The WNBA Finals is officially tied 1-1, but the real story is Angel Reese absolutely owning Game 2 with a monster 30 points and 16 rebounds to snatch a 79-65 upset win for the Atlanta Dream on Monday. This series was already heating up, but Reese just poured gasoline on the fire.
Reese Delivers on Her Promise, Making History Along the Way
After Game 1, where the Dream All-Star and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year went scoreless in the second half, Reese said she would be more “assertive.” Assertive, indeed! She backed that talk up with a performance for the ages, shooting 10-for-16 from the field, adding three assists and two blocks to her stat line. It was pure domination, the kind of performance that shifts a series and makes everyone take notice. Seriously, she became only the third player ever to drop at least 30 points and grab 15 rebounds in a WNBA Finals game, joining legends like Jonquel Jones (2019) and Breanna Stewart (2020). Reese can rub some people the wrong way, but you can’t deny she is a fantastic player when she gets going like that.
Dream Snag Home Court, Navigate Arena Chaos
Talk about logistical headaches, the Dream have been dealing with some serious arena juggling, but it hasn’t slowed them down. They’re usually at the much smaller Gateway Center Arena at College Park, which is pretty much a practice gym with only 3,500 seats. But thanks to the WNBA’s rising popularity, they’ve been using State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Hawks, for bigger games. They played six regular-season games there and all three home playoff games, and get this: they’re undefeated, going 3-0 at State Farm.
Game 3 was initially set for Thursday, but it got moved up to Wednesday because some “Sombr concert” booked the arena. Who even is Sombr? Honestly, I don’t know, but thankfully the WNBA pulled some strings to move the game with little issue, avoiding a clash with Patriots-Bears on Thursday Night Football. Game 4 on Saturday also got bumped up from 3:30 ET to 1 ET to fit before the Hawks host the Rockets. Despite all that, Atlanta is still a 2.5-point home favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook for Game 3, with the Over/Under at 151.5 points. Heavy action is coming in on the Under. The Dream are also -135 on the series line, with the Valkyries at +115, and Atlanta in six is the +300 leader. It’s wild to think the Dream will play full-time at State Farm Arena starting in 2027.
What’s Next: Game 3 and a Shot at History
Now, with the series tied 1-1, Game 3 is set to be huge. The Dream gets to host the Golden State Valkyries at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on Wednesday at 8 ET on NBC. Both teams are fighting for their first WNBA championship, so every single possession is going to matter. After Reese’s monster performance, you know the Valkyries are going to be out for revenge, but the Dream are clearly feeling good at their temporary big-league home. This is going to be a battle, pure and simple.
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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