Just 48 hours after a devastating defeat, the Atlanta Dream completely flipped the script. The Dream opened their first WNBA Finals since 2013 with a 68-64 loss, as Angel Reese went scoreless in the second half of Game 1, Jordin Canada was limited to just 8 points, and veteran DeWanna Bonner finished with only two. However, on Monday, Reese made it clear she was ready to make up for her shortcomings from the series opener, as the 24-year-old broke a record Atlanta has been trying to move past since 2010.
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In a Chase Center packed with star power, including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Yaxel Lendeborg, the Dream forward helped lead Atlanta to a 79-65 win to even the Finals series at 1-1. From Reese’s historic night to an ongoing national anthem controversy, Game 2 delivered plenty of talking points. So, as the WNBA Finals move forward, here are some takeaways from the Dream’s statement win over Golden State.
Angel Reese Makes History as Dream Snap 10-Game Finals Losing Streak
If there was one player who stood out the most on Monday night, it was Angel Reese. She was simply electric.
In 34 minutes on the court, Reese exploded for 30 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks to help the Atlanta Dream secure a 14-point win over the Golden State Valkyries. The Dream forward came out determined to make amends, and she wasted little time making her presence felt.
Reese had already put up 12 points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes of play, giving Atlanta the early spark it desperately needed after its disappointing series opener. During a halftime interview, she made it clear that she was not satisfied with her previous performance, saying, “I left a lot of points on the board last time, so I gotta make up for it.”
And she delivered on that promise, even with Kiah Stokes bringing the heat defensively and making life difficult for her. She continued to find ways to contribute, powering Atlanta to a much-needed victory and helping the franchise put an end to a painful Finals streak.
Atlanta first reached the championship series in 2010, where the team faced the Seattle Storm but lost all three games. Then, the Dream returned the following year hoping to change their fortunes, only to suffer another sweep, this time against the Minnesota Lynx. Their third trip to the Finals came in 2013, and Minnesota once again denied them a championship, completing another 3-0 series win. So after dropping Game 1 of the ongoing Finals, Atlanta’s losing streak in the championship series reached 10 consecutive games. But this win finally helped Atlanta break free from a Finals curse that had followed the franchise for years.
Now, with a performance like that, Angel Reese also made history as the youngest player in WNBA history to record a game with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Finals, according to ESPN reporter Kareem Copeland. However, the night wasn’t without its fair share of trouble for the young star.
