Angel Reese scored a season-high 25 points and shot 50% from the field, but it still wasn’t enough as her Atlanta Dream lost to the New York Liberty. However, it was not her offense that made rounds on social media after the game. Her franchise pointed out one of Reese’s many steals on the night that sparked an intense DPOY debate among fans.

Atlanta Dream took to their X handle to share a sequence of play from the second quarter. In the sequence, Liberty center Jonquel Jones attempted a pass over Reese near the paint, but Reese intercepted it cleanly and immediately sparked a fast break.

“Angel with the interception!” the post’s caption read.

Notably, this wasn’t the only time from the night that Reese and Jones went back and forth in the game. The Atlanta forward inflicted a steal on Jones yet again early in the fourth quarter of the game.

Reese proved she’s more than a rebounder and scorer; she’s a perimeter disruptor. Reese wasn’t alone as Rhyne Howard recorded four steals, and Jordin Canada two.

Yet, the game’s overall numbers don’t clearly mirror Atlanta’s defensive efforts. Atlanta allowed the NY Liberty to shoot 54% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc, which enabled the Liberty to capitalize and eventually clinch a 104-90 win. Reese acknowledged the defensive lapses in her postgame presser.

“I mean, they’re a very tall team, but I mean they hit every shot,” Reese said. “When you shoot 50% from three and 50% from field goal, it makes it tougher to win. We were still in the game. But I think just us making sure we get back and watch film and clean up on the things that we slipped on.”

But fans couldn’t ignore Angel Reese’s highlight steal. And in turn, they didn’t hesitate to share their praise on the Atlanta forward.

Fans Laud Angel Reese’s All-Around Performance While Giving Her DOPY Shoutouts

“Angel did it all tonight,” a fan wrote.

“Possession by possession!! attack in transition!! getting into our actions quicker!!” stated another.

The New York Liberty game on Thursday was Angel Reese’s most complete performance this season. She shot 11-of-22 but maintained defensive intensity throughout.

That’s exactly what the Atlanta Dream needs from her in that frontcourt position. But at the end of the day, it’s quite disappointing that the game didn’t go in their favor.

“DPOY folks!” chimed in another.

“DPOY US,” remarked another.

The Defensive Player of the Year shoutouts do make sense, given the numbers she is producing. For instance, Reese is leading the team in blocks (0.9 per game). Meanwhile, she is also averaging 1+ steals per game, as per ESPN. Furthermore, her defensive rebounding prowess is second to none.

She won the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award in Unrivaled during its 2025 inaugural season. But with players like A’ja Wilson and Gabby Williams in the WNBA, the chances of her winning DPOY will most probably not materialize. Angel Reese leads the league in rebounds, but A’ja Wilson averages 2.3 blocks per game, leading the charts, and Rhyne Howard, with 3.2 steals per game, dominates the steals statline. 

The Bayou Barbie has to show a marked improvement in all the other segments to stand a realistic chance of winning it. But it will also come down to her team’s performances as well. The defeat to Liberty left them with an 8-4 record as they sit second in the Eastern Conference.

“Y’all bums would be losing to this team 🤣” summed up another fan as Dream’s defensive frailities were exposed by the Liberty.

Atlanta was outrebounded by the Liberty (40-24), which is surprising, given that it has kind of become their identity because of Reese. Nevertheless, from a defensive perspective, Atlanta still leads the league in steals (9.5 per game), as per WNBA.com. But that overall defensive tenacity also needs to be showcased against stronger opposition, such as the New York Liberty.