Angel Reese Shines in Return to Chicago, Leading Atlanta Dream to Victory Over Sky

CHICAGO (AP) — In her first regular-season encounter against her former team, Angel Reese delivered an impressive performance with 17 points and 17 rebounds, guiding the Atlanta Dream to an 82-75 victory over the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night. Alongside Reese, Rhyne Howard also contributed 17 points to the Dream's success.

Reese, who was selected as the seventh overall pick by the Sky in the 2024 draft, achieved her eighth double-double of the season with just six minutes remaining in the third quarter. This achievement marks her 57th career double-double, setting a new WNBA record for the most double-doubles within the first 75 games.

In addition to Reese's standout performance, Howard reached a significant milestone by surpassing 2,500 career points, making her the youngest player in WNBA history to achieve 2,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocks. Naz Hillmon contributed 16 points to the Dream's total, while Allisha Gray, who initially struggled with just two points in the first half, finished with 14 points alongside Jordin Canada, who also scored 14.

On the Sky's side, Natasha Cloud was a standout with 18 points off the bench, while Skylar Diggins added 17 points and Kamilla Cardoso chipped in with 13. Cloud made a crucial long jumper with 3.5 seconds left in the third quarter, putting Chicago ahead 58-57, and started the final quarter with a three-pointer that extended their lead.

However, Hillmon's layup, set up beautifully by Reese, put Atlanta back in front at 73-70, followed by a three-pointer that expanded their lead to six points. Reese capped off a 9-0 run, pushing the score to 80-70 with just over a minute left in the game.

The Dream will return to their home court to face New York on Thursday, while the Sky prepare to take on Indiana on the same day.