’Best Point Guard in the WNBA,’ ’Cost the Lynx the Game’ — Olivia Miles’ Dominant Outing vs. Mystics Draws Mixed Reactions
Olivia Miles continues to strengthen her case as the WNBA’s top rookie, even as one late mistake became the focus of debate following Minnesota’s latest loss.
The Minnesota Lynx fell 84-79 to the Washington Mystics on Sunday at Target Center, but Miles once again looked every bit like a future star.
The No. 2 overall pick finished with a game-high 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, carrying much of the team’s offensive load throughout the afternoon.
Fans Split Between Praise and Criticism for Olivia Miles
The loss ended a good moment for the league-leading Lynx, but Miles continued to show why she is the favorite for Rookie of the Year.
Through 17 games, the 23-year-old is averaging 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals while helping Minnesota build a strong 13-4 record.
Her impact on the team has been hard to miss.
However, Sunday’s game also showed the challenge of being one of the league’s rising stars, as every great play and every mistake is under the microscope.
Some users looked at the bigger picture and praised the rookie guard for another impressive outing.
“Olivia Miles is my favorite basketball player, and I think she’s already the best point guard in the WNBA SHE’S A SUPERSTAR,” sports influencer CuffsTheLegend wrote.
RealApp pointed to her historic production, noting, “Olivia Miles is the fastest player in WNBA history to reach: 300+ PTS 75+ REB 75+ AST.”
The praise extended beyond fans, as NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett made a bold statement about the rookie’s place in the game.
“Olivia Miles is one of the best rookies in ALL of basketball… @nba or @wnba.”
Another user compared Miles’ impact to one of the greatest rookies the league has ever seen.
“In terms of impact on game, Olivia Miles is best rookie I can recall since Candace Parker.”
Meanwhile, Jaime Lardis commented, “Olivia Miles is just one of them! That one hand. Michaela looks defeated.”
But not everyone walked away impressed, focusing on the late turnover that helped seal Minnesota’s defeat.
“Olivia Miles committed an unforced Turnover that cost the lynx the game, will anybody discuss that or we too busy pushing agendas????” one user posted.
Meanwhile, another bluntly added, “Olivia Miles with a pass to no one in the clutch. Lost the game for the Lynx. She in the MVP race?”
One user pointed out, “Olivia Miles the new ‘ Point Gawd’ they say with 4 turnovers tonight and a clutch errant pass to lose the game but the Caitlin Clark haters won’t bring this up right? Only one agenda.”
The criticism came only a few days after Miles faced one of the toughest defensive tests of her rookie season. The Golden State Valkyries put constant pressure on her, restricting her to just 7 points on 1-of-10 shooting and forcing 6 turnovers. Even so, Minnesota managed to earn the win.
Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve saw the game as a valuable learning experience for the young guard.
“Us and them are the two best defensive teams in the league. So what she saw was actual defense,” Reeve said. “She needed a game like this. This was a tremendous growth point for her.”
That viewpoint may matter more than the debate happening on social media.
Every great guard has games where defenses make life difficult and force mistakes, and the key is how Miles bounces back when the Lynx take on the Mystics in a rematch on Wednesday.
