Only 19 games into her WNBA career, Olivia Miles had already developed a reputation as a trash talker. However, Cheryl Reeve had a simpler preference for her: “talk with the basketball.” That “chippy” edge, though, showed up again on Sunday during Game 1 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the New York Liberty. And this time, Miles appeared to have words for a ten-year veteran of the league.

With 8:19 left in the fourth quarter, Stewart drew a shooting foul from Miles with the shot clock winding down. As Stewart got up, cameras caught Miles appearing to speak toward her. Stewart shrugged it off while her teammates helped her up, and the brief exchange quickly circulated after ESPNW posted the footage, writing, “Olivia Miles tried to talk some trash to Breanna Stewart”. The clip, though, does not contain any audio of what Miles might have said.

Miles has previously said she entered the league determined not to be scared of anyone or anything, showing that mindset as soon as the practices began. During a June practice, Reeve described Miles and veteran Courtney Williams as natural comedians and competitors who “dish out trash talk” to each other.

Then came Minnesota’s June 28 win over Dallas, after which Miles addressed a tense exchange with Paige Bueckers and Jessica Shepard, saying she did not want to “get punked” simply because she was a rookie. She stressed that she was not trying to start anything, while acknowledging that she can get “triggered” during games. In the same game, Miles also picked up a technical foul after complaining to an official about a no-call, her second of the season. Reeve later said Miles was still “navigating” how to handle her frustration with officials.

It’s no secret that teams have been testing her physically all season. New York had already done so in the Sept. 18 regular-season meeting, a 93-81 Liberty win. Miles scored 20 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while New York repeatedly picked her up high and used multiple defenders against her, with the rookie also committing five turnovers.

“Listen, you can ask probably any guard in the league; they don’t want to be picked up 94 feet, and the fact that we rotated between the three of Leo, Bek, and Pauline to just be in her s*** was what we wanted to do. She still got to the rim, she still got to the free throw line, but not as efficient as she would have liked,” Stewart said back then, describing the team’s strategy against Miles.

Afterward, Miles said she was trying to understand how the officiating standard had changed, describing the new standard as a ‘free-for-all’ and saying she was trying to adjust.

The Liberty again made her work for everything in Game 1. However, the clip involving Stewart was not the only Miles sequence to draw attention and backlash online.

A clip of a physical play involving Miles and Sabrina Ionescu also began circulating during Sunday’s playoff opener. Ionescu drove toward the basket while Miles defended her, and Miles swung her right arm while attempting to make a play on the ball, catching Ionescu in the head. Ionescu staggered after landing and put both hands to her head before continuing.

That said, the Lynx committed 23 personal fouls, and Stewart went to the free-throw line 12 times. Reeve specifically criticized the fouling after the game.

“We did a solid job in the first half and then we just fouled, fouled, fouled,” Reeve said. “We can’t give her 12 free throws. Fouling at the end of the shot clock is just not smart.”

Still, it was a memorable night for Stewart. She finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks while shooting 11-for-18 from the field, becoming only the fourth player to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a playoff game. It was also Stewart’s third playoff game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. Only A’ja Wilson has more such games.

With Stewart finishing two points short of the franchise record for points in a playoff game, New York ultimately won 91-75 after Minnesota led 44-40 at halftime.

“We knew the shots that we were going to get,” Stewart said after the game, per AP. “We had a few days to really practice that and be intentional, and whenever we were able to draw two – kick it to the open person and shoot it with confidence.”

Miles, meanwhile, finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, one assist and four turnovers on 3-for-12 shooting, including 1-for-4 from three-point range.

Reeve’s assessment of the rookie’s playoff debut was simple: “Learning. She’s learning”.

“It’s hard being a rookie in your first playoffs against a matchup of a team that has been a challenge for her. I think she’s feeling it right now, but this is what we expected. It’s not easy. There’s a lot that goes with being a really good player. Some of it is being targeted and focused (on) and trying to put you in your tougher spots. She’s a smart player; she’ll figure it out,” Reeve added.

The Liberty became the first eighth seed to win Game 1 on the road in the best-of-three first-round format introduced in 2022, putting them one victory from a series win that would also make them the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed under the current format.