Angel Reese wasn’t just good Saturday night, she was electric, dropping a career-high 31 points and slamming the door shut on the Phoenix Mercury with a pair of clutch free throws. That 99-89 win officially punched the Atlanta Dream’s ticket to the playoffs, making it their third straight victory. After making headlines for missing a potential game-winner last Sunday against the Indiana Fever, Reese responded with one of the best weeks of her career. Talk about bouncing back!
Reese’s West Coast Domination and a Piece of History
The Dream’s West Coast road trip has been nothing short of phenomenal thanks to Reese. In the first three games, she’s averaging a ridiculous 24 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 steals, all while shooting an insane 67.4% from the field. Atlanta went 3-0 in those games, including a massive win over the Aces, which shot them back into fourth place, leapfrogging the Fever. And get this: one game before her 31-point career night, Reese dropped 20 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, shooting a perfect 9 of 9 from the field. She just joined WNBA legends Nneka Ogwumike and Tamika Williams-Jeter as the only players ever to hit 100% from the field in a 20-point, 10-rebound outing. That’s serious company.
The Big Question: Can She Maintain This Efficiency?
Look, Reese has faced criticism this season for her shooting efficiency around the basket, and honestly, it’s fair. She’s only hitting 52.5% in the restricted area on a league-high 337 attempts. To put that in perspective, among the top 15 players with at least 150 attempts, nobody else is shooting below 60%. Yikes. BUT, she’s also hands down the best rebounder in the world and has made incredible strides as a defender. When she’s making her shots, like she did this week, she’s absolutely a top-10 player in the league. The proof is in the pudding: the Dream are 9-2 when Reese shoots 50% or better this season, compared to a 15-11 record when she’s below that mark.
The playoffs are right around the corner for Reese’s first postseason. The burning question for her and the Dream is whether she can keep this newfound efficiency rolling. If she can, Atlanta is going to be a nightmare matchup for anyone. The Minnesota Lynx are still rolling, having won six in a row and 16 of their last 17, giving them a five-game lead for the No. 1 seed. Olivia Miles is making a serious push for MVP and Rookie of the Year with her consistent 20-point, 7-assist nights during their streak. Meanwhile, the Valkyries hit a wall, dropping two games and seeing their six-game winning streak vanish. They couldn’t break 70 points in either loss, shooting a dismal combined 34%. It’s a wild league out there!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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