Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are voicing their complaints about the state of league officiating following Monday's bruising 2026 WNBA Finals loss.
After the Golden State Valkyries beat Atlanta 64-55 in Game 5, Dream head coach Karl Smesko went after the referees, calling the physicality against Reese "ridiculous."
"You can't be at this level and make that many mistakes," Smesko said.
How Did WNBA Officiating Affect Angel Reese in Game 5?
Reese finished the night with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting while picking up four personal fouls. That performance marked back-to-back games with two or fewer makes from the field, something she'd never done as a pro. Despite the low totals, she pointed to a deeper issue than her own statline.
"It definitely shifted when we went up 2-1," Reese said of the refereeing.
"I am still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality. I'm kind of used to it because this was happening throughout the season, so I have to just continue to play through it. But honestly, for my teammates, when they're getting slapped to the floor or knocked off, it's a little frustrating."
The √ calls for the Dream support Atlanta's case.
After averaging 29 attempts per game through the first four contests, the Dream took just 14 from the line on Monday.
Golden State, meanwhile, leaned into the physical style that has defined this series. They managed to limit the Dream to 23.5% on looks inside the paint in one of the lowest-scoring Finals games in league history.
Down 3-2, Atlanta now heads home to State Farm Arena today, needing a win to force a decisive Game 7.
