Houston Astros: Six reasons not to worry about this team’s adversity

Reason #4: Comet Take It

When the WNBA first began in 1997, it seemed like destiny the first year would belong to Houston and the Comets. After all, the Comets had the first pick in the WNBA draft, which they selected Tina Thompson. They also added Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes. So really, you had the Michael Jordan (Swoopes), Magic Johnson (Cooper), and Larry Bird (Thompson) all on the same team. A true Big 3. It was also destiny that the Comets won the first title in a one-game final against the New York Liberty.

1998

A season later, the Comets posted the best record in WNBA history by going 27-3. Following a sweep of the Charlotte Sting, the Comets lost the first game of the WNBA Finals to the Phoenix Mercury. Game two went into overtime, where it could’ve gone either way. But Houston hung on for a five-point win. This brought up the deciding game three as Houston finished the job winning 80-71 for the second title.

1999

1999 saw them deal with tragedy following the loss of teammate Kim Perot to cancer. Houston swept the Los Angeles Sparks to advance to the WNBA Finals for the third straight year. After winning Game 1, the Comets were seconds away from the championship over the New York Liberty when the unthinkable happened.

Plays like that could’ve ended the dreams of a team to where there’s no way they win the next game. But the Comets collected themselves and won the title the next night. It was a three-peat or “No. 3 for No. 10.”

2000

Despite finishing second in the Western Conference, the Comets would sweep through the playoffs to win their fourth and final title in history.