Things were looking bleak for the Golden State Valkyries when the Atlanta Dream pushed them to the wall with back-to-back wins in Games 2 and 3 of the WNBA Finals, powered by Angel Reese’s double-double production.
But Natalie Nakase’s squad has since turned the tide, winning two straight, one on the road in Atlanta and another at home, while holding Reese to consecutive forgettable shooting nights.
The latest came in Game 5 on Monday, when the Valkyries throttled the Dream 64-55 to take a 3-2 lead in the Finals. The WNBA community erupted over Reese’s performance, and the reactions were brutal.
WNBA Fans Blast Angel Reese as Valkyries Push Dream to the Brink With 3-2 Lead in the Finals
For the second straight game this postseason, Reese failed to reach double-digit scoring. Her struggles came at a costly time, with Atlanta now one loss away from seeing its championship hopes end.
The Dream star finished with 7 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting just 2-of-8 from the field. She also committed 3 turnovers and picked up 4 fouls.
After delivering huge performances in Games 2 and 3, Reese has struggled to find her scoring and shooting touch in the last two contests.
NBA content creator Jacob criticized Reese’s offensive game, posting, “Must win game 5 for Atlanta: Angel Reese shoots 25% & is 2/8 from the field. She has NO bag whatsoever often uses her elbow to create space. Why are you fan boys so obsessed with her? I know 7th graders who have more skill than her.”
After the Game 4 loss, Reese acknowledged her poor shooting and admitted she had rushed her attempts.
But the former Chicago Sky forward seemed not to take heed of that performance, as she registered one of her worst shooting slumps (25% FG) of the postseason in Game 5.
One WNBA fan took a dig at Reese’s recent comments and her sudden drop in production, writing, “Angel Reese talked allll that [expletive] just to put up back to back stinkers.”
Columnist Jason Page, who had praised Reese’s performances in Games 2 and 3, pointed to her sudden decline, adding, “I gave Angel Reese her flowers for her performances in Games 2 and 3 of these WNBA Finals. But it has gone the other way in the worst way for her in Game 4 & 5. I didn’t know she had a side gig as a magician. Because she’s pulled a disappearing act in these last 2 games.”
One fan highlighted Reese’s Game 5 numbers, noting, “Angel Reese vs The Valkyries in Game 5 for the WNBA Finals. 7 PTS (25 FG%) 2/8 15 REB +/- (-7). Dream Lose 55-64. Back to back poor performances for Angel. Valks take 3-2 in series.”
One WNBA observer argued that Atlanta’s chances to win their first WNBA championship depended heavily on Reese delivering another big performance: “The Dream needed Angel Reese to go nuclear again, just like she did in Games 2 and 3, to have a chance at winning. The moment she doesn’t put up a monster performance, they lose.”
Meanwhile, the Valkyries leaned on their defense to seize control.
After leading 25-22 at halftime in what was the lowest-scoring first half in WNBA Finals history, Golden State pulled away in the second half and held Atlanta to a season-low 55 points.
With the series now at 3-2, the Valkyries need just one more win to claim their first championship in only their second season. Game 6 returns to Atlanta, where the Dream must respond to stay alive. Reese will need a stronger scoring performance if her team hopes to force a deciding Game 7.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.