WNBA : Olivia Miles makes history and powers the Lynx to a sixth straight win
The Minnesota Lynx keep setting the pace early in the season. On Thursday night, the Minnesota outfit beat the Golden State Valkyries 87-84 in a game that stayed in the balance for long spells, driven by a huge performance from young guard Olivia Miles.
In just the 10th professional game of her career with the Minnesota Lynx, the No. 2 pick in the latest WNBA Draft produced the best display of her young career and, in the process, wrote her name into league history.
A record night for the Lynx rookie
From the opening possessions, Olivia Miles played with a level of confidence rarely seen from a player this inexperienced. Every gap left by the Valkyries’ defence was punished by the recently drafted guard. Every hesitation was made to pay. The result: 28 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and, crucially, eight three-pointers made from 11 attempts. That is now the WNBA record for a rookie in a single game. Until now, only Caitlin Clark in 2024 and Crystal Robinson in 1999 had managed seven threes in their first season. Miles has gone one better.
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What made the scoring burst even more striking was the fact the guard had struggled from deep all season. Before this game, she had made just two threes from her previous 18 attempts for the Lynx. Against Golden State, everything dropped: 8/11 from long range. The young guard also matched the franchise record held by Kayla McBride with eight three-pointers in a game, a mark that carries even more weight when you remember this is only her first season as a pro.
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The Minnesota Lynx keep rolling
Beyond the individual record, this display was another sign of the Lynx’s red-hot start. Minnesota have now won six in a row and are looking very much like genuine contenders in the race at the top of the WNBA. The Valkyries refused to go away, but the Lynx’s shooting from outside eventually told. Minnesota hit 13 of 26 from three-point range, a 50% return from beyond the arc.
At the other end, finishing around the rim was sometimes a struggle, with only 34% success on two-point attempts. But that was more than offset by the damage done from deep. Always involved, Olivia Miles directly contributed to 44 of her team’s 87 points, either by scoring or setting up a basket. It was a major influence and an early sign of how important she already is to the Lynx offence.
At 8-2, the Lynx are firmly among the league’s hottest teams. And while Courtney Williams had carried them in recent weeks, Thursday night showed the Lynx now have another weapon who can take over a game on her own.
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