A few days ago, the Atlanta Dream were up 2-1 in the 2026 WNBA Finals with a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead at home. Now, after a 64-55 loss in Game 5 on Monday, they suddenly find themselves down 3-2 and on the brink of elimination. Following one of the worst offensive performances in Finals history, Angel Reese and coach Karl Smesko took their frustration out on the officials.
"I'm still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality. I mean, a lot of us are getting fouled and they're not calling it, or we're talking to the ref after and they're saying, 'Oh, we'll get you next time.' So it is a little frustrating in the moment of it," Reese said. "I'm kinda used to it, because this was happening throughout the season, so I just have to continue to play through it." Reese was dominant in Games 2 and 3, as she became the third player ever with a 30-point, 15-rebound game in the Finals, and joined A'ja Wilson as the only players with back-to-back 20-point, 10-rebound games in the Finals.
But in the last two games, she's gotten nothing going offensively. Reese scored eight points on 2 of 12 shooting in Game 4, and seven points on 2 of 8 in Game 5. This was the first time in Reese's career that she's made two or fewer shots in consecutive games, and the first time she's been held in single digits in consecutive games since early in her rookie season.
In addition to the missed shots, Reese has not been able to get to the free throw line lately. She averaged 7.6 free throw attempts in the first three games of the series, but has only taken 10 total in the last two games. Her four free throw attempts in Game 5 were her fewest of the postseason.
Reese said that she "definitely" noticed an uptick in the physicality from the Valkyries starting in Game 4. "There was also a possession [in Game 4] where Gabby [Williams] pulled me on purpose, and she was screaming, 'Foul, foul, foul,' and they didn't call it. So that defintely was frustrating for sure.
Her team is saying it, and they're all screaming 'foul,' but the refs, I don't know what's going on, why they can't hear it?" Reese said. "When I do switch on the post, and I'm a lot stronger than the opponent, I should be able to turn, and they're calling an offensive foul, but I'm getting pushed before that, so that is frustrating for sure," she continued. "It definitely shifted when we went up 2-1.
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