Angel Reese let her game do all the talking as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Los Angeles Sparks in a blowout 124-88 loss at the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. Reese ended up making history on the night as she became the first player in WNBA history to record 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on a 100% field goal percentage in a half, doing so in the first half against the Sparks. Her reaction to the historic achievement left the crowd cheering for the guard.
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Angel Reese recorded a perfect 8-for-8 shooting from the field in the first half and added five assists and five rebounds as well. An Instagram video posted by JustWomensSports showcased the reactions of the bench as well as the star guard.
In the video, Reese’s reaction can be seen as she hyped up the crowd after dishing a three-pointer, covered her mouth, and waved to the fans. She poses with her back to the crowd before running by her team, with the video capturing the Dream bench and staff on their feet cheering her on. The crowd too can be seen with their hands up, wildly celebrating Reese’s milestone.
Reese also converted both of her shots from beyond the arc. As if this were not enough, she ended up breaking another WNBA record, which was hers alone. Angel Reese grabbed her 173rd offensive rebound of this year, which is the most in a single WNBA season.
Reese set the previous record of 172 in her rookie season in 2024 while playing for the Chicago Sky, breaking her own record this year during the Sparks game. Before Reese, Yolanda Griffith set the record by grabbing 162 offensive rebounds for the Sacramento Monarchs in 2001. The record stood for two decades before Reese surpassed it.
She finished the night with a stat line of 20 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals, shooting 100% from the field. The game was a dominating display of lethal shooting for the Dream, as they recorded a staggering 64% FG, while also converting 62% of their shots from beyond the arc. In comparison, the Sparks managed only 48% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. Rhyne Howard finished with a game-high 26 points, and Jordin Canada added eleven assists on the night.
It was a nightmare night for the Kelsey Plum-less Sparks, who were unable to threaten the Dream defense and trailed by as many as 42 points at one point during the game. Their scoring woes can be gauged from the fact that Cameron Brink, a defensive player who came off the bench, was their highest scorer on the night with 14 points, followed by Rae Burrel at 12 points.
For the Dream, Reese and Co. continue to lead their charge towards a top-four finish, as they are locked in an intense battle to secure home-court advantage with the Indiana Fever (24-13) and are just a game behind them with a 23-13 record.
Reese continues to surpass milestones in her first year with the Dream. Earlier in the season, she became the quickest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career boards, doing so in just 79 games. Her achievement eclipsed Tina Charles’ previous record of achieving 1,000 points in 89 games. She also surpassed the Atlanta Dream franchise record for the most rebounds in a single season, doing so in just 32 games.
The Atlanta fans can now genuinely expect a deep run in the postseason from this team, given their recent form. The Dream take on the Phoenix Mercury next on August 22, hoping to extend their winning streak to three with just seven games remaining in the regular season.