JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- There may be little left to prove for the Houston Comets other than to add to the credentials of the WNBA's first dynasty.

	Sheryl Swoopes ranked thrid in the WNBA in '99 with an 18.3 scoring average.

The Comets have captured all three WNBA titles with a mixture of a fluid offense and a relentless defense that few teams have been able to control.

Things were much tougher a season ago for Houston when inspirational point guard Kim Perrot was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to her brain. She died on August 19 at age 32, just a few weeks before the Comets clinched their threepeat.

With a wave of emotion generated by the fans and the city, the Comets made their charge. They rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Sparks in the West Finals and defeated the New York Liberty for the title, overcoming a last-second, 50-foot bank shot by Teresa Weatherspoon of the Liberty that won Game 2.

Houston still has some goals. The Comets can become the first pro basketball team in America to win four titles in a row since the NBA's Boston Celtics won eight straight from 1959-66.

Leading the way is three-time All-WNBA first-teamer Cynthia Cooper, who turned 37 last month. Despite seeing her reign as two-time MVP snapped last season, the 5-10 guard remains among the league elite. She averaged 22.1 points last season and has scored in double figures all 102 games she has played, including 37 last season.

Sheryl Swoopes has established herself as the game's best small forward and averaged 18.3 points to make first-team all league for a second straight season. Tina Thompson is the last of the "Big Three" as she has the aggressiveness of a power forward and a deadly 3-point shot. Thompson was named second-team All-WNBA last year after making first team the previous two seasons.

Polina Tzekova, 32, did not enjoy a spectacular season at center, but did what she had to with the attention not focused on her. Forward Tammy Jackson, 37, gives Houston a lift off the bench, and center Monica Lamb, 35, returns from an eye injury that kept her out of 29 games last season.

Of those contesting for second place, the Sparks have a shot of returning to the conference finals. They were the league's most disappointing team the first two seasons before finally pulling together and making postseason for the first time last year.

Center Lisa Leslie proved she could come through in big games, but must continue to do so on a consistent basis. She averaged 15.6 points per contest and was named second-team All-WNBA for the second time.

The Sparks lost dynamic shooter Gordana Grubin in the expansion draft, but still possess a pair of deadly weapons in Mwadi Mabika and Tamecka Dixon. Mabika averaged in double figures (10.8 ppg) for the first time, as a pro and Dixon's all-around solid play makes her one of the rising stars.

Reigning MVP Yolanda Griffith leads the Sacramento Monarchs. The 6-3 forward averaged 18.8 points and carried the Monarchs into the playoffs for the first time. It was a short postseason trip, however, as Sacramento lost its last four games of the season -- including a playoff exit to Los Angeles -- as Griffith was sidelined with torn cartilage in her right knee. She has showed no lingering effects of the injury while training with the Olympic team and is ready to go this year.

Ruthie Bolton-Holifield averaged 13.6 points last year after returning from a torn ACL, and backcourt mate Ticha Penicheiro is the league's most exciting point guard. Kedra Holland-Corn was the third scorer in double figures (11.8 ppg) as she and rookie Stacy Clinesmith of UC Santa Barbara give a boost in the backcourt.

The Minnesota Lynx surprised many when they finished 15-17 in their inaugural season, just missing the postseason by four games. But their top two scores -- Brandy Reed and Tonya Edwards -- were traded to the Phoenix Mercury.

Katie Smith and Kristin Folkl lead a formidable frontcourt as each returned last season from ACL tears. Smith averaged 11.7 points last season and Folkl shot 48 percent.

Veteran center Andrea Lloyd-Curry will be joined by standout rookies Maylana Martin and Keitha Dickerson for the Lynx, who shot a league-worst 39 percent from the floor last season.

Much of the attention in Minnesota's backcourt will be on its rookies. Grace Daley, Betty Lennox -- the fifth and sixth picks in the draft, respectively -- and Marla Brumfield are coming off outstanding collegiate careers.

Phoenix was the West's most disappointing club, starting at 3-10 and finishing 15-17 one year after making the WNBA Finals. The Mercury can attribute some of their failures to the road, where they were 3-13 last season and have a losing mark each of the last three campaigns.

But getting Reed and Edwards gives Phoenix an immediate boost in its charge to advance to the playoffs for a third time. Reed is an explosive forward who returns to the Mercury after one year away. Edwards is a physical guard, but needs to improve on her 36 percent shooting from a season ago.

Both of those players were brought in to be the No. 2 scorers behind center Jennifer Gillom, who averaged 15.8 points last season but proved she can not carry the team herself. Michelle Griffiths is returning from maternity leave and Maria Stepanova will also help out up front.

The Utah Starzz dealt two first-round picks to Detroit to obtain Jennifer Azzi, the quality guard they have been searching for since day one. But the only original WNBA club not to make the playoffs was dealt a crushing blow when Azzi suffered a broken hand in a preseason contest and is out until July.

	WNBA DATES TO REMEMBER
	May 29: Regular season opens
	July 17: All-Star Game (Phoenix)
	Aug. 9: Regular-season finales
	Aug. 11: Playoffs begin

The Starzz do return Adrienne Goodson and Korie Hlede to their backcourt and add standout rookie point guard Stacy Frese.

Goodson averaged 14.9 points last season after scoring just under 18.0 per contest in three years with the ABL, and Hlede did a solid job after being acquired from Detroit at the trading deadline.

But Utah does return its most valuable player in forward Natalie Williams, who made a smooth transition from the defunct ABL where she was the 1998 MVP. Williams provides instant offense and will receive help from Margo Dydek, who averaged 12.6 points last season after she was the No. 1 overall pick.

The expansion Portland Fire feature two exciting rookie forwards. Lynn Pride did almost everything for Kansas, averaging 17.4 points per game, and Stacey Thomas (14.5 ppg) blossomed to lead Michigan into the NCAA Tournament.

Sophia Witherspoon endured a disappointing season last year with the New York Liberty, but she averaged 14.1 points in the two previous seasons and hopes 1999 was just a fluke. Michelle Marciniak looks to regain past glory after undergoing surgery two years ago to remove a lump from her breast and Jamila Wideman hopes she can finally make an impact.

The Seattle Storm selected 6-4 center Kamila Vodichkova, who averaged 15.8 points last season in the Czech Republic. But she is the only major option up front in what could be a very long season in the Pacific Northwest.

Guard Edna Campbell was left unprotected by the Mercury after she failed to develop into the quality No. 2 scorer as expected. She did average 9.6 points last season and is joined by Charisse Sampson -- who has not played since 1997 -- and Robin Threatt, who has caught the eye of coach Lin Dunn.