Photo via Yahoo Sports

Angel Reese adds protective mask for Dream’s playoff opener after facial injury

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese prepared for her initial postseason appearance by wearing a protective face shield prior to the team's opening playoff matchup against the Washington Mystics. The equipment follows a recent facial injury sustained during the regular-season finale against the New York Liberty, where Reese absorbed an elbow and sat out the second half after coach Karl Smesko confirmed she had been cleared to return.

Reese enters the series carrying strong momentum from an impressive first year in Atlanta, where she claimed the title of the league's leading rebounder while establishing new single-season benchmarks for total boards, offensive rebounds, and double-doubles, alongside capturing three straight Eastern Conference Player of the Week awards to close out the schedule. The fourth-seeded Dream hold home-court advantage in the best-of-three series against the fifth-seeded Mystics, despite Washington winning two of their three regular-season encounters, making Reese's performance on the glass a crucial element in determining the outcome.

Up nextWNBA· 11h ago

“Big Surprise”: Caitlin Clark’s Biographer Reveals Thoughts Around Concerning Playoff Reality Surrounding Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream