ATLANTA — Angel Reese delivered one of the biggest performances of her WNBA career as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Phoenix Mercury 99-89, securing a spot in the 2026 WNBA Playoffs.
Reese led Atlanta with a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds, recording her 25th double-double of the season. She connected on 14 of 21 shots from the field and continued a strong stretch of play for the Dream.
Atlanta established control early, jumping out to a 29-18 advantage after the opening quarter before taking a 50-35 lead into halftime. Phoenix responded in the third quarter behind a huge performance from Kahleah Copper, who helped the Mercury cut the deficit to as little as one point.
The Dream regained their composure and entered the fourth quarter ahead 73-68 before pulling away for the 10-point victory.
Reese wasn’t the only Atlanta player to make an impact. Rhyne Howard finished with 20 points, while Allisha Gray contributed 17 and Jordin Canada added 12. Atlanta also created problems defensively, forcing 16 Phoenix turnovers while committing only eight of its own.
Despite the loss, Copper turned in an impressive performance for Phoenix with 38 points. Alyssa Thomas also recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.
The win improved Atlanta to 24-13 and marked the franchise’s fourth consecutive trip to the postseason. The Dream have now won five of their last six games as they continue battling for playoff positioning. For Reese, the postseason appearance will be the first of her WNBA career.
Atlanta will look to keep its momentum going as the regular season enters its final stretch.
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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