Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are one win away from advancing to the WNBA playoff semifinals. This is after the Dream defeated the Washington Mystics in Game 1 of their first-round series on Sunday night, 92-77.
Reese struggled with her shot, going 4-of-15 from the field, but still finished with a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double in her postseason debut. Rhyne Howard went off for a game-high 26 points, while Allisha Gray logged 22.
Reese received some big news before the game. She was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year after a tremendous regular-season campaign with the Dream. The three-time All-Star averaged 16.4 points, a league-best 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 43 appearances.
The team posted a video of head coach Karl Smesko announcing the news in front of the whole team during Sunday’s pregame practice. The Dream sent a strong message to their star forward.
“Sorry, Angel, but we MUST celebrate you and Rhyne! We’re proud of y’all ❤️🅰️” read the post.
In addition to winning the AP DPOY award, Reese was named to the All-WNBA Second Team alongside Howard. Their Dream teammates cheered proudly as Smesko revealed the milestones.
Right now, though, Reese is locked in on the task at hand. They will return to action on Wednesday for Game 2. The Mystics will host that matchup, with tipoff from CareFirst Arena scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Dream will proceed to the next round with a win in Game 2. They will face either the New York Liberty or the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty currently lead that series, 1-0.
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