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minnesota-lynx-top-plays-vs-golden-state-valkyries-5

Minnesota Lynx Top Plays vs. Golden State Valkyries

Analysis

When Candace Parker was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Aug. 15, we were reminded of one of her signature accomplishments: being the only player in WNBA history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season in 2008.
In 2026, another rookie has emerged as part of the WNBA MVP conversation in Olivia Miles — Minnesota’s point guard phenom, who has led the Lynx to the top of the standings all season with a masterful combination of scoring and playmaking, while delivering highlight-reel plays on a nightly basis.
How brilliant has Miles’ rookie season been? Following Friday’s win over Washington, she is averaging 20.0 points (8th in WNBA), 4.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists (6th) per game while putting up 50.1% FG, 40.4% 3P (10th) and 87.3% FT shooting splits.
Here’s the list of players that have averaged at least 19 points (note: using 19 ppg rather than 20 as Miles’ average has fluctuated between 19.8 and 20 over her past seven games), four rebounds and six assists over a full WNBA season: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Diana Taurasi (2013): 20.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.2 apg</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Candace Parker (2015): 19.4 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 6.3 apg</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Caitlin Clark (2024): 19.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 8.4 apg</li>
</ul>
That’s it. That’s the entire list over the league’s first 29 seasons. Miles is on pace to join Clark as the only rookies to accomplish the feat. When looking at the greatest debut seasons in league history, only five rookies have ever earned All-WNBA First Team honors: Clark in 2024, Parker in 2008, Taurasi in 2004, as well as Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings in 2002. Miles is poised to make that a list of six.
&#8220;She has a maturity about her,&#8221; Reeve said following Wednesday’s win over Golden State in a clash of the league’s top two teams in the standings. &#8220;That&#8217;s a rookie. It&#8217;s high stakes, and you know she is going to be targeted and part of the other team&#8217;s game plan. &#8230; She has a natural maturity for the position that she plays, recognizing what was being given to her, and she was opportunistic.&#8221;
The key to Miles’ MVP and All-WNBA campaigns goes well beyond her numbers; it’s how she led the Lynx to a 21-6 record while Napheesa Collier — the league MVP runner-up each of the past two seasons — recovered from offseason ankle surgeries. 
Only July 22, Collier made her season debut in Minnesota’s final game before the All-Star break. Any thoughts that the team would need an adjustment period to effectively reincorporate her back into the lineup went out the window immediately. From Day 1, the on-court bond between Miles and Collier was apparent and nightmare-inducing for opposing teams across the league.
The Lynx are a league-best 10-1 since Collier returned to the lineup, including statement wins over the three teams directly below them in the standings: Indiana (Aug. 2), Las Vegas (Aug. 8 &amp; 15) and Golden State (Aug. 19). At 31-7 on the season, the Lynx hold a five-game lead (and head-to-head tiebreaker) over the second-place Valkyries as they march toward locking up the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the second straight season.
<hr />
Minnesota’s Stats Since Collier’s Return
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">93.5 Points Per Game: 4th in the WNBA, up 1.8 per game since Collier’s return</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">117.2 Offensive Rating: 2nd in the WNBA, up 4.6 points per 100 possessions</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">57.1 Effective FG%: 2nd in the WNBA, up 2.7 percentage points</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">23.1 Assists Per Game: 3rd in the WNBA, up 1.6 per game</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">11.5 Turnovers Per Game: 2nd in the WNBA, down 2.1 per game</li>
</ul>
Over her first 10 games back (she did not play in Friday&#8217;s win over Washington), Collier has averaged 19.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals in just under 30 minutes per game. After becoming only the second WNBA player to ever post a 50-40-90 shooting season a year ago, Collier is shooting 51.5% from the field, a career-high 47.4% from 3-point range and 86.5% on free throws so far this season.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-269832" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR.png" alt="" width="900" height="900" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR.png 2048w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR-300x300.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR-150x150.png 150w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR-768x768.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/PR-1536x1536.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
