Caitlin Clark's Face Says It All After Angel Reese's Crucial Missed Layup

Caitlin Clark seemed to savor Angel Reese's critical missed layup during the Indiana Fever's win against the Atlanta Dream.

Caitlin Clark smiles during an Indiana Fever game. | IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese missed what appeared to be an easy layup at the buzzer that would have won her team's game against the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

Reese missed the shot. And the ESPN broadcast cameras caught Caitlin Clark smiling in the background right after Reese's miss, while Reese could be seen showing frustration about her miss.

😁 pic.twitter.com/a4ExZnvtmd

— Claire: Caitlin Clark Style (@caitlinclarksty) August 16, 2026

It's impossible to say for sure what exactly Clark was smiling at, and whether it was indeed because of Reese missing what should have been an easy make. But it certainly seemed that way. Regardless, Clark was clearly relieved that the missed shot forced overtime, and Indiana capitalized by winning by a score of 95-91.

This wasn't the only easy layup that Reese missed during the game. She had a tough start to the game, missing her first six shots, including several open layups.

Angel Reese really doesn’t know how to make an open layup 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/GNgP7nCpbm

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) August 16, 2026

The star forward's struggles to convert from close range have been well-documented to this point in her career, and these misses on Sunday are only going to heighten that.

Angel Reese's Short-Range Shooting Struggles Persist in 2026

While Reese has certainly tried to solve her struggles converting close to the basket (and has had WNBA legends hoping to help her out on it),

Reese currently has a 47.8% field goal percentage from within five feet of the basket this season. This is among the lowest among qualified players, especially among forwards. She had a 51.6% field goal percentage from within five feet during the 2025 season and had a 44.5% percentage from the same range during her rookie 2024 campaign.

The fact that Reese's finishing has regressed from last season isn't ideal, especially when this shows up during critical moments like during Sunday's game. Reese is probably never going to be an elite finisher at around the rim, and many of her shots come when the paint is clustered and a lot of players are around her.

Still, some of these misses are when nobody is around, like the ones that are getting attention on Sunday. Even if Reese was able to increase her field goal percentage from withing five feet to around 60%, this could be a considerable increase and make her a more efficient and effective player.

But that is clearly easier said than done, or else Reese would have already addressed her persistent short range struggles to this point in her WNBA career.