Angel Reese believes there has been a clear line of demarcation relating to how the referees have called these WNBA Finals.

“So, yeah, it definitely shifted. When we went up 2-1 and things shifted,” Reese said after Monday night’s 64-55 road loss in Game 5 to the Valkyries that put the Dream in a 3-2 series hole, “and I don’t know what happened, but it definitely took a big turn.”

That supposed “big turn” hasn’t been lost on coach Karl Smesko, who backed his star after her second straight game failing to crack 10 points against Golden State’s stout defense.

Reese tallied just seven points — along with 15 rebounds — on 2 of 8 shooting, while attempting a series-low four free throws.

“I do want to have Angel’s back here,” Smesko said after his team lost its second straight Finals game. “Like, the contact they allow on Angel compared to everybody else is just ridiculous. It’s just ridiculous. And we should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times just on that.”

The momentum in these Finals has changed in sudden fashion and has the Dream suddenly one win away from elimination after it seemed they had control of the series.

During their dominant Game 3 home win to claim a 2-1 series lead, Reese repeatedly taunted the Valkyries for their inability to stop her, with her and a teammate indicating their foes were too small.

After dropping Games 4 and 5, Reese is suddenly on the defensive, calling out the referees and insisting that she is getting fouled more often then they are noticing.

Reese attempted 18 total free throws across Games 1 and 2 (seven and 11, respectively) before making just five trips to the line in the blowout Game 3 win.

She attempted just six free throws in the 67-62 home loss in Game 4 while tallying eight points and nine rebounds, and then tallied her lowest total in Monday’s dud.

Reese has totaled 15 free throw attempts over the last three games.

She said she noticed the shift during Game 4, pointing out a play where she claimed Gabby Williams fouled her on purpose and screamed “foul” and the referees did not use their whistles.

“Her team is saying it, and they are all screaming ‘foul’ but the refs, I don’t know what’s going on, why they can’t hear it,” Reese said of that Game 4 moment.

“And I know I have the mismatch, especially we were talking about matchups, so when I do switch on the post, I’m a lot stronger than the opponent. I should be able to turn and they are calling an offensive foul, but I’m getting pushed before that. So that is frustrating for sure.”

Reese admitted that she’s “still trying to figure out how to play through the physicality, although she’s used to it in some degree after experiencing this type of aggressive play in the regular season.

She claims the referees are telling the players they will get them “next time,” but are not doing so.

Banking on the referees to call the game tighter in a must-win Game 6 on Thursday in Atlanta is a strategy that could certainly backfire, especially since the Valkyries’ defense can blur the line of physicality.

Reese remains confident her team has what it takes to rally and win the franchise’s first title.

“Like right now, 3-2, our backs are against the wall but when we get to go home and play in front of our home crowd again and being to get a couple of days rest and get back to Atlanta Dream basketball, I think we feel good about ourselves and everybody in the locker room is dialed into to who we are,” she said.

“As long as we are all on the same page, we can do it. We still believe in the locker room that we can do it. We look at ourselves in the mirror, how we can individually be better for the team and I just continue to believe and I think everybody in the locker room believes.”