Angel Reese said she was not aggressive enough in Game 1. Then she went out Monday night and put 30 points and 16 rebounds on Golden State, and Atlanta finally won a Finals game.
The Dream beat the Valkyries 79-65 at Chase Center to even the WNBA Finals at one game apiece. Reese shot 10 of 16 with three assists, two blocks and a steal, after going scoreless in the second half of Game 1.
She is just the third player in league history with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game, joining Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. At 24, she is also the youngest player ever with a 20-point, 10-rebound Finals game. Atlanta came in 0-10 all time in Finals games. That is over.
She talked like it, too. In the first quarter, Valkyries center Aminata Gueye fouled her and had something to say at the line. Reese sank the first free throw and sent it right back:
You can’t f**k with me, bum a**.
Then she sank the second one, and on the next trip down she blocked Gueye’s shot. Later she finished through contact for an and-one and screamed at her own team to give her the ball. They did.
Allisha Gray added 18 points. Asked what made the difference, she needed two words:
Angel Reese.
Reese kept it just as simple: “We came and fought. That Game 1 was tough for us, but we moved on and turned the page and got back to who we are.”
Game 3 is Wednesday night in Atlanta at State Farm Arena. Reese already sent the invite: “Atlanta, y’all better pull up and pop out.”