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Angel Reese did not hold back when describing her performance in the opening minutes of Sunday night's game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever.
Speaking with ESPN's Holly Rowe during a halftime interview, Reese was direct about how she started. "I was playing like s--- in the beginning, but it's a game of runs," she said. "You've got to put that in your back pocket just because you know you have teammates that have your back. [Allisha Gray], Madina [Okot], [Rhyne Howard] - they're carrying us right now."
Reese went 0-of-6 from the field to open the game and missed several shots from inside the paint. But she was a key part of a 17-4 Atlanta run that closed out the first half, and the Dream led the Fever by four points going into the break. Reese finished the half with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting and nine rebounds.
Rowe asked what changed for Reese after the cold start.
"Taking my time. Woosah. And just trusting my work," Reese said.
Allisha Gray led the Dream in scoring. She had been a standout against Caitlin Clark and the Fever before, and she continued that in this game, posting 21 points through three quarters. Madina Okot contributed off the bench with six points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block.
The game carried significant standings implications. The Dream and Fever were battling for first place in the Eastern Conference, with the winner of the contest set to take that top spot. Entering Sunday, Atlanta stood at 21-12 on the season.
Reese is in her third WNBA season and made her third All-Star team this year. She entered the Fever game averaging a career-high 15.6 points and 12.0 rebounds per game across 32 contests.
The Fox News report noted Reese also said of the team's approach: "Just playing together, playing collectively and let our defense speak for itself."
