Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was hit with a double whammy against the New York Liberty. Not only did her team suffer an 81-67 loss, but her record-breaking double-double streak also ended. The rookie center came within a whisker of extending her streak to 16 games with a bucket on the game’s final possession. But as she drove to the rim, the Liberty deployed astonishing tactics to stop the rookie, which caught Shaquille O’Neal‘s eye.
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With less than 10 seconds left in the game, New York had secured the win, extending their lead at the top of the WNBA standings to two games. However, when Reese, who had eight points and 16 rebounds, desperately tried to bank a layup and record her 16th consecutive double-double, four Liberty players swarmed the star, blocking her path to the rim and trying to force a turnover.
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With Liberty players refusing to budge, Reese tossed the ball into the waiting arms of Lindsay Allen, before repositioning to get a better look at the basket. However, the guard overlooked the rookie and dribbled the ball until the clock expired. The despondent center walked to the Sky bench, visibly frustrated about what transpired.
O’Neal shared the clip on his Instagram stories and highlighted the Liberty’s desperate attempt to prevent the rookie from extending her record-shattering double-double streak. Reese’s treatment on the final possession also probably made him reminisce about NBA teams’ tactics against him during his prime.
The four-time NBA champion has also experienced getting quadruple-teamed underneath the rim as teams attempted to stop the Los Angeles Lakers superstar from posterizing their center. O’Neal will likely advise ‘niece’ Angel Reese to wear Liberty’s treatment of her on the final possession as a badge of honor.
Shaq looks at Liberty’s tactics for Angel Reese pic.twitter.com/dbgUl8KHzZ
— What are (W)NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) July 14, 2024
While the streak has ended, Reese should look back on it with pride. She averaged 14.8 points on 42.2 percent shooting, 13.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game during her stellar 15-game run. It helped her join Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark in the race for the Rookie of the Year award.
She’ll look to embark on another long double-double streak and help her team secure a playoff berth. The Sky are eighth in the standings with a 9-14, 0.5 games behind the Fever and 1.5 games clear of the Atlanta Dream. Reese will look to ensure her team finishes above Indiana to give herself a better shot of upstaging Clark and winning the Rookie of the Year award.
