Angel Reese said she experienced a "very tough" night after missing a potential game-winning layup in the Atlanta Dream’s 95-91 overtime loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. The defeat weighed on her, leading to a sleepless night where she replayed the moment.
"I didn’t sleep, and the competitor in me wanted to win that game so bad," Reese stated after the Dream’s 97-82 road victory against the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday. She acknowledged the importance of moving past the singular play.
"I replayed that play so many times, but I’m like: Why would I let one moment dictate everything else that I have going on that is positive?" Reese said. "So just being able to show up again for my team. It would have been negative for me not to come out tonight and just bounce back."
Reese’s resilience was evident in her performance against the Aces, where she recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. This came despite the absence of Atlanta center Brionna Jones due to a leg injury, which increased the defensive pressure on Reese, particularly against Aces star A’ja Wilson.
The pivotal missed opportunity occurred with three seconds remaining in regulation against the Fever, following an air ball by Dream guard Rhyne Howard. The Fever ultimately secured the win in overtime, with Caitlin Clark scoring 26 points. Clark was observed smirking following Reese's missed layup.
Reese achieved her 23rd double-double in the loss to the Fever. The game between the Dream and Fever garnered significant viewership, averaging 2.6 million viewers and peaking at 4 million, making it the most-watched WNBA regular-season or postseason game on cable television.
The Atlanta Dream currently hold a 22-13 record and are positioned fifth in the WNBA standings. The team is scheduled to play the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday.