Angel Reese Shows Out: Sets Career Record With 31 Points, Powers Atlanta Dream To Playoffs Spot With 98-89 Win Over Phoenix Mercury + Video

Angel Reese added another historic milestone to her booming resume on Saturday night, delivering a masterclass performance to officially secure her first career WNBA playoff berth. Behind Reese’s career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds, the Atlanta Dream defeated the Phoenix Mercury 99-89 at the Mortgage Matchup Center, punching their ticket to the 2026 postseason.

The victory marks a defining moment for the third-year forward, who has taken the league by storm since joining Atlanta. Reese’s 25th double-double of the season was anything but quiet, as she dominated the paint and shot an efficient 14-of-21 from the field. With this win, the Dream improve to a 24-13 record, pushing past the Indiana Fever for sole possession of the fourth seed in the overall standings.

“I just wanted to do whatever it takes to win,” Reese said in a post-game interview, echoing her season-long pursuit of a WNBA championship. “Getting this team into the playoffs was our primary goal, and now the real work begins.”

The playoff-clinching victory is the latest peak in a supersonic stretch for the Dream, who recently saw Reese smash single-season offensive rebounding records and secure a flawless 9-for-9 shooting night against Los Angeles.

With the playoff seed secured, Atlanta now shifts its focus to maintaining a top-four position to secure crucial home-court advantage for the opening round. The WNBA regular season will pause from August 31 through September 16 to accommodate the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, granting Reese a brief window to represent Team USA before returning for the final regular-season stretch. The WNBA Playoffs are scheduled to commence on Sunday, September 27.