Angel Reese, fresh off her Defensive Player of the Year crown, didn’t waste any time showing why she deserved it, tying an Atlanta Dream franchise record in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals. The Dream are absolutely motoring through the postseason, snagging another double-digit win against the New York Liberty. This 92-82 victory puts them up 1-0 in the best-of-five series and pushes Atlanta to within two wins of their first WNBA Finals berth in 13 years. That’s a long wait, and they are hungry!
Reese’s Defensive Domination Is Unstoppable
Listen, Reese isn’t just “good” on defense, she’s a full-on force of nature. In Game 1 against New York, she dropped an insane stat line: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks on 6-10 shooting from the field. Those 4 steals and 3 blocks? That’s 7 “stocks,” and it tied the Dream’s franchise record for most stocks in a playoff game! This wasn’t some fluke, either. It was the eighth time *this season* she recorded at least five stocks in a single game, proving her dominance for what was the league’s No. 2 unit during the regular season. Her defensive rating of 92 on Sunday was the lowest of any player on *either team*. You simply cannot get around her when she’s locked in, and she’s been locked in all season.
Dream Fighting Through Injuries and Dominating
What makes this Game 1 win even crazier is that the Dream pulled it off with their All-Star Allisha Gray out injured. Seriously, that’s massive. But the team found enough scoring power with Jordin Canada exploding for 25 points and DeWanna Bonner adding another 23, combining for a whopping 48 points between them. And, of course, the Reese-led defense did the rest, shutting down the Liberty’s big guns like Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. The Dream were trailing at halftime, but they flipped the switch and absolutely dominated the second half to seal that double-digit W. It’s a huge statement to win like that when you’re missing a key player.
Game 2 is coming up fast on Wednesday. The big question is whether the Dream can repeat this incredible formula. But one thing is absolutely for sure: the defensive intensity that Angel Reese brings every single game? That’s totally sustainable. Get ready for more fireworks, because the Dream are coming for that Finals spot, and Reese is leading the charge!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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