Yolanda Griffith
Rocky Widner
WNBAE/Getty Images
Which players step up their performances from the regular season to the WNBA Playoffs?

Quantifying statistics to find the answer is an inexact science, especially considering the small number of playoff games played for many of these players.

But, WNBA.com compiled the scoring averages for every player with postseason experience in the 2003 WNBA Playoffs to determine which players had the best and worst scoring differentials between their regular and postseason career scoring averages.

Not surprisingly, 2002 WNBA Finals MVP Lisa Leslie ranked high with a scoring differential of +2.6 and Sacramento's Yolanda Griffith also stands near the top of the list with a +3.0 differential in seven postseason games.

All statistics entering 2003 WNBA Playoffs; due to the rounding of scoring averages to one decimal place, differentials listed might apear to be off by one-tenth of a point for some players.

(L-R: Regular Season Games Played, Regular Season Points Per Game, Playoff Games Played, Playoff Points Per Game, Scoring Differential)

THE RANKINGS
RANK
PLAYER
REG. SEAS. GP
REG. SEAS. PPG
PLAY. GP
PLAY. PPG
DIFF.
1
Rebecca Lobo (CON)
121
6.7
2
12.5
5.8
2
144
16.3
7
19.3
3.0
3
184
11.0
8
13.6
2.6
4
Lisa Leslie (LAS)
205
17.6
21
20.1
2.5
5
143
12.1
3
14.3
2.3
6
218
10.0
12
12.2
2.2
7
Dawn Staley (CHA)
162
9.2
14
11.4
2.1
8
Rushia Brown (CHA)
210
5.9
12
7.8
1.9
9
216
13.4
9
15.2
1.8
10
100
1.7
5
3.4
1.7
RANK
PLAYER
REG. SEAS. GP
REG. SEAS. PPG
PLAY. GP
PLAY. PPG
DIFF.
11
162
10.0
8
11.3
1.2
12
181
5.6
5
6.8
1.2
13
151
5.6
14
6.8
1.1
14
124
3.4
6
4.5
1.1
15
159
11.3
21
12.0
0.7
16
Mwadi Mabika (LAS)
206
11.6
21
12.3
0.6
17
98
5.0
9
5.7
0.6
18
Ruth Riley (DET)
92
7.5
3
8.0
0.5
19
Ukari Figgs (HOU)
151
6.5
12
6.8
0.3
20
Debbie Black (CON)
162
4.3
3
4.7
0.3
RANK
PLAYER
REG. SEAS. GP
REG. SEAS. PPG
PLAY. GP
PLAY. PPG
DIFF.
21
220
14.2
17
14.5
0.3
22
123
4.5
11
4.4
-0.2
23
189
11.5
8
11.3
-0.2
24
66
6.7
3
6.3
-0.3
25
173
6.7
8
6.4
-0.3
26
201
11.5
20
10.9
-0.6
27
138
8.6
1
8.0
-0.6
28
142
4.1
12
3.3
-0.8
29
125
2.3
16
1.4
-0.8
30
66
9.0
6
8.2
-0.9
RANK
PLAYER
REG. SEAS. GP
REG. SEAS. PPG
PLAY. GP
PLAY. PPG
DIFF.
31
146
7.1
1
6.0
-1.1
32
84
2.2
2
1.0
-1.2
33
Wendy Palmer (CON)
205
11.3
1
10.0
-1.3
34
164
17.2
22
15.8
-1.4
35
95
9.1
10
7.5
-1.6
36
148
3.1
6
1.0
-2.1
37
115
3.6
5
1.4
-2.2
38
Sheri Sam (MIN)
161
12.7
3
10.3
-2.3
39
220
10.5
24
8.0
-2.5
40
157
11.1
9
8.6
-2.5
RANK
PLAYER
REG. SEAS. GP
REG. SEAS. PPG
PLAY. GP
PLAY. PPG
DIFF.
41
Lady Grooms (SAC)
217
4.9
8
2.3
-2.7
42
69
2.9
2
0.0
-2.9
43
206
15.4
24
12.5
-3.0
44
162
14.1
3
11.0
-3.1
45
165
9.3
18
6.0
-3.3
46
111
9.2
5
5.6
-3.6
47
Penny Taylor (CLE)
96
10.6
3
7.0
-3.6
48
Kelly Miller (CHA)
92
4.9
4
1.3
-3.7
49
106
7.7
9
3.8
-3.9
50
207
10.7
14
5.4
-5.4
51
155
13.2
3
6.0
-7.2