A pair of heated exchanges in the second quarter of a series-clinching win put Angel Reese at the center of the conversation in Brooklyn.

Atlanta Dream forward found herself in two heated exchanges with New York Liberty stars during Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals, as the Dream completed a sweep with an 85-83 victory at Barclays Center. 

The first incident came in the second quarter. Sabrina Ionescu was called for an offensive foul on a hard screen against Dream guard Isobel Borlase, following what Ionescu appeared to view as a prior shove from Borlase. Reese sprinted over to confront the Liberty guard, jawing at her while walking up the floor and repeatedly telling her she "can't do that."

Rhyne Howard and DeWanna Bonner stepped in to separate the two, with Howard physically intervening. Broadcasters noted Reese stayed in Ionescu's ear the entire time, and some suggested the sustained chirping could have warranted a technical foul. No technical was issued on that exchange after review.

Shortly afterward, another confrontation erupted. Jonquel Jones blocked a Reese shot attempt at the rim, and the two players got tangled coming down. Words were exchanged face-to-face, as posted on X by Underdog WNBA, prompting officials to step in, and double technical fouls were assessed to both players. 

Video of the sequence circulated widely, showing the intensity of the moment and Jones gesturing toward the crowd afterward.

Fans reacted to Reese’s clash

Reese's behavior drew a wave of pointed criticism online, with many fans questioning whether her on-court persona matches the way she handles pushback from opponents.

Some mocked her image directly, suggesting her tough-guy attitude during the confrontations didn't hold up under scrutiny. One fan wrote: 

"Reese a fake demon."

Others focused on her celebrations earlier in the game, arguing she was inconsistent in how she reacted to the heat of the moment. 

"Not Angel pointing at Marine twice after hitting those threes??" one comment read.

A common thread was the idea of a double standard, with several fans saying Reese dishes out aggressive trash talk but responds poorly when opponents give it back. 

"Angel wanna give it but crying to the ref when it's done to her."

Some supporters of the Liberty argued the officials let her off too easily, especially given her technical foul history this postseason. 

"Should've been Angel's second tech. Shouldn't be in the game right now." 

Others wanted stricter enforcement going forward, suggesting the league needs to take a harder line before the Finals begin. 

"Angel needs to be Techd up. She's ridiculous."

Do you think Reese's intensity is an asset for Atlanta heading into the Finals, or a risk that could cost her team down the road?

Written by

Zaid Quraishi