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Collier also leads all players in points per possession (1.533) in pick-and-roll offense (including passes), per Synergy Sports. This is where her connection with Miles has stood out, as they have created one of the most dangerous pick-and-roll combos in the league this season.
What makes them so dangerous in the pick-and-roll? 
First, both have to be equally respected as scoring threats from the inside and outside (they both shoot over 40% on 3-pointers), forcing defenses into an impossible decision:  Do they blitz Miles and leave Collier open to roll or pop? Do they drop their big to prevent the roll from Collier and allow Miles to shoot from 3-point or midrange? Do they try to switch and not get burned by mismatches either with Miles’ speed and craftiness with the ball against a big, or with Collier’s size and skill against a smaller guard?
<hr />
Here are a few examples of Miles-Collier pick-and-rolls that showcase their on-court chemistry, which looks well beyond their 10 games as teammates so far.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-269835" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/image4.gif" alt="" width="700" height="394" />
In this example, Collier sets a left wing screen for Miles, and the Aces trap Miles at the top of the key with A’ja Wilson leaving Collier to help prevent a Miles drive. Collier rolls into the wide-open lane and Miles passes over the double to Collier for the finish before help can rotate over.
<hr />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-269836" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/image5.gif" alt="" width="700" height="394" />
This time, the Collier screen comes up top beyond the 3-point line. As both Dallas defenders stay with Miles as she drives right toward the elbow, Collier screens for Kayla McBride cutting up toward the 3-point line before continuing her roll to the basket. Miles fakes a pass to McBride and finds an open Collier for the layup. All three players execute this perfectly, showcasing Miles’ court vision.
<hr />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-269837" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/image2.gif" alt="" width="700" height="394" />
This right wing pick-and-roll sees Collier’s defender drop in her coverage, putting two defenders on Miles and none on Collier, who pops out to the 3-point line. Miles dribbles into the defenders, sealing them at the elbow before hitting Collier with a behind-the-back pass for a wide-open 3 and celebration. 
<hr />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-269838" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/image3.gif" alt="" width="700" height="394" />
Our final example doesn’t even require a screen as the Lynx spread the floor — Collier (47.4% on 3s) and Nia Coffey (38.9%) in the corners, McBride (42.6%) and Courtney Williams (36.1%) on the wings — leaving Miles (who ranks 4th in points per game on isolation plays) with the paint wide-open and a one-on-one matchup outside the 3-point line. Miles beats her defender off the bounce, drives into the lane, causing the defense to collapse. Collier’s defender puts two feet in the paint, and Miles sprays the pass to the corner for another wide-open 3.
<hr />
The Collier layups and 3-pointers above account for only four of the 19 assists from Miles to Collier through their first 10 games together. What do they all have in common? Wide-open looks for Collier as the Lynx offense has been highly efficient when these two stars share the floor.
The Lynx have a 122.3 offensive rating (and 60.7 effective field goal percentage) in the 257 minutes that they have played together compared to 119.9 overall for Collier and 115.6 overall for Miles this season. Those individual marks are strong, but their combined mark is outstanding. When combined with their 105.3 defensive rating, the Lynx have outscored opponents by 17.0 points per 100 possessions when Miles and Collier play together.
Perhaps the scariest part of this early impression from Miles and Collier is that they’re already this good together just 10 games into their run as teammates. The more time they share the court, the more Miles will learn Collier’s tendencies, and the more Collier’s gravity will open space for Miles to break down defenses.
Minnesota has six regular-season games remaining to continue to build that on-court chemistry before they return to the playoffs in search of an unprecedented fifth WNBA title. The postseason will not only provide a strong test of this new Lynx superstar partnership, but it also gives them the opportunity to place themselves in the conversation among the top duos in team and league history.
Note: All stats and rankings through games played on Friday, Aug. 21

