Angel Reese has never been accused of lacking confidence. But with a new form in the Finals series, she deserves as much. Early on in the game, she made a layup over Golden State Valkyries’ 6-ft-4 center Aminata Gueye to give her team an 8-1 lead. She wasn’t done making a statement. Literally. Because after scoring the and-1, she turned towards the Valkyries bench and repeatedly said, “She can’t f*** with me.” Reese was still not done.

Later in the game, she drove through her for another layup, turned towards her, and said, “You can’t guard me!” You see, Gueye could be a difference maker for the team’s defense, which has been slacking off as the Finals series continues. But Reese also knows that she is just a rookie. Unfortunately for the Valkyries, who trail 2-1, the Dream forward’s mind games don’t end with Gueye. If anything, this is only the beginning.

“I think it’s a mental game,” Reese said during a team practice ahead of Game 4. “They’re playing into my mental game where I can take their confidence and just try to do whatever to mess them up.

“I think you can see it in their emotions, in their facial expressions. A lot of us are looking at that, too. Making sure we can find any little thing to get our edge and have leverage over them. I think all of us are looking at that. Looking at those small things that can give us a bit more of an edge.”

Reese’s approach fits into a series where Atlanta’s defensive pressure has created clear problems for Golden State. The Valkyries’ defense has evaporated into thin air, and they are continuing to make mistakes on the offense, all thanks to the pressure the Dream is creating on them. Consider these facts for a moment:

• In three games so far, the Dream have forced a total of 46 turnovers on the Valkyries, converting them to 54 points.
• In fast-break points, the Dream’s confidence is clearly visible as they lead 43-11.
• Reese has contributed to a whopping 27% of the Dream’s total score of 240 across the three games while also creating defensive pressure for the Valkyries.

However, that advantage isn’t limited to the court. The opponents are realizing just what she has been able to do.

Valkyries stars admit to Reese’s skills after losing their defensive identity in the last two games

After losing Game 1 at Chase Center, Reese was honest in admitting that it didn’t matter where they were playing or who. It was that the Dream itself didn’t play to the standard it has set for itself. A Game 2 win for them clearly defined that standard, and even her Finals opponent agreed.

“She does a great job of taking advantage of mismatches,” said the Valkyries’ Kiah Stokes about Reese in her press conference. “So I was really just trying to stay with her when she started to get going. But she just has a great motor. She works really hard. She makes it difficult not to foul her.”

After a Game 3 loss, Gabby Williams even admitted that Atlanta has forced them to think against the identity that had helped them reach the Finals in the franchise’s second year.

“I think we were a bit undisciplined on the defense, but we’ll have to go back and watch what we need to adjust,” Valkyries star Williams said after the team’s Game 3 loss. “Sometimes shots don’t fall. We don’t like to make it about offense.

“They scored 97. We have no chance. We have to go back to our defense, and that will get our offense going.”

Unlike Atlanta, the Valkyries don’t boast a balanced roster, and Williams usually leads them in scoring. But the last two games have been different.

The Valkyries’ defense has been their superpower most of the season. Over the regular season, that league-best defense led them to the second seed and to wins over stars like Paige Bueckers and A’ja Wilson in the playoffs.

But that defense hasn’t been able to contain the Dream, who have averaged 80 points per game against them. That’s five more points allowed per game for the Valkyries compared to the regular season, when they logged a league-best 75.1 points allowed per game.

The other factor contributing to the Valkyries’ struggles lies in Atlanta’s defense.

Led by the Defensive Player of the Year, Atlanta has logged the best defensive rating in the postseason at 96.4 and forced Williams into a horrible shooting stretch.

Williams, who shot 44.9% from the field and 40.5% from three over the first two rounds, has been contained to 29.1% from the field on 55 shots, completely blocking the team’s offensive production.

And as the Atlanta prepares for Game 4 at home, Reese isn’t worried.

Game venue has nothing on Angel Reese, she says

Ballhalla showed up at Chase Center in the first two games, helping the home team win Game 1. But the Dream also showed that the venue didn’t matter. During the same practice, she noted that the site of the game had made her confident in their ability.

“Ballhalla doesn’t intimidate me,” Reese said. “I feel like if I was on the other side and I was coming to Atlanta, it would be a little intimidating to see all these people.”

17,099 fans showed up at State Farm Arena after the venue and dates were moved to accommodate other commitments and Atlanta’s literal Dream run.

With Atlanta chasing their first championship in franchise history, Reese has established that she has enjoyed the mental back-and-forth with the Valkyries. All that’s left for the team is to convert that confidence into a win, and that confidence will be a clear X-factor as Reese looks to define the next era of Dream basketball.