I know how the faint praise goes, but a lot of the important things Angel Reese does actually\u00a0do\u00a0show up in the box score. They certainly did in Atlanta\u2019s Game 2 win over New York on Wednesday, a 101-98 overtime thriller that gave the Dream a 2-0 lead in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
This showed up in the box score:<\/p>\n
And so did this:<\/p>\n
And this, too:<\/p>\n
But perhaps Reese’s most important contribution to last night’s win involved zero jostling or hustling, only some focus. In the box score, beside the 23 points and seven rebounds, you\u2019ll notice that she went 6-of-6 from the free throw line. After a Breanna Stewart layup cut the Dream’s lead to 86-85 with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Liberty decided to play the foul game. \u201cThey should foul Reese, and they do,\u201d Ryan Ruocco said on the ESPN broadcast. \u201cReese is the player to foul, just a 72 percent free throw shooter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pair she sank then, her third and fourth free throws, might have been the ones to remember were it not for Liberty rookie Marine Fauthoux\u2019s game-tying three on New York\u2019s next possession. Instead, we\u2019d have to wait for free throws five and six in overtime. After Sabrina Ionescu threw a pass to absolutely no one with 6.5 seconds left, the Liberty had to foul again. Before DeWanna Bonner inbounded the ball, Reese ran over from the other side of the court, whispered some instructions in her teammate’s ear, then broke for the backcourt, where she could receive the inbounds pass (legal in the last two minutes of overtime) and drain another few seconds off the clock before New York fouled her. She strutted to the line and made them both\u2014no fuss, it was over in the span of about 20 seconds. The drama that then unfolded<\/a> between the Liberty coaching staff and the officiating crew wasn’t her problem.<\/p>\n The first question of Holly Rowe\u2019s postgame interview with Reese sort of devolved as she spoke\u2014\u201cHow were you thinking through that moment \u2026 and greatness waiting for you?\u201d\u2014but there\u2019s a note of finality to a performance like that. So I don\u2019t blame Rowe. What\u2019s even left to ask?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n