Kiah Stokes was the defensive MVP in the Las Vegas Aces series against A'ja Wilson. However, her matchup against Angel Reese in the WNBA Finals might be her toughest challenge to date.
Throughout the regular season, Stokes played limited minutes, averaging 22.3 minutes per game. In the postseason, her minutes increased to 28.6 minutes per game.
It's clear Natalie Nakase was saving the three-time WNBA Champion for the most important games, and she's paid dividends, neutralizing Jessica Shepard in the first round and Wilson in the semifinal round.
Wilson averaged a career-high 27.5 points in the playoffs. However, against Stokes and the Golden State Valkyries, she averaged 23 points per game. In fact, according to Nekias Duncan, Shepard, Wilson and Reese shot 15-for-48 when Stokes was the primary defender. Stokes blocked 12 shots compared to the trio's 15 made.
That stat shows how incredible a defensive playoff performance Stokes is having, but after Game 2 and after Reese's historic WNBA Finals performance, it's clear she needs to be more inventive in stopping Reese.
The Dream are using the Valkyries defensive tendencies against them
Reese dominated Game 2 of the WNBA Finals with a 30-point performance. However, much of that production came against other Valkyries defenders.
According to Duncan, through two games, Reese was 2-for-9 from the floor when Stokes was her primary defender, and she was 13-for-18 when guarded by anyone else. It's clear Stokes isn't the issue, and the 33-year-old pointed out what Reese did well in Game 2.
"She does a great job of taking advantage of mismatches, so I was just trying to stay with her when she started to get going, but she just has a great motor. She works really hard, which makes it difficult not to foul her," Stokes told reporters at the postgame press conference.
The Valkyries tend to switch constantly and try to create as much defensive pressure as possible. Atlanta took advantage of that and used ball screens to create mismatches for Reese, whose offensive game has grown this season. The Defensive Player of the Year can take the ball up in transition, or she can be a key facilitator in the dribble handoff game.
Atlanta is putting the pressure back on Golden State to communicate well and stay on their player. The Dream won that battle in Game 2. However, it wasn't surprising to hear Nakase take a cool and calm approach, understanding that it can be cleaned up for Game 3.
A new opponent presents a quicker need to adjust
It does highlight how Reese is a different kind of player than Wilson. Reese is constantly working the boards and trying to catch a defense off guard. Her offensive rebounding was ridiculed by trolls, but they are a real weapon to continue a possession and tire out a defense; Reese had a game-high four offensive rebounds.
There's also a familiarity factor, or lack thereof. Something that was highlighted in the Aces series was that Stokes was uniquely equipped to guard Wilson. Stokes was in Las Vegas for four seasons, including three championship runs. Of course, Nakase was a former assistant for Becky Hammon, so if there was a duo who could figure out how to stop the Aces, it was Stokes and Nakase.
This version of the Dream is a much different opponent than the one Golden State swept in the regular season. Stokes has been great as Reese's primary defender, but Karl Smesko has done well to enable Reese to find her shot against other defenders.
Nakase needs to rethink her defensive scheme to keep Stokes on Reese. Stokes also could do more to try to take Reese, who had five fouls in Game 2, out of the game. Zero shot attempts might not do it, and her nine points in Game 1 were impactful in the Valkyries' win.
While the media narrative might pit Reese against Gabby Williams, the Reese-Stokes matchup might be what really decides the WNBA Finals.
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