Angel Reese is heading into her first WNBA postseason with the Atlanta Dream. But WNBA legend Sue Bird believes the Atlanta Dream have one major weakness to address before the playoffs begin.
Reese is averaging 16.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game this season. She also broke the WNBA single-game rebounding record with 26 boards against the Los Angeles Sparks last week.
Sue Bird Warns Angel Reese and the Dream About Their Slow Starts
The Dream’s ability to create extra possessions has been one of their biggest strengths this season. But their slow starts and inconsistent shooting could become a concern in the playoffs. Bird touched on that weakness on the “Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird.”
The four-time WNBA champion claimed, “If their superpower is everything that happens around the shot – rebounds, steals, fast-break points, second-chance points – their Achilles heel is the shot itself, the shot specifically in the half-court,” on her Spotify podcast,
Bird then even pointed out Atlanta’s perimeter shooting and its tendency to start games slowly. “They’re near the bottom of the league in three-point percentage. More specifically, it’s their first quarters. It’s their slow starts that hurt them,” Bird explained.
“The Dream are one of the worst first-quarter offenses in the league. Then they jump to #1 in points in the fourth quarter.” Bird is concerned and supported by Atlanta’s shooting statistics.
Reese’s 3-point percentage for the season is only 18.0%. Her Dream teammates are faring much better from the stripe, with Allisha Gray averaging 33.5%, Rhyne Howard hitting 36.7% of her threes, and Jordin Canada scoring 29.8% from beyond the arc.
Atlanta cannot afford slow starts in the playoffs, and Bird believes the fix requires more than tactical adjustments.
“For me, they have to mentally find a way to better prepare for that first quarter. They can’t let themselves dig these holes in the playoffs. Sometimes they’re too hard to get out of. You gotta mentally prepare,” Sue Bird warned.
The warning comes when Atlanta is getting a positive energy boost before facing the postseason. The team clinched its spot in the playoffs largely thanks to a game in which Reese set a career-high with 31 points and 14 boards against Phoenix.
Her rebounding, Atlanta’s defensive playmaking, and its ability to create second chances give the Dream a strong foundation. But if Sue Bird’s warning comes true and the team finds themselves trailing, that strength could be something that will not help them in their journey through the playoffs.
