Angel Reese brought the same fire back to State Farm Arena after her dominant Game 2 performance, and the Golden State Valkyries felt it early. Fresh off a 30-point, 16-rebound outing on Monday, the Atlanta Dream forward wasted little time making her presence felt again in Game 3 as lip readers caught her sending a blunt message toward the Valkyries bench.
With less than five minutes left in the first quarter and Atlanta leading 6-1, Reese drove toward the basket off a pass from Jordin Canada. And despite Aminata Gueye contesting the attempt, Reese finished the layup and drew a shooting foul. As the crowd erupted, the 24-year-old turned toward Golden State’s bench and appeared to deliver a message.
According to an X post from Underdog WNBA, Reese looked like she was mouthing, “She can’t f**k with me.”
But that was only the beginning. Angel Reese brought the same energy back into the paint in the second quarter, with the Dream holding a 35-26 lead. As she drove toward the basket with Gueye defending, Reese used her physicality to create space, shouldered past the Valkyries forward and finished another layup. This time, her message appeared even more direct: “You can’t guard me.”
Reese has looked increasingly comfortable embracing the role of Atlanta’s tone-setter, and the timing could hardly be better for a franchise making its first Finals appearance since 2013.
The Dream have already ended one painful chapter in their postseason history. Their Game 2 victory snapped a 10-game losing streak in the WNBA Finals dating back to 2010, giving the franchise its first Finals win since its previous championship appearances. So, with Reese setting the tone again, Atlanta is looking to build on that breakthrough rather than let it become a one-night celebration.
Her first-half numbers against Golden State offered another indication of how much pressure she was putting on the visitors. Reese entered the break with 15 points and seven rebounds, shooting a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.
Atlanta also carried a 46-40 lead into halftime without allowing Golden State to move in front. The Valkyries have continued to push the Dream, keeping the contest close, but Angel Reese and her teammates have maintained control of the scoreboard through the opening two quarters.
With the Finals tied 1-1 entering Game 3, the stakes extend beyond one heated exchange or a few words caught by lip readers. A win would give either team a 2-1 series advantage and put it within two victories of the championship. So, playing at home on Wednesday and again Saturday, the Dream have an opportunity to turn their recent momentum into a decisive advantage.
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