Olivia Miles did not have the playoff debut she would have hoped for. The Lynx rookie finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, one assist and four turnovers on 3-for-12 shooting from the field and 1-for-4 from deep in a 91-75 loss to the New York Liberty in Game 1 of the first-round matchup.
The Liberty took Miles seriously and put Pauline Astier on a full-court press on the rookie. Coach Cheryl Reeve decided to bench Miles after her fourth turnover, and she was visibly frustrated with the decision.
A fan shared a video of Miles heading towards the bench and talking to a person before settling down. Fans swarmed the post’s comments section with their opinions.
“Oofff the way she just screamed in her coach’s face… They would call for Caitlin’s head if she did that,” one fan said.
“Olivia Miles faced the defense that Caitlin Clark gets every single night. We have been telling Caitlin Clark’s fever is the Super Bowl for everyone. That’s why CC gets blitzed and full-court defense every game. That’s the only time they can show their talent. Now You Know!!” another fan said.
“Welcome to Caitlin Clark’s world,” another fan commented.
Here are more reactions:
“She’s finally learning what it’s like to be guarded,” one fan commented.
“If this were Caitlin talking to her coach like this, WNBA fans would be all over her and not in a positive way. But of course, since it’s goggle eyes it’s perfectly fine. Not a peep from anyone,” another fan commented.
“Not easy getting defended like Caitlin does,” another fan said.
“I’m still nervous!”: Olivia Miles shows her nerves in playoff debut against the Liberty
Olivia Miles did not shy away from showing her nerves in her first playoff game. She shared her feelings and shouted out her teammates during a brief halftime interview.
“I’m still nervous! I am nervous as ever,” she said. “I missed so hard, being a first timer, you don’t know what to expect. I have literally the best teammates in the world. They are here for me, they allow me to make mistakes and they cover for me. So, I appreciate them a lot.”
On Sunday, Miles was named the unanimous AP Rookie of the Year after a generational rookie season run. She averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists on 49.2% shooting in 40 regular-season games. She is also a heavy favorite to win the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award.
The Lynx rookie’s playoff debut might not have gone as she had imagined, but she has another chance to prove herself on Tuesday when the Lynx hit the road to take on the Liberty at the Barclays Center in Game 2 of the first-round series.
Read More:
Linda Cohn Rejects the Idea of Olivia Miles Claiming Major Accolade Amid Caitlin Clark Debate
WNBA Fans Praise Azzi Fudd’s Classy Response To Olivia Miles Question
Edited by Avi Shravan
