Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was forced to leave the game early on Wednesday, Sept. 23, after taking a hit to the face during the Dream’s 83-65 victory over the New York Liberty. The incident occurred with 5.6 seconds remaining in the first half at Barclays Center, as Reese was hit by an inadvertent elbow from Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.
Angel Reese Exits Regular-Season Finale After Hit to the Face
Officials reviewed the play and assessed Ionescu with a Flagrant 1 foul. Reese left the court for the locker room but returned briefly to make two free throws before heading back inside. She did not return to the game for the second half, though she returned to the bench with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. In her 17 minutes of play, Reese recorded six points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
Medical Status and Coaching Decision
Following the game, Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko provided an update on Reese’s condition, stating that she had been cleared. Smesko noted that the decision to keep her out of the contest was a precautionary measure, saying, We made a decision that it would be smarter for her to sit out the second half,
according to reports from the AP and Heavy. Smesko further indicated that Reese could have returned to the game if her presence had been required.
Impact on Playoff Seeding
The victory allowed the Atlanta Dream to clinch the No. 4 seed in the WNBA playoffs, ensuring home-court advantage for the first round. The Dream entered the game having won eight of their last nine contests. While the No. 4 spot is secured, the Dream will wait until Thursday to determine if they will host the Washington Mystics or the Indiana Fever in the opening round, which begins Sunday.
The New York Liberty, who played without star Breanna Stewart due to left knee soreness, finished as the eighth seed and are scheduled to face the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty also faced further injury setbacks during the game when Jonquel Jones left in the third quarter with a left ankle injury after appearing to step on a fan’s foot.
Reese’s Record-Breaking Season
The injury occurred at the conclusion of a historic individual campaign for Reese. The former LSU player averaged a double-double for the third consecutive season, posting career-highs in points (16.6), rebounds (12.3), assists (2.8), and steals (1.8) across a career-high 42 games. According to Yahoo Sports, Reese currently leads the league in double-doubles (32), total rebounds, and offensive rebounds, averaging 4.8 offensive boards per game.
Reese set several WNBA milestones throughout the season, including:
- Single-Game Rebounding Record: 26 total rebounds (18 defensive, eight offensive) against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 24.
- Single-Season Rebounding Record: Set a new mark with 458 rebounds on Aug. 24.
- 500 Rebound Milestone: Became the first player in league history to reach 500 rebounds in one season on Sept. 19.
- Double-Double Record: Set a new WNBA single-season record for double-doubles on Aug. 30 during a win over the Minnesota Lynx.
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