McBride, Miles Combine for 70 in Lynx Win Over Mercury
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- Kayla McBride scored 37 points and Olivia Miles added 33 — the first time in Lynx history two players reached 30 in the same game and just the fifth time league-wide a duo hit 70 combined in regulation, per ESPN Research.
- Miles became the first WNBA player — not just the first rookie — to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in 22 games; coach Cheryl Reeve said the magnitude 'shouldn't be understated' compared to any player in league history.
- Miles scored 16 of her 33 points in the fourth quarter, going 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-4 from three with three assists in the final period to seal a 104-100 win.
- The chaotic game featured 23 lead changes and 13 ties, with McBride hitting six 3-pointers — including one set up by a left-handed curveball pass from Miles to the corner.
- Phoenix Mercury have now lost four straight; veteran DeWanna Bonner, in her 17th season, called Miles' rookie IQ 'unheard of' while the Lynx noted last year's playoff elimination by Phoenix as extra motivation.
- Napheesa Collier, a former MVP candidate, has returned to practice following offseason ankle surgeries and is expected to make her season debut soon, per Reeve.
Why it matters: Miles is putting up numbers no WNBA player ever has at this stage of a season while carrying a Lynx team missing former MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, and the 70-point McBride-Miles duo performance is the kind of offensive ceiling that could reshape Minnesota's contender status once Collier returns.
