Angel Reese’s first WNBA Finals game—a four-point loss—was a mixed performance. She recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including 5 offensive boards, 2 steals, and 1 block. However, she also committed 4 turnovers and 5 personal fouls and went scoreless in the second half.
So, now the Dream have to figure out how to keep Reese involved as a scorer for a full game.
Reese said postgame that she simply wasn’t aggressive enough in the second half, per a video on the Dream’s YouTube channel. Karl Smesko, meanwhile, said, “Angel had a great first half. We didn’t get her the ball enough.”
Kelsey Plum, who knows very well what it takes to win a WNBA title, also chimed in on Reese’s offensive involvement in this series on Girls Tripp, a podcast hosted by Allie Clifton and Jordan Robinson.
“I think Angel’s best when she’s catching it on the move,” Plum said. “There were a couple of possessions where I think Thornton was on her. She flashed to the elbow, they got it [to her], she ripped and went, got it, and-one. One possession someone drives. She was in the corner. She cut, they gave her the ball, and she got fouled by Kiah Stokes. I think Angel on the move in this series is more advantageous for her and less advantageous for Golden State because if you’re just catching it on the block with Kiah Stokes on you, that’s tough.”
Stokes played excellent defense against Reese, blocking her a few times, and Natalie Nakase made the right adjustment in her rotation to bother Reese whenever Stokes sat. So, now it’s on Smesko to figure out how to counter the Valkyries’ defense and get Reese going.
The Valkyries defended Reese well for most of the game
Reese struggled to get to the rim with Kiah Stokes on her early in the first quarter. She got going as soon as Stokes went to the bench and Kayla Thornton and Janelle Salaün drew the assignment of guarding Reese. Reese scored 11 points in the first quarter, converting layups in transition and taking Thornton to the rim.
Nakase quickly adjusted and went to Laeticia Amihere, who had played just six minutes in the playoffs before this game. Amihere matched Reese’s size, physicality, and quickness much better, and Reese scored just three points in the second quarter before not scoring at all in the second half and rarely even touching the ball or getting a look at the basket with Stokes or Amihere defending her at all times.
It was Reese’s first WNBA Finals game, and Ballhalla is a difficult environment for high-stakes games. Moreover, seeing Amihere on the court so much was unexpected. Reese and Smesko should be more comfortable and better prepared in Game 2.
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