Lynx Beat the Valkyries Again — But Olivia Miles’ Ankle Could Be the Story That Really Matters

The Minnesota Lynx sent another message to the rest of the WNBA Wednesday night, beating the second-place Golden State Valkyries 77-66 at Chase Center. Minnesota jumped out to a lead as large as 22 points and improved to 30-7 while remaining perfect against Golden State, winning all nine meetings between the franchises dating back to last season. Rookie guard Olivia Miles was one of Minnesota’s biggest reasons why, scoring 20 points with seven assists and five rebounds while shooting an impressive 8-of-10 from the field. 

But the final score may not be Minnesota’s biggest concern Thursday morning. Miles left midway through the fourth quarter after suffering a left ankle injury when she stepped on teammate Napheesa Collier’s foot. The injury came during another standout performance for one of the WNBA’s top young players, and her status immediately becomes something worth watching as the league-leading Lynx move closer to the postseason.

Minnesota has already proven it can beat Golden State. Nine straight wins make that obvious. The bigger question now is whether Miles avoided anything serious. Championship contenders don’t just worry about standings in August—they worry about arriving in the playoffs healthy. For the Lynx, their latest win reinforced their position as the team to beat, but Miles’ ankle could matter far more than Wednesday night’s final score.