a-dangerous-duo-developing-in-minnesota

A Dangerous Duo Developing in Minnesota

Power Rankings

A lot can happen in a single week at this point in the season.
When Week 13 began on Monday, Aug. 17, two teams had clinched playoff berths (Minnesota and Las Vegas) and two teams had been eliminated (Seattle and Connecticut).
Now, just seven days later, all but one playoff berth has been clinched, and that can be locked up as early as Tuesday. Of course, there is still the race for the home-court advantage, as well as matchups to be determined as teams jockey for playoff position over the closing weeks of the season.
But as the league gets set for a 16-day pause at the end of this week in order to allow players to compete in the 2026 FIBA World Cup, the playoff picture they will return to is becoming more clear by the day.
<h3>✅ Who’s In</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Minnesota (31-7)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Golden State (25-11)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Las Vegas (26-13)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Atlanta (24-13)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Indiana (25-14)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">New York (23-15)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Washington (22-15)</li>
</ul>
<h3>🏀 Who’s In The Hunt</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Dallas (22-16)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Portland (15-22)</li>
</ul>
<h3>❌ Who’s Out</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Chicago (15-23)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Los Angeles (13-24)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Phoenix (13-24)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Toronto (11-26)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Connecticut (9-27)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Seattle (7-31)</li>
</ul>
Note: All stats and records through games played on Sunday, Aug. 23.
<hr />
<h2>✅ 1.  Minnesota Lynx (31-7) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at GSV, Sun. at ATL</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_269826" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269826" class="wp-image-269826" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291477857-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Olivia Miles #5 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
With wins over Golden State and Washington last week, the Lynx have won six straight and 16 of their last 17 games. They have a chance to wrap up the No. 1 overall seed for the second straight year with another win over the Valkyries on Monday. When they met on Wednesday, Olivia Miles exited in the fourth quarter after rolling her ankle. However, the rookie was back on the court two days later to lead the Lynx over the Mystics while Minnesota rested Napheesa Collier after she helped Minnesota go 9-1 in her first 10 games of the season. 
<hr />
<h2>✅ 2. Golden State Valkyries (25-11) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at MIN, Wed. at CON, Thu. at NYL, Sun. at POR</li>
</ul>
Golden State is coming off consecutive losses, and has Las Vegas, Atlanta and Indiana on its heels for the No. 2 spot behind Minnesota. As they enter a new week, can the Valkyries repeat a pattern we’ve seen from them since early June where two straight losses are followed by a win streak?
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">June 4-6: Two losses followed by four straight wins</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">June 19-21: Two losses followed by nine straight wins</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">July 20-29: Two losses followed by six straight wins</li>
</ul>
The Valkyries hit the road for four games this week, including stops in Minnesota and New York to face fellow playoff-bound teams.
<hr />
<h2>✅ 3. Indiana Fever (25-14) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Fri. vs. CON</li>
</ul>
Kelsey Mitchell (24.8 ppg, 2nd in WNBA) and Caitlin Clark (22.1 ppg, 3rd) continue to be the best scoring duo in the league. This past week, they set the mark for most games in a season in which teammates both score at least 20 points. The record is now at 18 games and counting after both dropped over 30 in Sunday’s win over Chicago. That was their third such performance as teammates — the most ever. 
<hr />
<h2>✅ 4. Las Vegas Aces (26-13) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Fri. vs. TOR</li>
</ul>
Despite a loss to Atlanta to open last week, the Aces still hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Dream by winning the season series 2-1. Las Vegas responded to that loss with consecutive wins over Connecticut and Toronto to pull within a half-game of Golden State for the No. 2 seed. One stat to keep in mind down the stretch: the Aces have the easiest strength of schedule, based on their remaining opponent’s win percentage.
<hr />
<h2>✅ 5. Atlanta Dream (24-13) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at LAS, Fri. vs. POR, Sun. vs. MIN</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_269827" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269827" class="wp-image-269827" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291078449-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />The Atlanta Dream</div>
After a tough overtime loss to Indiana last Sunday, the Dream bounced back with three straight wins, including a pair of brilliant performances from Angel Reese. In Thursday’s win at Los Angeles, Reese had a perfect shooting night, going 9-for-9 from the field with two 3-pointers, finishing with 20 points, 10 boards, eight assists and three steals. Two nights later in Phoenix, Reese dropped a career-high 31 points on 14-for-21 shooting, while adding 14 rebounds and four steals.
<hr />
<h2>✅ 6. New York Liberty (23-15) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thu. vs. GSV, Sat. vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
