Angel Reese, Angel Reese, Angel Reese: she just had herself a ball game.
Reese proved unstoppable in game two of the WNBA Finals, racking up 30 points and 15 rebounds to help propel the Atlanta Dream to a 79-65 win over the Golden State Valkyries. That's the kind of win that can't be taken away from you; the Dream were playing in Ballhalla, the heart of Valkyries Nation. They were surrounded by lavender and fans who wanted them to lose (and to lose badly).
And yet: here we are. We're now two games into a series that's now tied 1-1, and both teams head to Atlanta this week.
Much has been and will continue to be written about Reese's performance tonight, tomorrow, and this week. That's all justified, and she deserves every accolade. More than a lot of players in the WNBA, Reese has been the subject of skepticism, caustic conversation, and flat-out rude commentary. She's proven herself time and time again, and has been on an especially magnificent tear during the playoffs.
But there's even more to celebrate tonight. In winning this game, this year's Dream roster has done something no other has done ever, not a single time, not at all in franchise history: they've won a game in the WNBA Finals. The last time Atlanta played a WNBA Finals game was in 2013, when they had an entirely different team from the top down, and when they were swept by the Minnesota Lynx.
In fact, those 2013 games weren't even close. Minnesota, who had rounded out the season with the best record in the league for the third consecutive season, boasted one of the team's more formidable rosters. The team brought Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, and Rebekkah Brunson to the games, which they won 84-59, 88-63, and 86-77.
There's no telling what will happen in this series, in 2026. But the Dream will have the advantage when they return to Atlanta to play the third and fourth games in the series. Those matches will be hosted at State Farm Arena, which can seat around 17,000 fans each night. Nothing will be handed to the Dream, but this is a team that's already shown they know how to overcome all things difficult. If the Dream can play as seamlessly as they did tonight, the Valkyries could find themselves returning back to San Francisco in a difficult spot.
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