Angel Reese cleared after Liberty foul
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was cleared to return after contact from Sabrina Ionescu late in the second quarter of Atlanta’s 83-65 victory over the New York Liberty on September 23 in Brooklyn.
Officials reviewed the play with 5.6 seconds remaining before halftime and upgraded Ionescu’s offensive foul to a Flagrant 1. Reese made both free throws before returning to the locker room at Barclays Center.
Angel Reese returns to bench after review
Reese returned to the court to take the two free throws awarded after the review. She then went back to the locker room as Atlanta carried a 41-26 advantage into halftime.
Reese did not play during the second half, but she returned to Atlanta’s bench with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. She stayed with teammates after being cleared to return.
Angel Reese cleared by Dream staff
Head coach Karl Smesko said Reese had been cleared and could have returned if Atlanta needed her. The Dream instead kept her out for the remainder of the second half as a precaution.
Atlanta led 41-26 at halftime when Reese remained out. She had logged 17 minutes before the break, and the Dream protected that advantage on the way to an 83-65 victory.
Angel Reese fills box score in 17 minutes
Angel Reese finished Atlanta’s regular-season finale with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in 17 minutes. She made 2 of 7 field goal attempts and converted both free throws.
Reese completed the 2026 regular season, averaging 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Her 521 total rebounds led the WNBA and set a single-season league record.
Sabrina Ionescu scores seven in finale
Ionescu finished with seven points, four rebounds, one assist, one block, and four turnovers in 23 minutes. She made two of seven field goal attempts during New York’s 83-65 loss to Atlanta.
The Liberty guard ended the 2026 regular season averaging 14.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. Her September 23 totals finished below those season scoring and playmaking averages for New York.
Sabrina Ionescu faces $500 fine
A Flagrant 1 carries one flagrant point and an automatic $500 fine under the 2026 WNBA penalty structure. Ionescu therefore faces that financial penalty from the reviewed second-quarter foul in Brooklyn.
The classification does not require an automatic ejection, unlike a Flagrant 2. Ionescu remained in the game after the review and logged 23 total minutes before New York completed its regular-season finale.
Atlanta Dream secure No. 4 playoff seed
Atlanta’s 83-65 victory secured the No. 4 playoff seed and first-round home-court advantage. The Dream finished the regular season 30-14 after winning their final five games before postseason play began.
Atlanta held New York to seven points in the second quarter and 26 through halftime. That defensive stretch gave the Dream a 41-26 advantage before Reese remained out throughout the second half.
Atlanta Dream get balanced scoring
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 24 points in the victory, while Naz Hillmon added 16 and Jordin Canada scored 12. Their production helped the Dream maintain its lead after Reese left before halftime.
New York received 14 points from Marine Fauthoux, while Han Xu scored 11 and Jonquel Jones added 10. The Liberty finished 26-18 and entered postseason play as the league’s No. 8 seed.
Angel Reese sets multiple WNBA records
Reese led the WNBA with 12.1 rebounds per game and finished the 2026 regular season with league records of 521 total rebounds and 206 offensive rebounds across 43 appearances that year.
She also recorded a WNBA single-season record 32 double-doubles. Reese finished with 77 steals while averaging 1.8 per game, adding another defensive contribution during her first season with Atlanta in 2026.
Atlanta Dream bring three All-Stars
Atlanta entered the playoffs with three All-Stars in Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray. The trio combined to average 53.1 points per game during a regular season that ended with five consecutive victories.
Jordin Canada added 12.1 points and 7.3 assists per game, giving Atlanta another experienced creator. The Dream entered postseason play ranked fourth in both offensive rating and defensive rating that season.
Fun fact: Angel Reese once grabbed 28 rebounds in a single LSU game, setting a school record that had stood since the 1970s.
Atlanta Dream close season with five wins
Atlanta’s September 23 victory completed a five-game winning streak to end the regular season. During that closing stretch, the Dream averaged 95.2 points per game while securing first-round home-court advantage.
That finish placed Atlanta in a first-round series against Washington, which earned the No. 5 seed. The Mystics completed the regular season at 28-16 before facing the Dream in the opening round.
Atlanta Dream draw Washington in playoffs
Atlanta’s first-round series against Washington is scheduled to begin September 27 at State Farm Arena. Game 2 is set for September 30 in Washington, with Game 3 returning to Atlanta on October 2 if necessary.
The WNBA first round uses a best-of-three format, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 3. Atlanta earned that advantage by finishing as the No. 4 seed after a 30-14 regular season.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Clark predicts that overseas WNBA games next year offer added context on how her influence may extend beyond domestic competition as the league considers broader international opportunities.
Angel Reese prepares for first postseason
Reese said during an NBA Today appearance that everything was good after the incident. She also expressed excitement about her first WNBA postseason and said Atlanta’s veterans were helping her prepare.
DeWanna Bonner joined Atlanta in August and brought championship experience to the roster. Reese specifically cited Bonner, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Jordin Canada as veterans she could lean on as she enters postseason play.
How has Caitlin Clark learned to fight back against physical WNBA defense? Her adjustments show how experience, positioning, and decision-making can change a guard’s response to tighter coverage.
Do you think Atlanta handled Angel Reese’s second-half absence correctly after she was cleared, or should she have returned before the playoffs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
Read More From This Brand:
