Angel Reese’s Challenging Weekend
Angel Reese’s weekend was marked by an injury and perhaps her most disappointing performance of the season.
During Sunday’s game against the Chicago Sky, a former team, Reese appeared to lose strength in her left leg while going for a layup early in the fourth quarter.
After missing the shot, Reese fell, got back up briefly, and then collapsed again. Ultimately, she returned to the bench, where the Atlanta Dream decided to rule her out for the rest of the game due to a left foot injury.
Before that misfortune, it seemed like she was having an off day. The 24-year-old recorded just eight points and five rebounds in 20 minutes, shooting a dismal 3-of-13 from the field and missing her only three-point attempt. She also turned the ball over three times, finishing with a minus-7 rating, the worst among her teammates. Notably, she only managed one defensive rebound, while four of her five rebounds were offensive, including two that came off her own missed shots.
This has become all too familiar with Reese’s performance. While she stands out as one of the best rebounders in women’s basketball, her scoring struggles have been evident. On Sunday, she just didn’t contribute enough to make her stats look better.
Entering the game, Reese averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game—leading the league in rebounds. Just a couple of days prior, she had a strong outing against Toronto, posting 23 points and 12 rebounds for her 17th double-double of the season.
However, following that strong game, she struggled, missing 10 of her 13 shots against the Sky. Her difficulties weren’t caused by the injury, as she had already played 20 minutes before getting hurt just seconds into the fourth quarter.
It’s unfortunate she got injured because, well, injuries are a part of the game, and hopefully, it’s not something too serious. After the match, Dream head coach Karl Smesko mentioned that Reese was “in great spirits” with her teammates. He noted that she was eager to continue playing, but he was concerned about the evident pain she was in.
Despite the injury, it’s tough to ignore how poorly Reese performed before it happened. Fortunately, her teammates stepped up in her absence.
The Dream had built a lead of 22 points, but Chicago managed to close the gap. When Reese left the game, Atlanta was just a point ahead. In a thrilling finish, guard Jordan Canada hit a layup just as the game ended, securing a 93-91 victory.
With this win, the Dream improved to 16-10, and Reese is now 2-0 against the Sky since being acquired in April. Still, this isn’t the revenge she’d likely envisioned against her former team.
On the stat sheet, Reese had more missed shots than points or rebounds—10 misses compared to eight points and five rebounds. Additionally, she had three turnovers and three fouls before her injury.
While it’s good for Atlanta that they won’t face the Sky again until July 29, giving Reese time to heal, the looming WNBA All-Star Game on July 25 creates a bit of a dilemma. The league will certainly want her to be involved.
Regardless of her struggles, Reese remains one of the league’s key figures after Caitlin Clark, and there’s no doubt she will still attract attention during the All-Star Game. Here’s hoping she can recover in time to participate.
