Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are running out of time to save their season.
The Dream fell 64-55 to the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night, putting Atlanta one loss away from elimination in the WNBA Finals. Reese finished with just seven points as Golden State moved ahead 3-2 in the series.
For a player who has become one of the most talked-about names in women’s basketball, the performance will draw plenty of attention.
Reese has built her reputation on rebounding, physicality and relentless effort. Those qualities helped Atlanta reach the Finals, but the Valkyries have made life increasingly difficult for her in the paint.
Her scoring struggles are becoming a storyline of their own. After scoring eight points in Game 4, Reese managed only seven in Game 5.
That is a concerning trend for Atlanta, especially with its season hanging in the balance.
Still, Reese is hardly the only Dream player who needs to respond. Atlanta’s offense has struggled to find consistent answers against Golden State’s defense, and the team’s margin for error has nearly disappeared.
The Valkyries deserve credit for making the paint uncomfortable and forcing Atlanta to find other ways to score. Reese must adjust, but her teammates also have to make Golden State pay for loading up defensively.
The Dream now face a must-win situation. Reese has already shown she can produce a dominant performance on this stage, but she needs to find that form again quickly.
The question is whether she can turn the series around before Golden State ends Atlanta’s championship hopes.
Is Reese struggling under the pressure, or has Golden State simply found the right defensive formula?
