Coming into her rookie season some thought defense would be a weak point in her game, but she\u2019s instead flourished.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone says I can\u2019t play defense, which is funny,\u201d said Miles, \u201cYou won\u2019t play in Cheryl [Reeve\u2019s] system if you don\u2019t step up on defense, and she\u2019s teaching me a lot of new things, and how to be active on that end, but yeah, I\u2019ve always been able to kind of read plays the way I do on offense on defense, and use my cues to get some steals and blocks, but just applying myself more and being more focused on that end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miles is averaging 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game for a Lynx team that has the best defensive rating (97.5) in the league. The only guards in the league with more blocks than Miles this season are the Wings Fudd and the Seattle Storm\u2019s Flau\u2019jae Johnson.<\/a><\/p>\n Miles\u2019 has become a near constant highlight every night with ex-players like Kevin Garnett lavishing praise on her.<\/a> Just how has she become so popular so fast?<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, just beyond me, it means that women\u2019s basketball is growing. I think we\u2019re reaching new audiences. I think the NBA players are catching on now, not that they haven\u2019t before, but even more so now into watching our game and seeing how fun it can be and how different it is to their play style,\u201d said Miles. \u201cI think obviously it\u2019s the flair and the flash I play with. I think also what I\u2019ve been seeing a lot of is just the way I look and like my hair and goggles and like just the way I present myself has attracted a lot of people, which is cool. It shows a unique side of me.\u201d<\/p>\n Only 18 games into her WNBA career, Miles talked about how she\u2019s fulfilled her role in clutch time during her rookie season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really important, especially as a point guard, you know. I\u2019ve had my fair share of mistakes, for example, Washington game, I turned the ball over at the end, but I think I\u2019ve shown enough that I can be trusted in those moments,\u201d said Miles. \u201cI got it back the last Washington game we had and was able to execute down the stretch. But yeah, it\u2019s a learning curve. I think late game is really important because the margin of error in this league is very slim, and yeah, you just have to make the right plays and be willing to take risks and be smart down the stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n Miles has been just that against the Wings, winning both of her matchups against the team to start the season, the second game a 100-76 blowout, and continued her hot play in the team\u2019s 85-77 win over the Wings on Sunday at College Park Center.<\/p>\n Miles got off to a slow shooting start (1 for 6 in the first half) only making one of her first five buckets but came on shooting wise in the second half going 5 for 7 from the field.<\/p>\n She ended the game with 19 points, two rebounds and eight assists and helped to secure the Lynx\u2019s fifth win in their past six games.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n