Olivia Miles didn’t score a single point in the first quarter Saturday night. By the time the final buzzer sounded, she had 29 of them, a career high that nearly toppled the defending champions.
The Minnesota Lynx rookie delivered the kind of performance that turns heads across the league — fearless drives, clutch threes, and a late-game poise that belied her experience. But the Lynx still lost 100-97 to the Las Vegas Aces, snapping an eight-game winning streak in the process.
Here’s what happened, and why Minnesota isn’t hitting the panic button.
The Comeback That Almost Was
Minnesota trailed by as many as 15 in the first half. Miles, who went scoreless in the opening period, found her rhythm as the game wore on. She poured in 12 points in the fourth quarter alone, helping the Lynx erase the deficit and seize a late lead.
With 48 seconds remaining, Miles drove hard against reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, drew a foul and converted an and-one to put Minnesota up 94-93. Then, with 24.5 seconds left, she drilled her third three-pointer of the night to make it 97-96.
“I know my team thrives when I’m aggressive, going downhill,” Miles told reporters, including Cassidy Hettesheimer of The Minnesota Star Tribune. “Once I saw a few go in, it helped me, being fearless, not caring if I go get blocked or anything like that, just doing what I can for my team.”
But Las Vegas responded. Jewell Loyd drew a foul on a three-point attempt and calmly sank all three free throws. Wilson and Chelsea Gray then iced the game from the stripe, making the Aces the first team this season to crack 100 points against Minnesota.
Turning the Page
Miles had one last chance to tie the game, but her three-pointer with seven seconds left rimmed out. Courtney Williams also missed a desperation heave at the buzzer. The Lynx fell to 10-3.
“It was a good competition, kind of beating myself up for the turnovers, felt like a lot of them were unforced,” Miles said. “Definitely going to take this one and learn from it, take the good with the bad. It’s not always as bad as you think it is, and it’s not always as good as you think it is.”
That mindset is why the organization isn’t overly concerned. Miles has shown flashes of star potential all season, and Saturday’s outing was her most complete scoring performance yet. The loss stings, but the takeaway is clear: Minnesota has a rookie who can hang with the best.
The Lynx host Portland on Monday, looking to start a new winning streak. If Miles keeps attacking like she did against Vegas, it won’t take long.
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