The Indiana Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream 95-91 in overtime on Sunday, and one moment from the game quickly became the center of attention.
The indirect exchange between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese caught the attention of fans, and even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy could not resist talking about it.
Dave Portnoy Weighs In on Viral Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Exchange
The moment came late in the fourth quarter when the game was tied 81-81. Atlanta had the chance to win the game in regulation after Reese grabbed an offensive rebound and got a good look at the basket.
However, she could not finish the layup. Her teammate, Naz Hillmon, then had another chance to give the Dream the lead, but she also missed.
Clark’s reaction said it all. After Atlanta failed to convert either opportunity, she wore a big smile as she realized the Fever had another chance to win in overtime. Reese, meanwhile, looked visibly disappointed after missing her attempt.
During Monday morning’s episode of “Wake Up Barstool,” Portnoy and the other hosts discussed the game and the viral exchange. They also talked about how entertaining the contest was from start to finish.
“It was a great game. To explain it, the game’s on the line, tie game, missed three from Atlanta. Angel Reese gets the rebound…”
“Angel rebounds out of the buzzer and misses another layup. And then a second layup at the buzzer misses. There’s a GIF that came out of Angel right like this. And here comes Caitlin, right on cue, laughing at her demise. An all-time clip that will be used forever,” Portnoy said during the segment.
Portnoy also explained that while he often makes fun of Reese, his criticism is not personal. He said his dislike comes from a sports perspective rather than anything against Reese as a person.
“Angel Reese is a very good player. I love making fun of her. I love rooting for her demise. I hate her in a sports sense, much like when it was Brady versus Manning.”
“And I’m not saying Angel is Manning, but Angel does what she does. She doesn’t just get her own rebounds. She gets a ton of rebounds. She’s a very good player… But she cannot shoot for the life of her, and nobody ever taught her to do a layup. She missed a wide-open layup. This is what you want in a rivalry,” Portnoy added.
Both teams finished the opening quarter tied at 21. Atlanta then took control in the second quarter and went into the break with a four-point advantage. However, the Dream struggled to maintain that momentum after the break.
Indiana took advantage and scored 41 points across the second half. This allowed the Fever to erase Atlanta’s lead and force overtime. The Fever then outscored the Dream 14-10 in the extra period to secure the 95-91 victory.
Clark finished with 26 points, three rebounds, and nine assists. Reese, on the other hand, scored 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. But her numbers were not enough to help Atlanta avoid the overtime loss.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.