After the Dream failed to seize an opportunity to take a 3-1 lead in the WNBA Finals, Angel Reese faces the toughest challenge of her young WNBA career. She has to bounce back from a frustrating 2-of-12 shooting performance against a Golden State Valkyries defense that finally looked like it had figured out how to slow her down.
Reese already bounced back from a disappointing second half after the Dream’s Game 1 loss, but the stakes are much higher this time around. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played in a best-of-seven series after the first two games. If they do not win Game 5 on the road in Ballhalla, the Dream will start to run out of opportunities to beat the Valkyries—and beating them will be especially difficult if Reese is not playing well.
It’s a lot to ask from a third-year player in her first playoff run, but Reese’s ability to bounce back from Game 4 and play at least two more dominant games could decide the Dream’s championship fate.
Reese is the key to the Dream’s success, but others need to step up as well
Reese is the Dream’s energizer, defensive anchor, and strongest inside presence. A lot of the team’s success rests on her shoulders, and it will be difficult to win this series if she’s not playing well. However, it will also be tough to win a title if she’s the only one playing well.
Reese was not alone with her Game 4 struggles. Shots weren’t falling for anyone other than Rhyne Howard, Isobel Borlase, and Naz Hillmon, and even they combined to shoot 3-of-11 from behind the arc.
Allisha Gray and DeWanna Bonner, especially, need to be more productive. They combined to score just nine points on 2-for-12 shooting from the field, and Gray went to the locker room late in the game, seemingly dealing with the same hand injury that cost her most of the semifinals.
Gray is not currently listed on the Dream’s injury report, which is a good sign. If she can knock down some more shots and put pressure on the rim, Atlanta is a much different team. It will also make it more difficult for the Valkyries to swarm Reese in the paint if the guards can cash in on 3-pointers.
The Dream have done a good job limiting the Valkyries’ offense, holding them to just 34.3% shooting from the field over the first four games. But that doesn’t do much good if their best scorers—Reese, Howard, and Gray—can’t find their offensive rhythm at the same time.
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