1997 WNBA Western Conference standings

The Phoenix Mercury won the 1997 WNBA Western Conference playoff race at 16-12, 2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Sparks.

NBA.com's WNBA statistics files the Houston Comets in the West this season. They played the league's first season in the East and moved to the West in 1998, so this chart shows the 1997 races as they were.

The 1997 playoffs, series by series

PHOLASSACUTA

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West standings, 1997

Team	W	L	Pct	GB	L10	Streak
Phoenix Mercury (PHO) x	16	12	.571	-	7-3	W3
Los Angeles Sparks (LAS)	14	14	.500	2	6-4	L1
Sacramento Monarchs (SAC)	10	18	.357	6	5-5	W1
Utah Starzz (UTA)	7	21	.250	9	2-8	L2

The dashed line on the chart is the pace of the final playoff spot.

Clinch key

x: clinched a playoff place

Turning points

The lead changed hands 3 times.
The Phoenix Mercury trailed by as many as half a game on June 26, 1997.
The Phoenix Mercury took first place for good on July 2, 1997.
The Phoenix Mercury led by as many as 4 games on July 21, 1997.
The top two ended the day within one game of each other on 28 of the 57 days played.
Four teams held or shared first place.
The Phoenix Mercury spent 63 of the season's 65 charted days in first place.