Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream swept Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and the New York Liberty in the WNBA semifinals earlier this month.
On Monday, Reese joined Stewart and Jones in the record book while leading the Dream to a win that leveled the WNBA Finals.
The WNBA’s Defensive Player of the Year poured in 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Dream silenced the Golden State Valkyries and their big crowd with a 79-65 thumping on Monday in San Francisco to even the WNBA Finals at a game apiece.
The scene in the best-of-seven series now shifts to Atlanta, where Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon.
Reese logged just the third 30/15 game in WNBA Finals history. Jones in 2019 (Connecticut) and Stewart in 2020 (Seattle) had the other two.
Reese, 24, also set a WNBA postseason record as the youngest player to produce at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a game. The only others who did it at any age, besides Stewart and Jones, were A’ja Wilson, Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie.
The significance of the numbers were news to Reese. All she knew was a message she received from the Liberty duo as their seasons ended in the semifinals.
“It’s funny,” she said. “Those two told me to go get it. They told me to keep going and push it through after that last game. Shout out to them, but I’m going to do what it takes to win.”
The Dream, who overcame foul trouble to take a 39-37 halftime lead, tightened the clamps on Golden State during a 13-minute stretch of the second half bridging the third and fourth quarters, holding the hosts to a total eight points while increasing their advantage to 69-48.
After Veronica Burton gave the Valkyries a 40-39 lead on a 3-pointer in the first minute of the third quarter, the Dream took control of the game at both ends. Reese produced nine of her 30 points in the 30-8 blitz, while Jordin Canada banked in a buzzer-beating 32-footer at the end of the third period as part of her seven-point contribution to the spree.
Meanwhile, the Valkyries, who had won the series opener 68-64 at home on Saturday, missed 16 of 20 shots and mixed in nine turnovers during their cold spell. DeWanna Bonner had four steals in the run-away.
Dream guard Allisha Gray was asked afterward: What happened?
“Angel Reese,” she said. “She just came out on a mission tonight.”
In the end, the Valkyries totaled 19 turnovers that became 24 Dream points. Foul-plagued Rhyne Howard contributed a WNBA Finals-record six steals to the suffocating defensive effort.
“We were too loose with the ball,” Burton said. “Turnovers dictated the entire game. (Forcing turnovers is) what they’re known for, and we’re known for the opposite (limiting turnovers).”
Canada also posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists, while teammate Allisha Gray chipped in 18 points.
“I’m proud of our response,” Gray boasted. “We came out on a mission to leave ‘Balhalla’ (the Valkyries’ home arena) with one win. Now we’re going back to Atlanta.”
For Golden State, Gabby Williams followed up her 26-point performance in Game 1 with just 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting.
Tiffany Hayes also scored 14 for the Valkyries, while Burton added 11 points. Kiah Stokes went scoreless but grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots, joining Brittney Griner (2014 Phoenix) as the only players ever to have back-to-back four-block games in the WNBA Finals.
–Field Level Media
