'I Was Hungry,' Angel Reese Reacts to Historic Performance in Dream Win vs. Valkyries in WNBA Finals

The Atlanta Dream's Game 1 loss to the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA Finals was a motivating factor for Angel Reese in Monday's 79-65 victory in Game 2.

"I was hungry," she told reporters after leading the Dream to their first WNBA Finals win in franchise history (36:40 mark). "I wanted one. I think we let one slip away. And you can't do that, especially on the road in a good environment against a good team.

"We all came together and were pissed. We felt disappointed. We felt embarrassed. We didn't like the outcome of that last game, and we didn't want to let another one slip."

Atlanta led Game 1 by five points heading into the fourth quarter but managed to score just eight total points in the last quarter as Golden State earned the win.

There would be no such missed opportunities for the visitors in Game 2, though, as they finished the third quarter on a 15-2 run to seize a double-digit advantage and never looked back during a fourth quarter that ended up being largely a formality.

Dream-Valkyries Highlights

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Reese was the driving force behind the win and finished with 30 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a dominant performance.

She joined Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones as the only players in WNBA history to finish with 30 or more points and 15 or more rebounds in a Finals game. The Dream turned to her whenever they needed a basket all while she provided her normal stifling defense on the other end.

The LSU product got out in transition, scored on the blocks and even hit a three-pointer in the fourth quarter as Atlanta turned away any late spurts from the Valkyries.

It wasn't just Reese, as Allisha Gray drilled three triples on her way to 18 points. Jordin Canada added 13 points, three of which came on a banked three-pointer to end that decisive third quarter.

The Atlanta defense also set the tone and held Gabby Williams to 3-of-15 shooting from the field. Golden State as a whole shot an ugly 34 percent from the field with 18 turnovers and failed to generate enough open looks to keep pace with Reese's unstoppable performance.

Now the series shifts to Atlanta for Wednesday's Game 3 with all the momentum on the Dream's side thanks in large part to Reese.