New York opened last week with a loss to Chicago as former Liberty guard Natasha Cloud scored a career-high 35 points. The Liberty responded with an important win over Indiana as it prevented the Fever from earning the head-to-head tiebreaker. With seeds 2-6 currently separated by just three games, tiebreakers may be needed at season’s end. New York holds the tiebreaker over Las Vegas (2-1), leads Atlanta (1-0, two games to play), is tied with Indy (2-2) and lost to Golden State (0-2, one game to play).
<hr />
<h2>✅ 7. Washington Mystics (22-15) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at PHX, Thu. at PHX, Fri. at LAS</li>
</ul>
On Sunday, Shakira Austin scored a career-best 31 points to go with 10 rebounds as Washington rallied from 14 points down to earn a 105-100 win over Portland. That victory coupled with Chicago’s loss to Indiana clinched Washington’s first playoff appearance since 2023. At No. 7, the Mystics are two games back of the coveted No. 4 seed, which brings home-court advantage in the first round. Washington will face only one playoff team the rest of the season as they try to climb the standings.
<hr />
<h2>🏀 8. Dallas Wings (22-16) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. POR, Sun. vs. CON</li>
</ul>
Paige Bueckers dropped 32 points and splashed a career-high six 3-pointers (without a miss!) in Sunday’s win over Seattle. It was Dallas’ second straight win following a stretch of five losses in six games. The Wings can earn their first playoff berth since 2023 with a home win over Portland on Tuesday. Dallas enters the week up 5.5 games on the Fire with six games to play. A win on Tuesday would complete the eight teams headed to the postseason, with only the battle for positioning remaining.
<hr />
<h2>🏀 9. Portland Fire (15-22) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at DAL, Fri. at ATL, Sun. vs. GSV</li>
</ul>
The Fire dropped a pair of close games this past week to put their playoff hopes on the brink when they visit Dallas on Tuesday. If Portland’s recent play is any indication, expect the Fire’s matchup with the Wings to come down to the wire. Each of Portland’s last five games have been decided by five points or less, with the Fire going 2-3 in those contests; they are 10-8 overall in clutch games this season.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 10. Chicago Sky (15-23) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at CON, Sat. at NYL</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_269828" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269828" class="wp-image-269828" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2291624573-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Sydney Taylor #12 and Natasha Cloud #9 of the Chicago Sky</div>
The Sky entered last week with slim playoff hopes and a gauntlet of tough opponents. They started strong with wins over New York and Golden State — the latter courtesy of a game-winning 3-pointer by Sydney Taylor with 0.6 seconds left — but were unable to sweep the week as they fell to Indiana on Sunday. That loss coupled with Washington’s win over Portland officially eliminated Chicago from the playoffs for a third straight year.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 11. Phoenix Mercury (13-24) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. WAS, Thu. vs. WAS, Sat. vs. TOR</li>
</ul>
In their lone game of the week, the Mercury got a 38-point effort from Kahleah Copper and a triple-double from Alyssa Thomas (extending her WNBA record to 22 in the regular season), but it was not enough to fend off Angel Reese and the Dream. With the loss, the Mercury were officially eliminated from the playoffs following an appearance in the Finals last season, something not seen in the WNBA since the 2008 Mercury.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 12. Los Angeles Sparks (13-24) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. ATL, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at SEA</li>
</ul>
The Sparks were also eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Dream this past week, marking L.A.’s sixth straight year without a postseason appearance. We must give a shout out to Nneka Ogwumike, who announced her plans to retire at season’s end since our last rankings were published. With the Sparks out of the playoff picture, enjoy the final seven WNBA games from Madame President.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 13. Seattle Storm (7-31) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. TOR, Sun. vs. LAS</li>
</ul>
While the Storm have dropped three straight and 14 of their last 15 games, the focus continues to be on developing their young talent with eyes toward the future. Rookies Flau’jae Johnson and Awa Fam, as well as second-year player Dominique Malonga, rank in the top four in both minutes and points for the Storm this season. And all three players are 22 years old or younger.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 14. Connecticut Sun (9-27) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. CHI, Wed. vs. GSV, Fri. at IND, Sun. at DAL</li>
</ul>
For the third straight year, the Sun played a home game at Boston’s TD Garden. And for the second time in those three games, the Sun defeated the Sparks. Connecticut was led by former Sparks draft pick Olivia Nelson-Ododa, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, matching her career total from her first four seasons in the WNBA. This week, Connecticut has two of its four remaining home games at Mohegan Sun Arena before they relocate to Houston in the offseason.
<hr />
<h2>❌ 15. Toronto Tempo (11-26) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at SEA, Fri. at LVA, Sat. at PHX</li>
</ul>
The Tempo snapped a 12-game skid on Friday with a win over Portland in a clash of expansion teams. While wins have been scarce for the Tempo since a 9-9 start to their inaugural season, the play of Marina Mabrey has been a highlight. She ranks in the top five in the WNBA in scoring (20.8 ppg) and 3-pointers made (105), posting career-best marks in both categories.

