NFL
By: Ashmere Prasad
Gabby Williams drove down the lane, beat Angel Reese in the paint, and threw up a layup that circled the rim in slow motion before finally falling out. The entire arena let out a long sigh. That was how Golden State’s Game 2 performance felt against the Dream – close enough to hurt, as Eric Apricot would say.
The two teams were tied for most of the game, but after the Dream went on a 10-0 run in the second quarter, Golden State couldn’t start its own scoring run to cut the lead.
“We were too loose with the ball…it starts with me,” Veronica Burton said postgame. “I can’t just be throwing the ball, that’s one of the most important thing is taking care of it. I think we had a lot of times where we were hesitant, or we weren’t on the same page, and that’s what led to turnovers.”
Angel Reese knew she wanted to play better for her team than she did in Game 1. Golden State held her to 14 points all game and kept her scoreless in the second half. The Valkyries’ defense did its job limiting her passes in Game 1, but when she yelled ‘give me the ball’ in Game 2, the response was loud and clear: Reese was ready to be the game-changer the Dream needed to tie the series 1-1. Once she gets hot, there is no stopping her.
“I think I let my team down last game. Not really contributing as much as I could in the second half. Not even just scoring, my screen quality, hustling and running to get rebounds, just doing the things that they know me to do. I wanted to make sure I came out tonight and left my mark and did whatever I could to get the win, and I think I did that tonight.”
The 24-year-old became the youngest player to record a 30-point, 15-rebound game in a WNBA Finals game. Reese entered the game with a different mentality, and it showed from the start. She made sure she did her part to lead the Dream to a victory.
Game 1 vs Game 2
Atlanta adjusted to get the ball to Angel more in Game 2, and it worked. Every possession, she found her spots, filled the gaps under the basket, and made sure her presence was felt.
Golden State depends on composure and sticky defense to create big plays on offense. That was not the case for the second-year team on Monday night. The team committed 19 turnovers, the most during the playoffs. Spacing miscues and one too many times the team clustered together, debating where the ball should go, led to turnovers.
Gabby Williams, Golden State’s go-to scorer, had a quiet night with 14 PTS and 3-of-15 from the field. She tried to get the offense flowing in the closing minutes, but it was too little, too late. The Valkyries kept the game at an even pace in the first half until Atlanta went on their run. Their biggest issue was finishing at the rim. Burton, Williams, and Tiffany Hayes all got into the paint, but their layups were too strong or went over the basket. Those small miscues started to weigh on the Valkyries because those buckets could have built a cushion.
The energy in Ballhalla felt flat and stressed, too. In my opinion, the volume didn’t match the true Ballhalla magnitude it usually holds. The fans must have also been nervous because Chase Center is usually rocking loud the entire game, but on Monday it only happened when the arena crew prompted a chant.
Game 3 is a quick turnaround in Atlanta on Wednesday evening, and Dream fans are thrilled to return the favor by supporting their team. Reese is also on another level mentally when it comes to facing this team.
The 0-3 regular-season record has come up many times (I may have asked myself), but these are two different teams. Two defensive teams that have stopped teams with strong offenses. Teams with an All-Star shooter or clutch scorer. These games will remain gritty and aggressive. Golden State will need another scorer, or multiple, to get hot, keep the game within reach, and keep putting pressure on Reese as they did in Game 1. For the Dream, Reese is the leader and the player who gets everybody going. If she starts celebrating, the Valkyries will have to adjust quickly and accurately.
