Angel Reese Explodes for 30 and 16 as Dream Earn First WNBA Finals Win

Angel Reese delivered the biggest performance of her postseason Monday night, scoring 30 points and grabbing 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Golden State Valkyries 79-65 in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. The victory evened the best-of-seven series at 1-1 and gave Atlanta its first Finals game win in franchise history after losing its previous 10 Finals contests.

Reese shot 10-of-16 from the floor, made nine of 11 free throws and added three assists and two blocks. She became the youngest player in WNBA history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game. Atlanta also received 18 points from Allisha Gray, while Jordin Canada finished with 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Rhyne Howard added a Finals-record six steals as the Dream forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 24 points.

The response was especially significant after Atlanta let Game 1 slip away in the fourth quarter. Reese went scoreless in the second half of the opener, then demanded a larger role in Game 2 and helped Atlanta control the second half. The Dream outscored Golden State 21-9 in the third quarter and held the Valkyries without a fast-break point. With the series now shifting to Atlanta for Game 3, Reese has changed the tone of the Finals—and forced Golden State to find a new answer for the Dream’s most physical matchup problem.