2026-power-rankings-week-13

2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 13

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WILD ENDING: Washington Mystics vs. Minnesota Lynx (08/21/2026)

Top Performer

olivia-miles-points-leader-in-washington-mystics-vs-minnesota-lynx-top-points

Olivia Miles with 24 Points vs. Washington Mystics

minnesota-lynx-top-plays-vs-washington-mystics-3

Minnesota Lynx Top Plays vs. Washington Mystics

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Highlights From Olivia Miles 7-Assist Game

As we get closer to the WNBA’s mid-year break for FIBA World Cup play, the league’s race for Most Valuable Player continues to gain some clarity…or so you’d think. 
The individual talent across the league is astounding, which any long-time fan could’ve told you, but 2026 has offered a specific masterclass in proving that point. We have an excellent mix of stalwart superstardom seeking to continue their dominance, rookies taking the league by absolute storm, and players who have been managing unfortunate early-career injuries finally piecing things together on their way towards MVP contention. 
These are the storylines that are shaping this year’s MVP race (so far). And, they’re what have informed this MVP ranking, in addition to statistics provided by the WNBA stats site. 
All statistics provided are current through August 18, and filtered to cover players who have appeared in at least 30 games this year.
<hr />
<h2>A’ja Wilson</h2>
<div id="attachment_269549" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269549" class="wp-image-269549" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="717" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-300x239.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-1024x815.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-768x612.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-1536x1223.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2288392811-1-2048x1631.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
This will be prefaced by saying that the race between A’ja Wilson and her closest competition for a fifth (and second consecutive) MVP award is very, very tight. Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find a two-way player quite as consistently dominant as Wilson. An on-off switch isn’t something you see in stars as easily as you do in Wilson, especially over the Aces’ last few seasons. But that’s exactly what she’s done to help keep Las Vegas chugging along as a powerhouse, exhibiting what it means to be a most valuable player. 
By the numbers, Wilson is the most impactful player in the WNBA with 30 games played or more (PIE of 21.2, which measures total game points, rebounds, assists, and other in-game events relative to everyone else on the court). She has a true shooting percentage of 62, is en route to her third scoring title, and leads the Aces in usage at 32 percent (leading the league). She’s averaging 26.1 points per game along with 9.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals. 
She could break her own scoring title record (1,021 points in 2024) this season, and would need to average at least 19 points per game to do so. As that’s her average now, it doesn’t feel far-fetched to imagine that she breaks that record with ease. 
Defensively, her prowess at the rim deters teams from trying to get too much going in the paint. The Aces are averaging 5.1 blocks per game as a team, which leads the WNBA through August 18, and they’re allowing just 38.7 points in the paint per game. 
Wilson’s defensive win shares of 0.130 don’t really paint the full picture as it pertains to her impact on that end of the floor. Her defensive rebounding helps keep opponents’ second-chance point opportunities lower (Las Vegas is only allowing, which, coupled with her league-leading blocks average, creates a huge advantage against almost every other center in the league. 
Oh, and her on/off numbers for the Aces are stark: on the court, their net rating is 11.0. Off the court, Las Vegas’ net rating sinks to -16.6. 
Wilson’s dominance has become so commonplace that it might feel…boring. And that’s a huge disservice to the value she’s had on the Aces this season. Without her on the court, they’ve gone 0-2 against teams above .500 &#8211; the New York Liberty and Indiana Fever &#8211; in blowout losses. 
Las Vegas’ remaining strength of schedule is the easiest in the WNBA, which might impact her campaign slightly. Obviously, she should be expected to dominate teams such as the Connecticut Sun, Toronto Tempo, Phoenix Mercury, and Los Angeles Sparks. That doesn’t really move the needle as proof of her value to the Aces, but the rest of her season and its impact on Las Vegas’ playoff seeding should do the trick. 
<hr />
<h2>Olivia Miles</h2>
<div id="attachment_269550" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269550" class="wp-image-269550" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2281799299-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Olivia Miles #5 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
Olivia Miles has never seen a defensive coverage she didn’t want to take immediate advantage of, nor has she seen a perimeter threat she didn’t want to take on with her own defensive toolbox. 
The Minnesota Lynx rookie simply plays like anything but one, and it has propelled her towards the top of this MVP ladder. When speaking about the semantics of “most valuable player,” Miles fits the bill &#8211; what player has had the greatest impact on winning? 
