Angel Reese's double-double in return carries Dream to win over Sparks

Reese showed no effects from injury, shooting 7-of-11 and making all eight of her free throws. She moved well with the ball, too, using a spin move to get into the paint for a layup to extend a second-quarter lead.

Later, Reese closed the first half with an exclamation point, tipping in a missed three at the buzzer to give the Dream a 59-48 lead.

She was in such a zone that Reese even made only her third three-point attempt of the season to break an 87-87 tie late in the fourth quarter.

Reese also came up key with her defense during the game's final moments, reaching in for a deflection that guard Jordin Canada recovered and turned into a layup.

Reese, recently named an All-Star for the third time in three seasons, played 33 minutes and had a game-high +13 plus/minus. On a team with several other star playmakers in the backcourt, including Canada and fellow 2026 All-Star reserves Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, Reese is more than holding her own in the front court. When she plays as she did on Monday, it's hard to argue against her being Atlanta's best player.

Following the win, Reese is averaging a career-high 15.3 points per game while leading the league in rebounds (11.8) and ranking seventh in steals (1.7) per game. She's already justified the two first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 that the Dream traded to the Sky to acquire her back in April, and her continued offensive growth could make that deal even more of a win for Atlanta going forward.

It only took one game back for Reese to leave an indelible mark on a Dream win. Based on how she played against the Sparks, many more are to come.