Despite having an incredible rookie season, Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles faced a postseason crash, ending in a foul against the New York Liberty’s floor general, Breanna Stewart. In the biggest upset yet, the first-seed Lynx were ousted by the eighth-seed Liberty 87-71 at the Barclays Center. Rookie Miles was unable to replicate her regular-season brilliance, and the Lynx bowed out of the playoffs, but not before Stewart hit the floor after the foul.

The sequence happened with around 6:30 left on the clock in the third quarter, per a clip uploaded by X user Kyle Ingram.

Stewart, who calmly dictated the play all game, was seen driving inside the paint from the left. Seeing all the open space, Stewart went for a layup. However, in an attempt to stop the basket, Olivia Miles jumped, but her hand missed the ball and caught Stewart in the face, and Stewart immediately fell to the floor.

The play was reviewed, and naturally, Miles was handed a Flagrant 1 foul at once. Stewart went on to make both her free throws to extend the Liberty’s lead to 53-39, as Miles was subbed off for Nia Brodie.

Stewart went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. She finished the game with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and was joined by Jonquel Jones, who also added 21 points. Sabrina Ionescu also gave a glimpse of her peak form, adding 18 points, four rebounds, and seven assists.

For the Lynx, Courtney Williams ‘ 18-point effort was simply not enough, as the rest of the team struggled to get on board. Kayla McBride and Napheesa Collier each finished with 14 points.

The Lynx should have taken a hint from a Liberty player’s comment before the game.

“We know we’re not a traditional eight seed,” said Sabrina Ionescu. “What’s most important is understanding it’s a new season and anything can happen in the playoffs and people have counted us out, but we haven’t counted ourselves out.”

True to their word, the Liberty have done what not many thought was possible.

For Olivia Miles, this game shows that there is still a long way to go.

Regular Season Success Did Not Materialize Into A Deep Postseason Run For Olivia Miles

Before the game, Miles had indicated that her Rookie of the Year celebrations were in the rearview mirror and the focus was fully on winning Game 2. That, however, was not the case, as the second overall pick from the 2026 draft had a woeful night.

Olivia Miles started the game slowly and did not look like the player who was averaging 19.8 points per game in the regular season. She finished the first half with just five points, and fans expected increased intensity from her in the second half. Unfortunately, she returned only for three and a half minutes in the second half and failed to add any points. She finished the game with only five points, going for just one of eight from the field.

HC Cheryl Reeve shared her thoughts after the game, hinting that Miles may not have been at the level that was required to carry the team deep into the playoffs.

“Our two best players, all season long, were Olivia Miles and Natasha Howard. Those two, when they were on the floor, we were good. When they were off the floor, we had our challenges. So, that’s the unfortunate part of it, though- credit to New York, by the way…So, trying to give her some perspective. Clearly, she is not a complete player yet.” said Reeve after the loss.

The Minnesota Lynx now must ask themselves some hard questions. This is the second year in a row that they have suffered an early exit in the playoffs, after finishing the regular season as the number one seed.

However, Cheryl Reeve views it in a different light. Rather than seeing these two seasons as a case of underachievement in the postseason, she sees this as an overachievement from a still-developing Lynx team in the regular season.

“I understand that, the Lynx franchise, because we have been successful, we have won championships, that everyone thinks it’s championship-or-bust, so when sometimes, when we have that team, that should be the case; you should feel that way, (but) I have not felt that we have had that team over these three years,” she said.

“And so what we are doing is, sort of, exceeding expectations in the regular season. And when it comes to playoffs, maybe we don’t quite have the right group to be effective when it comes to playoffs,” added Reeve.

Only time will tell if the Lynx make the moves in the offseason to make this team to Reeve’s liking, so that they are able to challenge for a deep run in the playoffs. This, admittedly, feels like an abrupt end to Olivia Miles’ historic season.