Rockers Eliminate Miracle

The Cleveland Rockers defeated the Orlando Miracle, 72-43, Tuesday night at Cleveland and advanced to the WNBA Eastern Conference finals.

The Rockers will play host to the New York Liberty on Thursday night in Game 1 of the best-of-three series. The second game will be played at New York as will Game 3, if necessary.

Rookie Ann Wauters, the first pick in last spring’s draft, made all five of her shots from the field and scored 12 points for the Rockers. The 6-foot-4 center from Belgium also was a defensive presence inside, keeping the Miracle from completing passes for easy layups.

Suzie McConnell Serio had seven of the Rockers’ 24 assists.

Cleveland lost the first game of the series on the road before taking the last two at home.

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Houston Comet standout Sheryl Swoopes, the WNBA’s leading scorer, was selected as the league’s defensive player of the year.

Swoopes received 33 of a possible 62 votes. Yolanda Griffith of Sacramento, the 1999 winner, was runner-up with 18 votes.

Swoopes led the WNBA with 2.81 steals a game. She also averaged 1.06 blocks and 6.3 rebounds and led the league in scoring with a 20.7 average, wresting the title from teammate Cynthia Cooper for the first time.

Lisa Leslie and Delisha Milton of the Sparks were among the other players receiving votes.

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WNBA Schedule

Best-of-three second-round playoff series:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Sparks vs. Houston

Thursday: At Houston

Sunday: At Sparks

Monday: x-At Sparks

EASTERN CONFERENCE

New York vs. Cleveland

Thursday: At Cleveland

Sunday: At New York

Monday: x-At New York

x--if necessary