Angel Reese has 30 points, 16 rebounds as Dream even WNBA Finals vs. Val…

Angel Reese secured her place in the WNBA record books on Monday night, scoring 30 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Dream to a 79-65 victory over the Golden State Valkyries in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. The win evens the best-of-seven series at one game apiece as it shifts to Atlanta, giving the franchise its first-ever finals win after going winless across three previous trips totaling 0-10 overall, according to The Guardian.

Reese's historic stat line, which included four offensive rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks, makes her just the third player in WNBA history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game, joining Jonquel Jones for Connecticut in 2019 and Breanna Stewart for Seattle in 2020, as reported by The Guardian and Yahoo Sports. She is also the youngest player to accomplish either, according to Yahoo Sports.

The performance offered a sharp course correction after Reese managed only 14 points in a 68-64 Game 1 loss, during which she went scoreless in the second half. For me, I think I let my team down last game not really contributing as much as I could in the second half, Reese said via The Guardian. Not even just about scoring, my screen quality, me hustling and running to get rebounds, just doing the things that they know me to do.

Historic Numbers and Physical Play at Chase Center

Reese's dominance on Monday night was built on relentless paint presence, drives, dump-offs, putbacks, and pick-and-roll execution in front of a boisterous Chase Center crowd of 18,064, as detailed by Yahoo Sports and The Guardian. Her screen quality showed a massive statistical jump, rising from connecting on 44.4% of her on-ball screens in Game 1 to 74.2% in Game 2, while the Atlanta team screen percentage climbed to 68.6%, per Yahoo Sports.

The Dream capitalized on defensive intensity, turning 19 Golden State turnovers into 24 points, a stark contrast to scoring just eight points off turnovers in the opener, according to The Guardian. Rhyne Howard set a WNBA Finals record with six steals, Allisha Gray added 18 points, and Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds, per The Guardian. For Golden State, Gabby Williams finished with 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting after scoring 26 in Game 1, while the Valkyries shot 34.4% from the field and 7 for 24 from three-point range, according to The Guardian. We shot terribly, point guard Veronica Burton said via The Guardian. We missed shots that we make all the time.

Third-Quarter Frustration and Social Media Backlash

Despite her statistical dominance, Reese drew heavy criticism on social media during the third quarter after an emotional outburst on the court, as reported by The Daily Mail. Seeking the ball while tightly guarded and in no position to advance the attack, Reese was caught by television cameras stomping her feet, waving her arms wildly, and storming away from her position in disgust after her teammates did not pass to her, leaving her out of position for a subsequent rebound.

National Anthem Protest and Sneaker Release

Players walked toward the locker room minutes before the performance and returned to the court seconds after it ended, repeating an identical walk-off from Game 1, according to The Daily Mail. While WNBA rules require players to stand and line up for the anthem, the Dream have a history of protesting the anthem dating back to 2020, when the team issued statements citing a lack of freedom, justice, and liberty for all Americans, though no players from the 2020 roster remain on the current team, per The Daily Mail. The WNBA was contacted for comment regarding potential punishments, according to The Daily Mail.

Off the court, Reese's commercial profile continues to grow alongside her on-court success. Reebok and REESE'S candy are collaborating to release a one-of-a-kind personal shoe designed with REESE'S PIECES branding, featuring brown, yellow, and orange colorways, an A for Angel shaped like the REESE'S R on the tongue, and candy splatter details, set to launch on Wednesday ahead of Game 3 and 10 days before Halloween, according to Yahoo Sports.

Shifting Momentum Heading to Atlanta

The series now pivots to Georgia with the Dream holding home-court advantage after securing the crucial road split, leaving the Valkyries searching for better ball control after matching a season high with 18 turnovers, as noted by Yahoo Sports. Valkyries center Kiah Stokes acknowledged the defensive lapses that allowed Atlanta's frontcourt to dictate the contest. We let everyone kind of have their way, Stokes said via The Guardian.

Reese issued a direct call to action for local supporters ahead of Wednesday's matchup at State Farm Arena. Atlanta, y’all better pull up and pop out, I’m looking forward to it, Reese said via The Guardian.