The Sparks continued to struggle defensively on Wednesday, falling 99-83 to the first-place Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena.
The Los Angeles Sparks (7-7) struggled to slow down Olivia Miles, as the rookie guard erupted for a WNBA rookie-record 24 points in the first half before finishing with a career-best 31 points. Miles’ standout performance helped the Minnesota Lynx (11-3) strengthen their bid for a place in the Commissioner’s Cup final. However, the Las Vegas Aces secured the final championship spot by defeating the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night, edging out the New York Liberty.
The Sparks were without WNBA leading scorer Kelsey Plum, who sat out with a lower leg injury. Forward Cameron Brink also missed the game after suffering an ankle sprain on Monday.
How Olivia Miles Made WNBA History
Olivia Rose Miles (born January 29, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Before entering the WNBA, she played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and later for the TCU Horned Frogs.
Miles, chosen second overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the April 13, 2026 WNBA Draft, immediately demonstrated she was a historic talent. In her May 10 debut against the Atlanta Dream, she scored 21 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 8 assists to become only the fifth player in league history to record at least 20 points and 5 assists in her first game. Just four days later, a 15-point, 6-assist, and 2-rebound effort in a win over the Dallas Wings made her the first WNBA player ever to amass at least 45 points and 20 assists across their first three career games.
Her dominance continued into June, starting with her first career double-double (19 points, 10 assists) in a blowout victory against the Phoenix Mercury on June 1. Recognizing her stellar May averages of 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, the league named her Rookie of the Month on June 3. The accolades kept rolling in when she set the WNBA rookie record for the most three-pointers in a single game with eight during a 28-point performance against the Golden State Valkyries on June 4, earning her Western Conference Player of the Week honors for June 1–7. This historic opening stretch culminated on June 15, when she joined Paige Bueckers as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 250 points and 50 assists.
How This Performance Compares to Past Rookie Records
Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles is putting together one of the most efficient and impactful debut seasons in WNBA history. While past stars such as Caitlin Clark own higher overall totals in points and assists, Miles has set new benchmarks in several efficiency categories and recently broke the WNBA rookie single-game record for three-pointers made.
Miles rewrote the WNBA rookie record books by knocking down 8 of 11 shots from beyond the arc against the Golden State Valkyries, breaking the previous single-game rookie mark of seven three-pointers shared by Caitlin Clark and Crystal Robinson.
Final thoughts
Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles delivered a record-breaking performance, scoring 24 first-half points to set a new WNBA rookie mark and finishing with a career-high 31 points in a 99-83 road victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. The No. 2 overall pick was remarkably efficient, shooting 12-of-15 from the field as she helped guide Minnesota to a 12-3 start.
Olivia Miles didn’t just put up points she did it with remarkable efficiency. The rookie dominated the first half by shooting 10-of-11 from the field, showcasing her ability to read defenses, exploit mismatches, and thrive in transition.
