Angel Reese Powers Dream to 2-0 Series Lead Over Liberty — SkimNews
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- Angel Reese scored a playoff career-high 23 points with seven rebounds and two blocks in Atlanta's overtime win over New York in Game 2, then sealed it by directing DeWanna Bonner to a backcourt inbound with 6.1 seconds left, running 1.8 seconds off the clock, drawing the sixth foul on rookie Marine Fauthoux, and hitting both free throws.
- The Atlanta Dream now lead the best-of-five WNBA semifinal 2-0 and sit one win from their first Finals trip since 2013, riding a nine-game winning streak as the only undefeated team remaining in the 2026 postseason.
- Reese led the WNBA in rebounding for the third straight year at 12.1 per game, won her first Defensive Player of the Year award, and helped Atlanta post the league's third-best defensive rating after being traded from Chicago in April following reported friction with the Sky.
- In these playoffs, Reese's defensive numbers are dominant — opponents shoot 37% (11-of-30) when she guards them and the Dream post a 91.9 defensive efficiency with her on the floor, the best mark among players with at least 35 minutes.
- Reese added a FIBA World Cup gold medal with USA Basketball last month, posting the fifth-best efficiency on a roster loaded with All-WNBA talent, and her +21.6 net efficiency this postseason leads all players (minimum 10 minutes).
- Coach Karl Smesko called Reese Atlanta's "emotional leader," while teammates Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada joined Reese as a four-player core where each averaged at least 15 points in the regular season.
Why it matters: If the Dream close out New York, Atlanta reaches the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, completing the arc from Chicago trade castoff to championship contender in a single season. Reese's Defensive Player of the Year-level impact — +21.6 net efficiency, 37% opponent shooting when she guards — gives Atlanta the best-player advantage of any team still standing in the 2026 bracket.
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