LOS ANGELES -- Olivia Miles set a WNBA rookie record with 24 first-half points on her way to a career-high 31, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 99-83 on Wednesday night.
Miles, the No. 2 draft pick, made 10 of 11 shots in the first half, including both of her 3-point attempts. The rookie record for any half is held by Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who scored 28 in the second half Aug. 20, 2025.
Miles' 31 points are the most by a rookie this season, passing Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor, who had 30 in an overtime loss to the Indiana Fever last week. It's also the highest-scoring game by a Lynx rookie since Monica Wright matched the franchise rookie record with 32 points in 2010.
"She's good," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "She's talented, and it's what I said pregame, she's super skilled, so we were trying to mix things up. We didn't execute it exactly how we hoped to all the time. But you have to just tip your hat to her. She's a great player with a lot of skill. Her ballhandling and vision is what separates her."
Miles, who leads all rookies in scoring this season at 19.0 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists, finished 12-of-15 from the field and had four rebounds and four assists. Wednesday's performance marked her fifth game of at least 20 points.
Natasha Howard had 15 points and nine rebounds, Kayla McBride scored 14 points and Courtney Williams added 13 points and five assists for the Lynx (12-3), who have won 10 of their past 11. Nia Coffey had a career-high five steals.
Rae Burrell led the Sparks (7-8) with 19 points. Rookie Jihyun Park, who went into the game with six points this season, had 13. Dearica Hamby had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Nneka Ogwumike added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Los Angeles star Kelsey Plum, who averages 25 points, did not play due to a leg injury.
Williams hit a midrange jumper that gave Minnesota the lead for good and followed with a 3-pointer that made it 23-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Research was used in this report.