Minnesota was without Napheesa Collier for much of this season, and it did little to curb their potency on either end of the floor. Obviously, help from the rest of the Lynx’s supporting cast &#8211; Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Natasha Howard, and Nia Coffey &#8211; has helped to keep them atop the league standings for, well, the entire year. But you don’t get there without a floor general as confident and pro-ready as Miles on hand. 
Her usage rate this season (26.2 percent) ranks highest for the Lynx (min. 30 games played). Despite that rate of usage on offense, she’s still hitting all the right notes with her shooting and passing: a true shooting percentage of 61.2, a near 50/40/90 split through 34 games played, and a net rating of 115.5 for Minnesota when she’s on the court (104.5 when off). From a pure record standpoint, Minnesota is 1-1 without Miles on the floor. 
The rookie was also the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 650 or more points, along with 200 or more assists. She also broke Caitlin Clark’s previous rookie record for most three-pointers scored in a game this season. She’d be the first rookie to win the award since Candace Parker in 2008, who also won ROTY that season with the Los Angeles Sparks. That awards sweep came after she averaged 18.3 points per game along with 2.3 blocks, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and a 53.5 effective field goal percentage. 
Parker’s two-way dominance really helped her case for winning MVP, and finishing fourth in DPOY voting &#8211; Miles doesn’t necessarily have that level of defensive dominance just yet. However, her impact is still felt on that end of the floor because of her great hands and transition work following turnovers. 
Her defensive win shares of 0.158 put Miles atop all rookies in the category, and she has led in that category for quite some time. Of course, she benefits greatly from the length and defensive prowess of the Lynx as a unit. 
Miles’ one area for improvement is her assist-to-turnover ratio. Right now, she sits at 1.95 in that category, which is middling in the league amongst players with at least 30 or more games played. Cleaning that up will be critical down the stretch for Minnesota and for Miles in her pursuit of the first MVP-ROTY award sweep since Parker. 
The argument for a rookie in this case is double-sided: indeed, Miles contributed greatly to Minnesota’s dominance this year without Collier, which speaks volumes about her potential as a superstar in the league. But this award isn’t about potential, but about present impact as an individual on the team. The Lynx’s roster, top to bottom, is so sound that her impact becomes a bit blurred, as unfair as that is. However, because she is a rookie performing to this level, her case should be weighed more heavily in her favor, and not against it. 
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<h2>Caitlin Clark</h2>
<div id="attachment_269551" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-269551" class="wp-image-269551" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="616" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-300x205.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-1024x701.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-768x526.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-1536x1052.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/08/GettyImages-2285925104-2048x1402.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever</div>
After a slower start to the year from the third-year guard, Caitlin Clark has stormed into the MVP race alongside a surging Indiana Fever team. 
After an injury-riddled 2025, which saw her barely take the floor, Clark has returned with averages of 22.1 points per game, 8.3 assists (leading the league), and 3.8 rebounds. Her true shooting percentage of 60.6 is really solid, considering her efficiency woes early in her WNBA career and the fact that she has the second-highest usage in the league among players with at least 30 games played (30.9 percent). 
Thanks in part to Clark, Indiana is steadily climbing the standings. They’re currently in third place, seeking to stave off the Aces for the third seed. They do have the seventh-hardest schedule remaining based on their opponent&#8217;s winning percentage, which could be a thorn in their side with the Aces holding the easiest remaining schedule by far. 
An area of Clark’s game that remains an issue is her turnovers. She leads the league there, and there have been a few occasions in clutch time when Clark has been unable to close games out because of costly turnovers. She’s accepted responsibility in this area, but it’s definitely a knock on her MVP campaign &#8211; you can’t be the most valuable member of your team if you’re also the most hurtful in moments of major need. 
Turnovers aside, her impact on the Fever based on on/off data is also a bit concerning. Indiana’s net rating with Clark on the court is 5.3. Off the court, it rises to 11.3. That makes her the third-most negatively impactful player on their net rating so far this season. 
Of course, her heater of a run throughout August so far has helped propel her up this ladder. This month, Clark is averaging 23.7 points per game and 9.3 assists, while the team is 5-2 heading into their final few contests ahead of the FIBA World Cup break. Indiana also leads the league in points per game (96.4), field goal percentage (48.8), and offensive rating (115), all areas Clark has been impacting with her play lately. 
As mentioned, Indiana’s upcoming schedule could be what boosts her case, but it’ll be hard for her to overcome the story that is Miles’ ROTY case getting folded into an MVP run, or Wilson’s strong quest for her fifth MVP honor. It’s difficult for guards &#8211; guards weaker defensively, at that &#8211; to leapfrog players like Wilson in this regard.

