The Atlanta Dream just clinched their first playoff series win since 2018, sweeping the Washington Mystics in a chippy, combative two-game series. But right after the final buzzer of their 93-75 Game 2 victory on Wednesday night, Angel Reese got a very public lesson in how to carry yourself from veteran DeWanna Bonner.
The Sweep, The Scraps, And That Goodbye
The Dream had to dig deep against the young Mystics squad, who battled throughout the best-of-three series. It wasn’t an easy ride, and Atlanta definitely felt like they were getting the short end of the stick sometimes. The team was “particularly aggrieved” with the officiating on Wednesday night. All-Star Rhyne Howard even fouled out midway through the fourth quarter on what was called a “highly-questionable” offensive foul. So, yeah, tension was high.
As the clock wound down on Game 2, and Atlanta secured their spot, Angel Reese and Allisha Gray decided to deliver one final taunt. They literally waved “goodbye” to D.C. and CareFirst Arena, rubbing in the playoff series win.
DeWanna Bonner’s Championship-Level Intervention
That’s when 39-year-old DeWanna Bonner stepped in. Bonner, who only joined the Dream a month ago as a free agent after securing a buyout from the Phoenix Mercury, physically lowered both Reese’s and Gray’s hands as the buzzer sounded. Talk about a veteran move.
Bonner didn’t pick the Dream by accident. She saw the Gray-Howard-Reese core as good enough to lead a championship charge. And she knows a thing or two about championship charges, with two WNBA titles under her belt and four WNBA Finals appearances. Bonner understands there’s a “right way to win,” and that means respecting your opponent and always keeping the main thing, the main thing. With the relief of that first playoff series win since 2018 out of the way, Bonner was immediately keen to get her less-experienced teammates focused. The next battle? The New York Liberty in the semifinals. No time for waving goodbye, it’s time to shift gears.
The Dream are heading to the semifinals against the New York Liberty, and with Bonner’s leadership, this young core just got a masterclass on what it takes to go all the way. You gotta respect the grind, but you also gotta respect the game. It’s on to the next one, and you know Bonner won’t let them lose sight of the ultimate prize.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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