After trailing 2-0 against the Minnesota Lynx this season, the Dallas Wings must have wanted to shut down the opponents. While their defense helped limit rookie Olivia Miles to just seven points in the first half, they could not hold the fort for long enough. As the rookie easily took on the veterans, frustration got to Paige Bueckers, and things got chippy between the two players. But if you ask Miles, she only plays defense when it comes to trash talk.
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“I don’t start it, guys. I do not start. I’m not trying to start anything,” Miles told the reporters in her postgame presser. “I usually just kind of get triggered by something, and I don’t want to get punked out there just because I’m a rookie.
“So I try to hold my own. It’s not who I want to be, but it’s just the competitiveness in me. I just try to respond.”
Miles and Jessica Shepard were having a go at each other all night. But at one point, Bueckers had had enough. With 3:18 left in the second quarter and the Lynx leading 39-26, Shepard was dribbling towards the basket. Just then, Miles, who was initially guarding Bueckers, ran towards Shepard and rammed into her while trying to create a screen. The collision sent Miles to the ground in front of the scorer’s table. As soon as she stood up, Bueckers was almost in the rookie’s face.
“What are you gonna do?” Bueckers was caught saying repeatedly.
Miles kept saying something while shaking her head and hands in denial. A referee kept the two at a distance as Kayla McBride took away her teammate. This was far from being the only incident for Miles in this game.
The Dallas Wings were doing all they could to stop Miles, including being physical with the young point guard. It left Miles frustrated as she shot only 1-5 from the field. Four of her seven points in the first 20 minutes of the game came from free throws.
When the third quarter was ticking down, Miles tried to bring the ball up the court. Once again, she was met with physicality as the point guard lost her handle. Miles unloaded on the referee, protesting the no-call for the play. She was immediately handed her second technical of the season, taking her fine total to $1000. Her first tech came against the Portland Fire earlier this month.
Her coach, Cheryl Reeve, does not mind the fire, but at the same time, she wants to prevent her rookie from getting the heat.
“I think there are two different things there. There were a lot of conversations being had in the game among the players. That’s different from when Liv got her technical,” Reeve said. “We want Liv to leave the officiating to us.
“She’s still navigating that space because she’s very passionate. We just don’t want her to spend money on that kind of thing. She can stand up for herself when players are giving it to her, both verbally and basketball-wise. I want her to talk with the basketball. She did both today.”
After a disappointing first half, Olivia Miles fired back in the second. As the clock was winding down in the fourth quarter, the Dallas Wings were again scratching their heads on how to stop Miles.
So much so that when Miles crossed over Maddy Siegrist, the Wings player tried to swat the ball off Miles from behind, which did not go smoothly. Her goggles popped out as she regained composure from the foul. However, a wry smile followed as she egged on the College Park Center crowd. The foul was eventually deemed a flagrant 1 on Siegrist.
Miles ended her Sunday outing with 21 points on 6-of-13 from the field and eight assists. It was just another game where Olivia Miles proved she is not afraid to fight fire with fire.
