Basketball history speaks in moments, those rare performances where one player takes over and demands attention. In the WNBA, legends are often built in Finals games, where the pressure is high and every possession matters. According to our recent roundup of players with the most points in a single WNBA playoff game, some of those defining nights came in the WNBA Finals, setting the stage for Finals heroes to cement their legacy. In this article, we spotlight five Finals performances in which a player delivered jaw-dropping point totals, shifting momentum, bending defenses, and reminding us that in championship series, stars decide the narrative.
The WNBA Players with Most Points in Single Finals Game
Big games create bigger legends, and nowhere is that truer than in the WNBA than the Championship series. When the stakes rise and defenses tighten, only a few players have managed to deliver truly historic scoring nights. These are the moments that define careers, tilt championships, and remind fans why the superstars shine brightest when the pressure peaks.
1. Angel McCoughtry drops 38 vs. Lynx (2011)
In Game 2 of the 2011 Finals, Angel McCoughtry turned Target Center into her personal runway. The Dream star erupted for 38 points, repeatedly getting downhill in semi-transition and punishing Minnesota’s switches. She piled up trips to the line, kept Atlanta within striking distance in the second half, and very nearly stole one on the road. The duel with Seimone Augustus elevated the night from great to classic, with both wings trading tough makes late. McCoughtry’s outburst remains the single highest Finals total in Dream history.
| Rank | Date | Player | Points | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10/05/2011 | Angel McCoughtry | 38 | Atlanta Dream | Minnesota Lynx |
| 2 | 10/02/2020 | Breanna Stewart | 37 | Seattle Storm | Las Vegas Aces |
| 3 | 10/05/2011 | Seimone Augustus | 36 | Minnesota Lynx | Atlanta Dream |
| 4 | 0916/2010 | Angel McCoughtry | 35 | Atlanta Dream | Seattle Storm |
| 5 | 10/08/2025 | A'ja Wilson | 34 | Las Vegas Aces | Phoenix Mercury |
2. Breanna Stewart answers with 37 vs. Aces (2020)
Inside the bubble season, Stewart came out in Game 1 like a metronome, scoring at all three levels and setting the tone for Seattle’s eventual title. She finished with 37 and, just as importantly, seized the fourth quarter by scoring the first 11 points of the period to break open a two-point game. The mix was pure Stewart: pick-and-pop threes, face-ups, and cuts that punished overhelp. Las Vegas tried length and traps, but Seattle’s spacing kept the floor clean for her reads. It was one of those nights when the box score and the eye test nodded in agreement.
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3. Seimone Augustus counters with 36 vs. Dream (2011)
Same night, same court, different scoring masterpieces. Augustus put up 36 with her signature footwork and midrange precision, answering McCoughtry’s record flurry with calm, contested buckets. When Atlanta loaded up on Lindsay Whalen’s drives, Augustus made them pay from the elbows and short corners. Her timing in late clock was critical and she buried multiple big shots to steady Minnesota’s lead. It was a blueprint in playoff poise and why Seimone was named the WNBA Finals MVP that year.
4. Angel McCoughtry’s 35 vs. Storm (2010)
A year before the Lynx series, McCoughtry introduced herself to the WNBA Finals stage with 35 against the eventual champion Storm. Seattle threw layers of help at her, yet Angel kept Atlanta within range with slashes, putbacks, and foul-line trips. The Storm countered with balance and late game execution, but McCoughtry’s relentless attacking was the headline on night one. It foreshadowed how central she would be to every Dream punch over that two-year window. Even in defeat, it read like a star’s arrival. It’s a real shame that Angel never won a ring, she clearly deserved it.
5. A’ja Wilson wills the Aces with 34 vs. Mercury (2025)
Game 3 turned chaotic late when Phoenix erased a 17-point deficit, but Wilson steadied Las Vegas with a two-way stretch worthy of a four-time MVP. She finished with 34 points and 14 boards, repeatedly sealing deep for quick hitters and facing up when the help sat back. The last sequence said it all: the Aces trusted Wilson for the final look and she cashed the jumper for a 90-88 win and a 3-0 series lead. Beyond the points, her rim protection and glass work kept second-chance damage to a minimum. It was a Finals classic in the modern Aces era.
High-scoring WNBA Finals performances are never just about heat checks; they are about context, timing, and control. McCoughtry’s 2011 explosion nearly cracked an elite Lynx defense, but Augustus’ composure kept Minnesota answering. Stewart’s 2020 masterpiece set the tone for Seattle’s title run, changing how Las Vegas defended her for the rest of the series, while A’ja’s 34-point effort in 2025 was all about timing, arriving just as the Aces needed a closer. Each of these nights became the kind of game that opponents remember all offseason.
From McCoughtry’s transition bursts to Augustus’ midrange craft, Stewart’s three-level efficiency, and Wilson’s power-skill balance, these performances forced teams to pick a poison and then live with it. The Finals never blink, and when a player hits 35 or more under those lights, it is not just a stat but a legacy-defining moment.
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