The Atlanta Dream are one game away from their championship dreams being crushed at the hands of the Golden State Valkyries. Natalie Nakase has created a defensive blueprint that has limited Angel Reese's dominance, and now Atlanta seems out of ideas. It's now or never for Karl Smesko. He must be brave and go deeper into his rotation -- something the head coach has refused to do during the postseason.
Throughout the WNBA Finals, Smesko has relied primarily on a six-player rotation against Golden State, with Te-Hina Paopao and Madina Okot getting minutes when possible. It was hard to argue with this plan when Angel Reese single-handedly silenced the Ballhalla crowd. However, now that the Valkyries have turned this series on its head, Smesko must rethink his approach.
Natalie Nakase has designated Kiah Stokes as the player to contain Reese's production, and it is now working to perfection. During Golden State's Game 5 victory over Atlanta, Stokes continued to limit her superstar opponent's paint presence while also putting on an offensive show of her own. With 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks to her name, Stokes has become a frustrating thorn in the Dream's side.
Atlanta has the tools to swing this series back in their favour, but the question is: will Smesko deviate from his tunnel-visioned approach?
Okot and Paopao can add a new dynamic to Atlanta's lineup
As the WNBA Finals progresses, it's become clear that the Atlanta Dream have become too reliant on Angel Reese's dominance and haven't created a tangible contingency plan in case things turn sour -- which they have. The Dream scored just 55 points against the Valkyries in Game 5, with Reese putting up just 7.
In the Game 5 postgame press conference, Karl Smesko denied that his players were fatigued despite heavily utilising the same players. Smesko told reporters, “I don't think we're tired. I think, I mean, we're playing hard. We're playing defensively. We're playing very well."
Whether his players are being overworked or not, Golden State has Atlanta's number, and Angel Reese needs help. Madina Okot was on the floor for just 56 seconds in Game 5. The South Carolina alum could be the perfect answer for Reese's struggles against Stokes. Playing two bigs together would draw defensive attention away from Angel in the paint, giving her more room to attack the basket while also creating opportunities to space the floor and attempt more shots from deep.
Alternatively, Karl Smesko could turn to a small-ball lineup, placing Te-Hina Paopao alongside Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada, Alisha Gray, and, of course, Angel Reese. The offensive focus would be obvious and slightly risky. This team would have to live and die by the three. Floor spacing would be crucial, but Paopao is no stranger to hitting shots in big moments. This wouldn't solve Reese's Kiah Stokes issues; however, Atlanta would have more scoring options on the floor.
Karl Smesko has to go deeper into his rotation for longer minutes in Game 6. The Golden State Valkyries have found an effective defensive plan that shows no sign of faltering. Natalie Nakase made positive adjustments; now the Atlanta Dream head coach must do the same. Smesko has to give the Valkyries a new set of challenges to overcome.
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