Last Updated on October 4, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Eastern Conference Standings
| TEAM | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | HEAD COACH | PLAYOFF RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Comets | 28 | 18 | 10 | .643 | — | Van Chancellor | WNBA Champions |
| New York Liberty | 28 | 17 | 11 | .607 | 1.0 | Nancy Darsch | Lost WNBA Finals |
| Charlotte Sting | 28 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 3.0 | Marynell Meadors | Lost WNBA Semis |
| Cleveland Rockers | 28 | 15 | 13 | .536 | 3.0 | Linda Hill-MacDonald | Missed Playoffs |
Western Conference Standings
| TEAM | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | HEAD COACH | PLAYOFF RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Mercury | 28 | 16 | 12 | .571 | — | Cheryl Miller | Lost WNBA Semis |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 28 | 14 | 14 | .500 | 2.0 | Linda Sharp / Julie Rousseau | Missed Playoffs |
| Sacramento Monarchs | 28 | 10 | 18 | .357 | 6.0 | Mary Murphy / Heidi VanDerveer | Missed Playoffs |
| Utah Starzz | 28 | 7 | 21 | .250 | 9.0 | Denise Taylor | Missed Playoffs |
The 1997 playoffs used the four best records across the entire league rather than separate conference brackets. Houston defeated Charlotte 70–54 in the semifinals, New York defeated Phoenix 59–41, and Houston defeated New York 65–51 in the one-game WNBA Finals.