The Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese scored 15 points and had a plus-26, but this was not all that she got in Washington. Angel Reese, who hails from Baltimore, secured her maiden playoff victory near her hometown.

Reese was seen interacting with fans following the win in her hometown, as shown in a WNBA post on X. The moment turned an ordinary postgame exit into a feeling of a hometown celebration.

Reese, in talking to reporters following Game 2's win over the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, talked about the breakthrough she experienced since being traded away from the Chicago Sky.

"This is what I came here for," Reese said. "We wanted to get out of the first round, but it's not where we're going to stop."

Reese struggled to shoot 26.7 percent in Game 1, but her team came back from an 11-point hole. Nevertheless, she contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds.

In Game 2, she managed to shoot 50 percent while limiting the Mystics' center Shakira Austin to just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting.

Nevertheless, the night had its flaws. About midway through the fourth quarter, Reese blocked Mystics forward Michaela Onyenwere and grabbed the rebound; she then seemed to comment on the play and received a technical foul.

The postseason fines a player $500 for the first two technical fouls, $1,000 for the third, and $1,500 with a one-game suspension for the fourth. Reese had seven in the regular season.

Dream's next challenge is nothing like Washington. New York presents a different kind of challenge.

Angel Reese Meets a Liberty Frontcourt With Proven Playoff Pedigree

A new challenge awaits Reese. The Liberty bring size, playoff experience, and a tendency to step up in October, making the semifinal tough for the Dream's small frontcourt, which consists of Reese and forward Naz Hillmon.

The Liberty are more experienced than the Mystics. Stewart and center Jonquel Jones were part of the championship-winning squad of the Liberty in 2024 and have both won the Finals MVP award.

Jonquel Jones contributed 21 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2 against the Lynx, and center Han Xu adds bench size.

Reese has played them well. In their 104-90 loss in June, she scored 25 points with nine rebounds, and in their 95-84 win in September, she had 18 points and 10 rebounds, giving the Dream a 2-1 series victory.

Another good performance against Jones and Xu would give them an advantage in the paint.

The guards could decide the rest. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu has struggled to score efficiently, so a strong game from Dream guard Rhyne Howard and fellow guard Pauline Astier could give the Dream a shot at the finals.

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta