Angel Reese believes a distinct shift has occurred in how the referees are officiating the WNBA Finals.
“So, yeah, it definitely shifted. When we went up 2-1 and things shifted,” Reese said following Monday night’s 64-55 road loss in Game 5 to the Valkyries, which put the Dream in a 3-2 series hole, “and I don’t know what happened, but it definitely took a big turn.”
That perceived shift hasn’t escaped coach Karl Smesko, who defended his star after her second consecutive game failing to reach double figures against Golden State’s stout defense.
Reese finished with just seven points — along with 15 rebounds — on 2-of-8 shooting, while attempting a series-low four free throws.
“I do want to have Angel’s back here,” Smesko said after his team dropped its second straight Finals game. “The contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous. It’s just ridiculous. And we should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times just on that.”
The momentum in these Finals has swung dramatically, leaving the Dream one loss from elimination after appearing to control the series.
During their dominant Game 3 home victory to claim a 2-1 series lead, Reese repeatedly taunted the Valkyries for their inability to contain her, with she and a teammate suggesting their opponents were too small.
After losses in Games 4 and 5, Reese finds herself on the defensive, criticizing the officials and insisting she is being fouled more frequently than the whistles indicate.
Reese attempted 18 total free throws across Games 1 and 2 (seven and 11, respectively) before making just five trips to the line in the blowout Game 3 win.
She attempted only six free throws in the 67-62 home loss in Game 4 while posting eight points and nine rebounds, then recorded her lowest total in Monday’s defeat.
Reese has totaled 15 free-throw attempts over the last three games combined.
She said she noticed the shift during Game 4, highlighting a play where she claimed Gabby Williams fouled her intentionally and she screamed for a call that never came.
“Her team is saying it, and they are all screaming ‘foul’ but the refs, I don’t know what’s going on, why they can’t hear it,” Reese said of that Game 4 moment.
“And I know I have the mismatch, especially we were talking about matchups, so when I do switch on the post, I’m a lot stronger than the opponent. I should be able to turn and they are calling an offensive foul, but I’m getting pushed before that. So that is frustrating for sure.”
Reese acknowledged she is “still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality,” though she is accustomed to aggressive play from the regular season.
She claimed the referees are telling players they will “get them next time,” but are not following through.
Relying on the officials to call a tighter game in a must-win Game 6 on Thursday in Atlanta is a strategy that could backfire, particularly since the Valkyries’ defense blurs the line of physicality.
Reese remains confident her team has what it takes to rally and capture the franchise’s first championship.
“Like right now, 3-2, our backs are against the wall but when we get to go home and play in front of our home crowd again and being to get a couple of days rest and get back to Atlanta Dream basketball, I think we feel good about ourselves and everybody in the locker room is dialed into to who we are,” she said.
“As long as we are all on the same page, we can do it. We still believe in the locker room that we can do it. We look at ourselves in the mirror, how we can individually be better for the team and I just continue to believe and I think everybody in the locker room believes.”