Angel Reese's Worst Back-to-Back Scoring Streak Draws Fire in WNBA Finals Loss

Angel Reese scored seven points on Monday night, the lowest total she has posted in back-to-back games at any point in her career. The Atlanta Dream fell to the Golden State Valkyries by a score of 64 to 55. That result leaves the Dream trailing the series 3-2 in the WNBA Finals.

The Dream has faced physical play from Golden State throughout the post season. In the first four games of this series, Atlanta took 116 free throws. The team averaged 29.0 attempts per game during that span. According to ESPN Insights, the Dream became the second team in WNBA history to attempt at least 25 free throws in three consecutive Finals games. They did so in Games 2, 3, and 4.

Monday's game marked a sharp drop in that statistic. The Dream attempted only 14 free throws in Game 5. That is the fewest attempts they have logged in a post season game. It is also tied for the second-fewest in any game this season. The team made 11 of those 14 shots.

Reese went 2-for-8 from the field in the loss. She committed four personal fouls. In Game 4, she scored eight points on 2-for-12 shooting. She also committed four fouls in that contest. She noted a change in the game's flow after the Dream took a 2-1 series lead.

Head coach Karl Smesko criticized the officials for missing contact on Reese. He called the number of missed calls ridiculous. He also pointed out missed double dribbles and travel calls against Golden State. Smesko said that pushing a player with two hands must result in a foul. He expressed fatigue with the excuses being offered for the officiating.

Reese said the physicality has been a recurring theme for her this year. She mentioned that she is used to the style of play but finds it frustrating for her teammates. She noted that she often gets called for offensive fouls when switching onto post players. She believes the officials should recognize when she is being pushed before the contact occurs.

The scoring numbers for the game set historical lows. The Valkyries' 64 points were the fewest in a Finals win since the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005. The Dream's 55 points were the fewest in a Finals game since the Mercury in 2021. Atlanta shot 29.2 percent from the field. That is the fourth-lowest percentage for any team in a Finals game. The team shot 23.5 percent in the paint, the worst mark by any team in a game this post season.