Dream Coach Blames Refs After Loss

Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko criticized the officiating crew after his team lost Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday.

Golden State Valkyries defeated the Dream 64-55 in San Francisco to take a 3-2 series lead. Angel Reese scored seven points on 2-of-8 shooting. She went 3-of-4 from the free throw line. The Dream shot 29.2% from the field. That is the fourth-lowest percentage for a team in a WNBA Finals game. The team scored just 23.5% in the paint, the worst mark in a game this postseason.

Smesko defended his star center against the physical defense. He said the contact on Reese was ridiculous compared to other players. "You can't be at this level and make that many mistakes," Smesko said. He also noted missed double-dribble and travel calls against the Valkyries. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said the physicality is expected. "Both teams really want to win this," Nakase said.

Reese described the physical play as a recurring theme this year. She received four personal fouls in the loss. "I am still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality," Reese said. She noted that the shift in officiating began when Atlanta led the series 2-1. "I don't know what happened, but it definitely took a big turn," she said.

This is the first time in Reese's career she has had consecutive games with two or fewer field goals. It is also the second time she has been held to single-digit scoring in back-to-back games. In Game 4, she scored eight points on 2-of-12 shooting. She also drew four fouls in that game. The Dream took 116 free throws in the first four games. That averaged 29.0 attempts per game. The team became the second to attempt at least 25 free throws in three straight Finals games.

The Valkyries' 64 points were the fewest in a Finals win since the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005. The Dream's 55 points were the fewest in a Finals game since the Mercury in 2021. Atlanta hit 11-of-14 free throws on Monday. That is the fewest attempts for the team in a game this postseason. It is tied for their second-fewest in any game this season. Smesko said the team missed shots they should have made. "If you push someone with two hands, that's got to be a foul," he said.

The series is now tied 3-2 with the Valkyries holding the lead. The next game will determine who advances to the championship game. Atlanta must win the remaining games to claim the title. The team will look to adjust to the defensive intensity. The officials will manage the physicality in the final games. The outcome remains uncertain as the series heads into its conclusion.