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Race to 2026 Kia WNBA MVP: Wilson, Miles, Clark on Top

Betting + Odds

The playoff push is officially here! We&#8217;re just over a month away from the start of the postseason, and the competition is as hot as ever. Minnesota continues to hold firmly onto the top spot, while the Aces and Valkyries battle back and forth for the second seed. Indiana&#8217;s offense has been red-hot, even after a loss to Dallas, making the possibility of a shake-up at the top very real.
Let’s go over the <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=game-lines&amp;subcategory=game">WNBA odds</a> for Friday and Saturday’s games and I’ll provide my best bets on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Stay locked into the WNBA’s 30th season with game previews, player props, betting splits and more on <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/draftkings-sportsbook-betting-splits/?tb_eg=94682&amp;tb_edate=n7days&amp;tb_emt=0">DraftKingsNetwork.com!</a>
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<h2>Friday, August 21</h2>
Minnesota Lynx at Washington Mystics (7:30 p.m. ET) — MIN -2.5, O/U 166.5
Golden State Valkyries at Chicago Sky (7:30 p.m. ET) — GSV -6.5, O/U 163.5
Portland Fire at Toronto Tempo (10:00 p.m. ET) — TOR -2.5, O/U 182.5
Best Bets
Olivia Miles 20+ Points (+105)
*Note: Olivia Miles (ankle) is probable for Friday’s game against the Mystics.
The engine running the current favorite to win the Finals, the Minnesota Lynx, continues to impress throughout her rookie season. In just over three months in the league, Miles is averaging 19.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists while displaying a court IQ that rivals some current veterans. The 23-year-old&#8217;s ability to captain the ship of a talented offense right out of the gate, while also contributing defensively on the boards and with steals, makes her an easy front-runner for Rookie of the Year. She&#8217;s also scored 20+ points in four of her last five games, which is exactly why I&#8217;m backing her to do it again on Friday.
Kamilla Cardoso 9+ Rebounds (-117)
Cardoso has been a double-double machine lately, notching three double-doubles in her last four games, including back-to-back performances in her last two. The Sky center has been getting plenty of buckets as well, averaging 17.6 PPG over her last five. However, there&#8217;s a reason I&#8217;m not riding with her to record another double-double tonight. Simply put, the Valkyries&#8217; defense is suffocating, allowing just 76.7 points per game to opponents (1st) with a 101.2 defensive rating. Golden State is notoriously defensive-minded but isn&#8217;t dominant on the glass, sitting 11th in the league in RPG. That&#8217;s where Cardoso can go off, and I&#8217;m liking the play here for her to notch 9+ boards.
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<h2>Saturday, August 22</h2>
Indiana Fever at New York Liberty (7:00 p.m. ET) — IND -1.5, O/U 187.5
Connecticut Sun at Los Angeles Spark (9:00 p.m. ET) — LAS -3.5, O/U 169.5
Atlanta Dream at Pheonix Mercury (10:00 p.m. ET) — ATL -4.5, O/U 176.5
