Concern grows for Angel Reese after brutal hit forces her out of the game

The game between the Atlanta Dream and the New York Liberty started with high intensity this Wednesday at Barclays Center, but the biggest concern of the night centered on Angel Reese , who had to leave the contest after taking a hard blow to the face.

Atlanta entered the matchup looking to hold on to the fourth seed in the playoff race , so losing one of its key players would be a significant setback in the final stretch of the season.

The play occurred with just four seconds remaining in the first half. Sabrina Ionescu attacked the paint on a pick-and-roll, and while trying to protect the ball against Reese’s defense, she accidentally struck the Dream star in the face with her elbow.

Officials reviewed the play and assessed Ionescu with a flagrant foul.

Before exiting, Reese had put together a complete performance with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in 16 minutes . At the time, Atlanta had not confirmed whether she would be able to return to the game.

The matchup was an immediate rematch after the Dream defeated the Liberty 95-84 on Monday in the same arena, extending their winning streak to four games.

In that earlier win, Reese was one of the standouts with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jordin Canada contributed 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists.

New York, meanwhile, played without its top star, Breanna Stewart , who was sidelined by a knee injury. Stewart had shone in the previous meeting against Atlanta with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists.

The Dream arrived in strong form, having gone 8-2 in their last 10 games while trying to lock down the fourth seed amid pressure from the Indiana Fever, who are also fighting to improve their playoff positioning.

Indiana will close out the regular season on Thursday against the Minnesota Lynx , while Atlanta looks to stay among the WNBA’s top teams heading into the postseason.