18, 12–15, 24–27, 19–18 | ||
| Pts: Stricklen (13) Rebs: Stricklen, Thompson (7) Asts: Wright (7) |
Pts: Whalen (20) Rebs: Brunson (11) Asts: Whalen (6) | |
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 9,213 Referees:
|
September 30
9:00pm ET |
| Minnesota Lynx 79, Seattle Storm 86 (2OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–18, 10–18, 22–17, 11–17, Overtime: 9–16 | ||
| Pts: Brunson (22) Rebs: Brunson (15) Asts: Whalen (5) |
Pts: Bird (22) Rebs: Jackson (14) Asts: Wright (7) | |
KeyArena, Seattle, WA
Attendance: 8,479 Referees:
|
October 2
9:00 PM ET |
| Seattle Storm 72, Minnesota Lynx 73 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 14–22, 21–14, 17–20, 20–17 | ||
| Pts: Bird (19) Rebs: Jackson (6) Asts: Bird (11) |
Pts: Augustus (21) Rebs: Brunson (9) Asts: McWilliams-Franklin (4) | |
| Minnesota won the series, 2–1 | ||
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 8,023 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
Minnesota won the regular-season series 3–1:
Conference finals
edit(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (2) Los Angeles Sparks
editOctober 4
8:00pm ET |
| Los Angeles Sparks 77, Minnesota Lynx 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–16, 16–32, 22–18, 24–28 | ||
| Pts: Parker (25) Rebs: Parker (11) Asts: Parker (4) |
Pts: Moore (20) Rebs: Brunson (10) Asts: Augustus (7) | |
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 8,513 Referees:
|
October 7
3:30pm ET |
| Minnesota Lynx 80, Los Angeles Sparks 79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–17, 15–22, 17–26, 23–14 | ||
| Pts: Augustus (21) Rebs: Brunson (10) Asts: McWilliams-Franklin, Whalen (5) |
Pts: Parker (33) Rebs: Parker (15) Asts: Beard (7) | |
| Minnesota won the series, 2–0 | ||
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Attendance: 10,791 Referees:
|
- Regular-season series
The regular season series was tied 2–2:
WNBA Finals
editMinnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever
editOctober 14
8:00pm ET |
| Indiana Fever 76, Minnesota Lynx 70 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–20, 18–20, 13–18, 20–12 | ||
| Pts: Catchings (20) Rebs: Larkins (15) Asts: January (6) |
Pts: Augustus (23) Rebs: Brunson, Moore (10) Asts: Whalen (4) | |
| Indiana lead series, 1–0 | ||
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 14,322 Referees:
|
October 17
8:00pm ET |
| Indiana Fever 71, Minnesota Lynx 83 | ||
| 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:
|
October 19
8:00pm ET |
| Minnesota Lynx 59, Indiana Fever 76 | ||
| 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:
|
October 21
8:00pm ET |
| Minnesota Lynx 78, Indiana Fever 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 24–22, 16–18, 20–24 | ||
| Pts: Whalen (24) 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:
|
- Regular-season series
The Minnesota Lynx won the season series 2–0:
References
edit- ^ "Lynx beat Shock 83–59, clinch playoff berth". Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
- ^ WNBA Standings Archived November 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine