Olivia Miles has been a nightmare to go up against all season long. She can score in multiple ways, can deliver even the craziest passes, and isn’t afraid of anyone. The Golden State Valkyries are the only opponent that truly bothers her. Miles has failed to crack the ten-point mark just twice this season: in an 81-75 win against the Valkyries in June and in an 80-66 loss last night. It marked the first time the Minnesota Lynx lost to the Valkyries since they joined the league in 2025. The Valkyries held the Lynx to a season-low in points scored. It was a rough game for the whole team. The Lynx shot just 36% from the field and 33% from three. They also turned the ball over 18 times and gave up 21 points off those turnovers. It was an especially rough game for Miles. She shot 3-12 from the field on her way to 8 points and committed a game-high four turnovers. The Valkyries’ length, quick hands, and ability to get into passing lanes bothered her all game long. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was very calm in the postgame press conference, considering how much her team had struggled, and even found a positive twist to the situation. “I want games like this for [Olivia Miles] as a rookie,” Reeve said, per a video on the Lynx’s YouTube channel. “We need games like this so that there’s learning that happens. There’s disappointment, maybe, that she’s feeling for sure. She needs that. We need that, and so, that’s the kind of stuff that makes us a better team. And I’m quite confident that the next time that we’re in a hard situation, what we went through tonight will be really valuable to her and to our team.”“You don’t want to have these types of losses in the playoffs,” Natasha Howard agreed. “Right now, it’s good for all of us, and it’s a learning lesson for the whole group as well, so it’s not only on Liv. It’s the whole team.”This is just the beginning for Olivia MilesAug 24, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) looks on against the Golden State Valkyries in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectMiles has been so good this season that it’s easy to forget that she is a rookie just starting to get a feel for how to navigate the WNBA and its physicality and speed. As great as she has been, Miles still has a lot to learn, and sometimes, losses teach those lessons better than any win ever could. Miles averages 19.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.3 steals for the team with the best record in the WNBA. She could help the Lynx win their first championship since 2017 in her first year in the league and has arguably the best MVP case outside of A’ja Wilson. It’s scary to think that this is just the beginning for her and every lesson will help her improve. There is no better way to learn than going up against a team that is so good defensively that it can bother her in a way no other squad has been able to. The Lynx don’t have another game left against the Valkyries this regular season, but if they stay locked into the top-two seeds, they could meet again in a high-profile finals matchup.Four of the Lynx’s five remaining games are big matchups against other playoff teams. Miles needs to be better in those games, and she most likely will be. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow