Dream give Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard a moment to celebrate before playoff win

Angel Reese had a playoff opener to prepare for Sunday. The Atlanta Dream still wanted her to pause for a moment and hear some good news.

During pregame practice, coach Karl Smesko announced to the team that Reese had been named the AP Defensive Player of the Year. Atlanta also celebrated Reese and Rhyne Howard for their All-WNBA Second Team selections.

The Dream shared video of the announcement, writing, “Sorry, Angel, but we MUST celebrate you and Rhyne!”

It was a brief break from game preparation. Then the two honored players helped Atlanta take the first step toward the WNBA semifinals.

Howard scored a game-high 26 points in a 92-77 win over the Washington Mystics. Reese posted 13 points and 12 rebounds in her postseason debut as the Dream rallied from an 11-point first-half deficit. Allisha Gray added 22 points, giving Atlanta the scoring it needed to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Reese did not have an efficient shooting performance in her first playoff appearance. She made four of 15 attempts from the field. Her double-double, though, showed she could still contribute to a winning effort when her shot was not falling consistently.

Sorry, Angel, but we MUST celebrate you and Rhyne! We're proud of y'all ❤️🅰️

That has been a theme of her first regular season with Atlanta. According to Athlon Sports, Reese averaged 16.4 points, a league-leading 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 43 appearances. Her defensive honor recognized work that cannot be measured by scoring alone.

Sunday’s win also showed the balance around her. Howard supplied the game’s biggest point total, Gray scored 22, and DeWanna Bonner contributed 13 off the bench. The Dream overcame their early deficit without requiring Reese to become their leading scorer.

The pregame celebration offered a glimpse of how Atlanta viewed the individual honors. Reese and Howard were recognized in front of their teammates, then returned to the shared task of winning a playoff series.

MORE: Angel Reese earns first WNBA playoff win while Caitlin Clark’s wait continues

Game 2 is Wednesday in Washington. The Mystics must win to extend their season; the Dream can advance with another victory.

For Reese, Sunday produced two career moments in one day: a major defensive award and her first WNBA playoff win. Howard had an honor of her own and then led Atlanta’s offense. The Dream made time to celebrate both players before showing why their contributions matter in the postseason.