The WNBA’s regular season ended Tuesday night, and what a season it has been:

Lisa Leslie threw down the league’s first dunk. Seattle and Washington posted their first winning seasons and earned their first playoff berths. The league’s talent level and competitive balance rose, thanks to a strong rookie class. And because the talent is more evenly spread, some of the regular-season awards are tough to figure.

Only two of the awards should be locks, the most valuable player and rookie of the year. Houston’s Sheryl Swoopes deserves to be the WNBA’s most valuable player, more so than Los Angeles’ Leslie, Washington’s Chamique Holdsclaw and Indiana’s Tamika Catchings.

Swoopes made a spectacular return after missing the 2001 season because of a knee injury. She ranks first among players in minutes played, is third in scoring average and third in steals.

Swoopes was at her best in the showdowns against Los Angeles. Houston won the season series by winning two of three on the Sparks’ home floor. The first victory ended L.A.’s league-record 28-game home winning streak. The second made Houston the first team to beat L.A. twice at Staples Center.

Leslie, the reigning MVP, will lead the WNBA in total rebounds and double-doubles. She became the first WNBA player to score 3,000 points, and won her third All-Star MVP award in four games. But she had, by her standards, an up-and-down season. Her 16.7-point scoring average is eighth in the league and second best on the Sparks.

As for the top rookie, Catchings is the runaway choice. She also came back this season, after missing last year with a knee injury and was not only the best rookie, she was one of the best players, period.