The box score suggested Angel Reese had an ordinary offensive night. What happened around the basket told a completely different story.The Atlanta Dream forward scored only eight points in Thursday’s 104-69 rout of the Connecticut Sun, yet she still found a way to dictate the game through rebounding, steals and an unusual defensive performance against Brittney Griner.Angel Reese controversy puts WNBA referees back under the microscopeReese finished with 15 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in 28 minutes. Most strikingly, three of those blocks came against Griner, marking the first time in the veteran center’s 13-year WNBA career that she had been blocked three times in a single game, according to Real App.That accomplishment becomes even more notable considering the size difference. Griner stands 6-foot-9, five inches taller than the 6-foot-4 Reese, but Atlanta’s forward repeatedly held her ground around the rim.The defining sequence came during the second quarter. Griner drove beneath the basket for a reverse attempt, only for Reese to reject the shot. Griner collected the offensive rebound and immediately tried again. Reese blocked her a second time before eventually taking the ball away.Reese impacts game despite cold shooting nightOffense was the only area where Reese struggled. She shot 3-of-13 from the field and made two of four free throws, finishing below double figures despite Atlanta comfortably breaking the 100-point mark.Her work everywhere else compensated. Five of Reese’s 15 rebounds came on the offensive glass, while her three steals tied Rhyne Howard for the team lead.Dream coach Karl Smesko needed only a few words to describe what he saw: “Angel was dominant on the boards,” Smesko said.Atlanta’s scoring came primarily from Howard and Allisha Gray, who poured in 29 points apiece. Their combined 58 points helped turn the game into a rout as the Dream strengthened their position among the WNBA’s leading teams.Brittney Griner on unfamiliar side of historyThe opponent makes Reese’s defensive accomplishment particularly unusual. Griner has spent her career as one of women’s basketball’s most imposing interior players. Yet against Atlanta, she managed only seven points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes while repeatedly finding Reese waiting at the rim. It was hardly a one-player performance from the Dream, but Reese’s ability to influence the game without scoring efficiently provided another example of why her value extends beyond…
Try WordAi Free
2026-08-14 12:05:59
