.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
Looking at the box score, Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream debut didn't quite go according to plan.
It is only preseason, and Reese's unofficial debut with the Dream did see Atlanta beat her former team on Wednesday. But the 87-78 win over the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena saw Reese struggle to score efficiently, a problem that has cropped up at various points in her still-young career.
MORE: Angel Reese hasn't fixed obvious problem after trade from Sky to Dream
In 13 minutes against the Sky, Reese scored eight points on 2-of-7 shooting and missed four of her eight free-throw attempts. However, she also added three steals and two assists without turning over the basketball.
Dream head coach Karl Smesko came away feeling optimistic what Reese is going to contribute to an Atlanta squad that is pursuing a championship in 2026.
"She's going to be all over the floor, the stuff that we have to utilize her in different positions," Smesko said Wednesday. "That wasn't really something that we were really trying for today. Today was trying to play without plays."
Smesko on how he's using different ways to implement Angel Reese into his system in a short time.
Reese finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in the #Dream win. |
Question: @kareemcopeland
"She's going to be all over the floor, the stuff that we have to… https://t.co/u1gJc1s30L
Smesko reminded fans and the media that Reese is still getting to know her new teammates, and she's also playing as a center as Brionna Jones recovers from knee surgery. Reese's position is not fixed, and Smesko believes the shot quality for her teammates is only going to get better with more time.
"That's always a little bit tougher and takes more time," Smesko explained. "So that's what we primarily did today. She was willing to shoot the three, she drove (to the rim), she got offensive rebounds (and) she had several steals."
English (US)