Best Bets
IND -1.5 (-110)
There’s no denying the raw, incredible offensive talent Indiana has. After a slower start to the season, the Fever have shot up to the top of the offensive rankings, leading the league in points per game (96.1) and field goal percentage (48.6%). Kelsey Mitchell continues to lead the charge, averaging 27.4 points per game over her last five, while Caitlin Clark’s role as the floor general keeps the engine going.
New York has plenty of talent as well, averaging 90.2 points per game as a unit, but defensively, the Liberty have slipped a bit, allowing the seventh-most points per game to opponents. I’m expecting a close contest, but I feel the Fever will bounce back with a win after being humbled by Dallas.
&nbsp;
All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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WNBA Best Bets, Predictions for August 21-22 on DraftKings Sportsbook

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Olivia Miles Points Leader in Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx - Top Points

Latest

Olivia Miles

College:
<ul>
<li class="p1">Led TCU to a 32-6 record, a Big 12 regular season championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament&#8217;s Elite Eight in 2025-26, earning consensus First Team All-America honors</li>
<li class="p1">Averaged 19.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 6.6 apg and 1.79 spg while starting all 38 games (35.4 mpg) in her lone season with the Horned Frogs</li>
<li class="p1">Shot 48.1% from the floor, 35.1% (73-for-208) from three-point distance and 83.9% (135-for-161) from the FT line while setting school single-season records for points (744), field goals (268) and assists (252)</li>
<li class="p1">Spent five seasons at Notre Dame, beginning in January 2021 as an early enrollee; she was sidelined for the 2023-24 campaign after suffering a torn right ACL at Louisville on Feb. 26, 2023 that ended her sophomore year</li>
<li class="p1">Tallied 15.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 5.8 apg while starting all 34 games in 2024-25 (33.0 mpg), shooting 48.3% from the field, a career-best 40.6% (73-for-180) from beyond the arc and 79.0% from the line</li>
<li class="p1">Averaged 14.3 ppg (46.0%), 7.3 rpg, 6.9 apg and 2.07 spg in 28 games before suffering the knee injury in 2022-23, and contributed 13.7 ppg (45.5%), 5.7 rpg, 7.4 apg and 1.79 spg in 33 contests (33.3 mpg) in 2021-22</li>
<li class="p1">Became the first freshman in NCAA Tournament history (women&#8217;s or men&#8217;s) to notch a triple-double, totaling 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists vs. Massachusetts on Mar. 19, 2022</li>
<li class="p1">Finished her college career with 2,174 points, 878 rebounds, 906 assists and 239 steals</li>
</ul>
International (Team USA):
<ul>
<li class="p1">Made her senior team debut in USA Basketball&#8217;s gold-medal-winning effort at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile</li>
<li class="p1">Averaged 6.9 ppg (52.8%), 5.3 rpg, 7.1 apg and 1.43 spg in seven contests (20.2 mpg)</li>
</ul>