Despite setting scoring and assists benchmarks in her first year, and ultimately winning Rookie of the Year, Olivia Miles struggled in the playoffs. With reduced points production and inaccurate shooting, Miles got firsthand experience of why experience matters in the postseason, and ex-ESPN host Linda Cohn believes the 2-0 series loss to the Liberty was a humbling experience.
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In the latest episode of The Linda Cohn Show on YouTube, the veteran journalist said this will be a learning experience for her and the Lynx. Cohn also revealed that she never understood why Miles was in the MVP conversation just because of her fantastic Rookie season.
“The playoffs are a different animal, folks. It’s more intense. It’s more physical. And you know, Olivia Miles got a wake-up call. And she had an incredible season. So, like a runaway winner of rookie of the year, well deserving. And the league is in good hands with an Olivia Miles in the future of leading this league.” Linda Cohn said.
“But right now, this year, I never understood why she was an MVP candidate. She was surrounded by great players… So yeah, this is a shocker for me. We both thought we wouldn’t be surprised if Minnesota won at all,” Cohn told WNBA analyst Maurice Drake Jr.
Olivia Miles had a frustrating postseason debut, to say the least. In Game 1 against the Liberty, Miles had a modest showcase of 11 points and 8 rebounds in 30 minutes, which did not move the needle for head coach Cheryl Reeve’s side, which needed to secure the win at home.
Game 2 was unfortunately even worse for Miles, as she could only record five points on 1-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes. This is not the Miles the WNBA has seen throughout this season. The Lynx rookie averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists on almost 50% shooting in the regular season, breaking important records like overthrowing Caitlin Clark’s most points scored by a rookie in a single season.
However, she still thinks it was early to put her in the MVP conversation, because Miles had the help of star players like Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Natasha Howard, and Courtney Williams on a team coached by Cheryl Reeve, the winningest HC in WNBA history.
This was the first time in WNBA that a No. 8 seed has beaten the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs. One could only think that Miles and the Lynx would have fared better if the opponent was anyone other than the Liberty.
This is because the Liberty is a team the Lynx have struggled against, losing four games this season alone. While Miles had averages of 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in three games against the Liberty in the regular season, she was unable to translate that in the playoffs, which further cements Linda Cohn’s statement of the playoffs being a “different animal.”
Regardless, Miles knows she could not live up to the expectations the Lynx and the fandom had of her in the playoffs, as she addressed the loss after the game, per an X post by ClutchPoints’ Kris Pursiainen.
“Losing games is a part of it. Having games like I had is a part of it… Everyone wants to win all the time, but that’s not how it works… I have to remind myself that I’m a rookie, I’m not a 10-year vet. I have to remind myself I don’t know what I’m doing… Now, there’s no excuse… I’m ready to get it back,.”
The former TCU Horned Frogs gem has come a long way in a short amount of time, and Olivia Miles can be nothing but proud of herself, learn from her mistakes, and get back into action for the Minnesota Lynx come next season.