Lisa Leslie collected 23 points and 12 rebounds as the two-time defending champion Sparks used a huge first half for a 75–63 victory over the Detroit Shock in Game One of the WNBA Finals.
Detroit entered with the Coach of the Year in Bill Laimbeer, who has put his stamp on a physical frontcourt that features Swin Cash, rookie Cheryl Ford and Ruth Riley.
But Leslie and Delisha Milton led a defensive effort that bottled up the Shock's vaunted trio and opened up a 42–21 cushion at halftime.
Cash scored 16 points and Deanna Nolan, who was listed as questionable due to a back injury, added 15 for Detroit.
The 6–5 center was swarmed by the Shock defense and kicked it out to Milton, who tried to get off a shot but lost the ball instead as time expired.
Nolan scored 14 points and Ruth Riley added 11 as the Shock overcame 32 percent shooting (9-of-28) over the final 20 minutes.
The Detroit Shock won the WNBA Finals, defeating the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks, 83–78, as Ruth Riley dominated the decisive third game.
It was somewhat of a reprise of 2001, when she led Notre Dame to the national championship with the same sort of post play she displayed in this series.
After the final buzzer, confetti fell from the rafters of The Palace of Auburn Hills and Riley triumphantly hoisted a sign that read, "2003 WNBA champions" as the crowd of 22,076—the largest in league history—celebrated.
After Deanna Nolan's three-pointer gave Detroit the lead for good, Leslie missed a short banker and fouled out chasing the rebound.