The prevailing sentiment around Angel Reese’s trade to the Atlanta Dream was that she could be the key to the team’s success. Team veteran Allisha Gray even went so far as to say that Reese is the “missing piece” of the team. And five games into the season, another Atlanta veteran, Rhyne Howard, has echoed the same.

The moment unfolded after Atlanta’s stellar 80-82 comeback win against the Phoenix Mercury, courtesy of a late fourth-quarter surge. Speaking at the postgame broadcast with a reporter, Howard was asked about Reese’s impact in the game.

“She’s doing all the little things we’ve not done in the past,” Howard said in reply. “Oftentimes, we would’ve folded, but because of the tenacity that she brings, because of the energy that she brings, we have no choice but to follow her. We continue to let her know that we need her, and she is coming up and has shown it every day.”

Rhyne Howard’s assessment seems quite fitting. If you look at Atlanta’s regular season last year, you can easily notice that the team conceded numerous two-touchdown games. In fact, the Dream lost 8 such games in which the margin was 5 points or less.

But this season, the Atlanta Dream has consistently won such games. The season-opener against the Minnesota Lynx struck the first blow in this regard. Atlanta was down by 15 points at halftime, and from there the team went on to win by 1 point. Reese’s numbers in the game? A double-double, including 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The latest win against the Phoenix Mercury emphasized it further. Reese’s team entered the fourth quarter trailing by 8 points. Atlanta showed their tough mettle yet again, winning it 80-82 on the night with Howard, Reese, and Gray firing on all cylinders in the final 10 minutes to score 33 points.

Reese recorded another double-double in the season during the game. She registered 17 points and 10 rebounds. Howard performed quite well, recording 21 points, with Gray having 18. This trend of making such comebacks showcases the Atlanta Dream’s tough mettle, and Howard feels it’s because of Reese’s inclusion.

Of course, Howard herself was instrumental in the team’s heroic comeback. The Atlanta veteran nailed three three-pointers in the fourth, including a 25-foot jumper off a Jordin Canada assist with just over 24.9 seconds left on the clock. The shot gave Dream a slight margin to defend the dying moments of the game and clinch a 2-point win despite Kahleah Copper’s three-pointer just seconds later.

But we can’t ignore Angel Reese’s all-around contributions either. The Atlanta Forward chimed in with 7 points and 2 assists to help her team as well. Furthermore, Reese’s intensity and defensive prowess in the game helped Atlanta in this regard as well. The ChiBarbie chimed in with 5 defensive rebounds, 4 steals, and a block.

In fact, Howard’s three-pointer in the final seconds of the game was also a culmination of how Reese set the screen during that sequence. Canada, who assisted the three-pointer, spoke of it in the post-game presser.

“The ball screen from Angel, I knew they were going to mess up the guard,” Canada said. “I knew they were going to get confused. So, coming off, I saw Rhyne open. I threw it to her. She’s been knocking three down all night.”

This ability to make such crucial movements, even off the ball in tightrope situations, is what makes Angel Reese so special, and even prompts a seasoned player like Howard to follow her. Notably, the players aren’t the only ones to rally behind ChiBarbie’s impact in the game. Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko did it as well.

Atlanta Head Coach Karl Smesko Lauds Angel Reese’s Inspiring Night Against Phoenix

The game wasn’t easy all along for Angel Reese. She faced foul troubles at times, finishing the night with 4, including a flagrant 1 in the fourth quarter. She even struggled with ball security, turning it over three times. But the production she had in the game outweighed all of these shortcomings and, in turn, helped her earn praise from head coach Smesko.

“You know, Angel’s going to compete,” Smesko said in the post-game presser. “She was locked in, fired up. She’s being super physical. I thought when the game was getting a little bit away from us in the first half, Angel kind of posted up, was really strong at the basket. We fed her two to three times in a row, and I think it gave us a little bit of confidence.”

Reese’s performance in the second quarter was equally critical for the team. The Phoenix Mercury had already built a 12-point lead. And in turn could have easily carried on with extending the gap further in the second. But Reese stepped in, scoring 8 points and dishing out 2 assists to keep them within touching distance of Phoenix.

Reese’s performance helped Atlanta score 24 points in the second quarter and helped the team bridge the gap to 7 points at halftime. These small moments in the game are very important for winning, especially in a back-and-forth game. And with Angel Reese, the Atlanta Dream were able to do it quite well, eventually giving them a second straight win of the season.