Over the weekend, Angel Reese faced a challenging game that resulted in both an injury and one of her least impressive performances of the season. As a star player for the Atlanta Dream, Reese had to leave the game against her former team, the Chicago Sky, due to an injury to her left leg. The incident occurred early in the fourth quarter when Reese attempted a layup and her leg seemed to give out.
After missing the shot, Reese fell to the ground, briefly stood up, but then collapsed again. Although she returned to Atlanta’s bench, the Dream decided she would not play the rest of the game because of a left leg injury.
Brett Davis/Reuters documented that Angel Reese suffered a knee injury against the Chicago Sky in the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena.
Before leaving the game, Reese had not been playing up to her usual standards; she scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in 20 minutes. Her field goal percentage was low, hitting only 3 of 13 shots and missing her sole three-point attempt. Also, she committed three turnovers and finished with a minus-7 rating in the Dream’s narrow 93-91 win. Her minus-7 was the worst rating among Dream players, and she incurred three fouls.
The statistical output was uncharacteristic for Reese, who managed only one defensive rebound. Four of the five boards she collected were offensive, including a couple where she rebounded her own missed shots under the basket. This pattern of rebounding has become typical for Reese, as she is known for being an excellent rebounder who often boosts her totals through this method.
Even this wasn’t enough to make her box score respectable on Sunday. Reese was averaging 15.7 points and a league-leading 11.8 rebounds per game before entering Sunday’s match. Just two days earlier, she had achieved 23 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto, marking her 17th double-double of the season, the most in the league.
The troubles Reese faced on Sunday were not due to the injury itself since she had already played 20 minutes before the fourth-quarter accident. While injuries are serious and never to be taken lightly, fans are hopeful Reese can dodge a major setback.
Post-game, Dream coach Karl Smesko commented that Reese was in “great spirits” celebrating with her team. Smesko, according to WNBA reporter Wilton Jackson, mentioned that Reese “wanted to continue playing,” though he was hesitant, recognizing her visible pain.
Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images captured Reese’s difficult stats against the Chicago Sky on Sunday before her knee injury.
Fortunately, Reese’s teammates managed to salvage the game, with the Dream maintaining a lead of up to 22 points before the Sky narrowed the margin drastically. The team was leading by only one point at the time of Reese’s exit, but Atlanta guard Jordin Canada secured the win with a game-winning layup as the clock expired.
The Dream, now standing at 16-10, have benefited from Reese’s presence, winning twice against the Sky since acquiring her in April as part of a trade involving two first-round picks.
However, Reese’s hopes of a standout performance against her previous team weren’t fulfilled; her stats included more missed shots (10) than her points (8) or rebounds (5), alongside three turnovers and three fouls preceding her injury.
Atlanta’s next game scheduled on July 29 gives Reese ample time to recover. Yet, the WNBA All-Star Game is set for July 25, and the league would like Reese to participate given her popularity as a significant draw, arguably second only to Caitlin Clark.
Her poor showing this time doesn’t undermine Reese’s usual contribution to the excitement of a major event like the All-Star Game. The hope remains that she will recover in time to take part.
Dan Zaksheske reports for OutKick.