Angel Reese was terrible in Game 4.
There is no sugarcoating it - she was terrible. After absolutely dominating the Golden State Valkyries in Games 2 and 3 of the WNBA Finals, Reese didn't have it in Game 4. The Valkyries sent waves of defenders at her, led by shot-blocking aficionado Kiah Stokes, and Reese was taken out of the game.
Her final statline: 8 points on 2-for-12 shooting, six turnovers, and a big fat loss to allow the Valkyries back into the series.
With all of that extra attention being shown Reese, her teammates should have had opportunities to take advantage. For as good as Reese has been throughout these Finals and indeed their entire playoff run, she is not the only reason Atlanta is here. The Dream have multiple other star players who should have been able to pick up the slack.
Angel Reese didn't get help from her teammates
That did not happen. Rhyne Howard, fresh off being announced as an All-WNBA Second Team member, got to 19 points on a mediocre 6-for-14 from the field and 2-for-8 from beyond the arc. She was the only member of the Dream to hit more than one 3-pointer, as Atlanta shot just 4-for-23 from beyond the arc (somehow better than Golden State's 4-for-25).
Jordin Canada has had multiple big games during these playoffs, but she was extremely quiet on Saturday. She had 10 points on eight shots and only four assists. The bench managed just 14 points altogether, and DeWanna Bonner in particular has not had enough in the tank to be an impact player, as she was against the New York Liberty in the semifinals.
Allisha Gray, clearly still struggling with an injury to her non-shooting hand, was once again ineffective. She scored only five points on 1-for-7 shooting and couldn't gain separation against a rotating Valkyries defense. She was Atlanta's leading scorer this season, the player who is supposed to carry the offense when things get stuck. She had been wholly unable to do so.
Instead, it has come down to Reese, and she was unable to deliver in Game 4. As Reese has gone, so have the Dream's chances of winning in this series. Big Reese performances delivered wins, and her duds led to losses.
Reese needs help, and she needs it fast
The Valkyries' offense is yet to wake up in this series, winning on the backs of a tenacious defense. If they start hitting their 3-pointers, the Dream cannot afford to be stuck in the mud on offense. Someone will need to step up.
Reese could be that person; head coach Karl Smesko can scheme up plays to get her the ball in motion, she can attack the glass to create point-blank putback attempts, and if she and her teammates can generate more turnovers, she is a monster in transition.
If the Valkyries succeed in swallowing her up again, however, they will be vulnerable - but only if someone else on the Dream can take advantage. Can Allisha Gray step up and hit shots? Can Rhyne Howard rediscover her 3-pointer? Does DeWanna Bonner have one more big game in her?
Angel Reese has been the best player in the WNBA Finals, by far. Even so, she cannot do it alone. If someone on the Dream doesn't step up and dominate on offense, this series might be slipping away.
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