Sports are so much about will.
Can you find a way to win? Is it possible to defy the odds?
On Monday night, Angel Reese decided that the Atlanta Dream were not going to lose and fall down 0-2 in the 2026 WNBA Finals, leading her team to a 79-65 win over the Golden State Valkyries to even the series at 1-1.
Her performance was dominant and demonstrative. Reese had 30 points and 16 rebounds in the win. She did it her way. Demanding the ball from her teammates, snarling at the crowd and letting everyone
in Ballhalla know a defender who could contain her wasn’t in the building.
She became just the third player in league history to post a stat line of 30 points and 16 rebounds in a Finals game, joining Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.
As Angel said after the game, “Whatever the team needed tonight I was willing to do. And that’s just what the outcome was.“
How Angel inspired Atlanta to their first-ever Finals win
Neither team could gain ground early in the contest. Reese got the scoring started for the Dream, and every Valkyries player scored during the first five minutes, except Kia Stokes, who registered a pair of blocks.
Midway through the first, Reese and Jordin Canada’s chemistry was on full display. They had a quick 5-0 run where a Canada 3 came off a Reese assist, and then Reese scored on a dime from Canada. Golden State responded with some outside shooting. Kaila Charles knocked down a pair of 3s to give her team the lead.
The Dream failed to convert on a field goal during the final three minutes of the first, and the Valkyries scored just enough to have a 21-18 lead entering the second quarter.
Shortly after, Rhyne Howard earned her fourth foul and also had to sit down. This meant Reese had to return to the floor and match Golden State’s intensity without earning another foul.
The next three Atlanta possessions were all about Reese. She was fouled and split a pair of free throws, then Reese scored inside and was fouled pushing the ball up the floor for Atlanta.
Canada scored inside on a pick and roll from Reese and after Isobel Borlase made two free throws, the Dream extended their run to 7-0 to regain the lead. Gray drilled a 3, and Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase had seen enough and called a timeout. Golden State ended their drought with back-to-back scores by Tiffany Hayes, evening the game at 37.
DeWanna Bonner then hit a long two during the final second of the first half to give Atlanta a 39-37 lead at the half.
Scoring remained a struggle for both teams in the third quarter. Midway through the period, only two field goals had been made.Atlanta stayed in front, but the margin was slim. After a pair of Gray free throws, the Dream led by five with under three minutes remaining in the quarter.
Reese continued to dominate this game. She scored inside on a fastbreak and then was fouled after stealing the ball from Charles.
Then Canada let Ballhalla know the bank is open, drilling a logo 3-pointer to beat the buzzer. The Dream outscored the Valkyries 21-9 in the third and led 60-46 with 10 minutes to play.
Golden State needed an epic run to salvage this game. Instead, the Dream went on a 7-2 run to start the period. At the 5:21 mark, Reese earned her fifth foul. She assured her coach she would be careful and not register a sixth and foul out.
She then hit a wide-open 3, keeping the Dream in control for the eventual victory—the franchise’s first-ever Finals win.
Beyond Reese, other Dream players had productive performances. Gray scored 18 points. Canada flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in the win. For the Valkyries Gabby Williams scored 14 points and Veronica Burton had 11 points.
Game 3 will take place in Atlanta on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
