The Toronto Tempo’s game against the Portland Fire on Saturday wasn’t quite the bounce back they’d imagined. The Tempo dropped their second game in a row, losing to the Fire 99 – 80.
While the result is disappointing for us Tempo fans, this game did more to shed light on the fact that Portland might really have a better team than we gave them credit for going into the season.
We break down the Good, the Bad, and the Outlook.
The Good
Admittedly, this game did not feature many things on the “good” side for the Tempo. The one bright spot was rookie Kiki Rice who contributed 19 points on very efficient 8 – 11 shooting. Kiki confirmed what she’s already shown us – that she’s lethal in transition. Whether on her own steals or a Tempo stop, Kiki’s fastbreaks showed off her strength and angles on the layup, or the right read to a teammate.
In this game, we also saw her knack to never give up on plays, finding the ball on two separate broken plays, including one where she missed a jumper, got the offensive rebound, then gets fouled for two free throws.
In the first half, Marina Mabrey looked like she was going to be another bright spot in the game. Mabrey scored 15 of her 19 points and dished out 7 of her 8 assists in the first half. With a 44 – 44 half time score it was looking like it was going to be an exciting game – until the Tempo’s wheels fell.
The Bad
Unfortunately, the Tempo were not particularly impressive on either side of the court. On offense, the Tempo relied too much on the 3-ball, which they made only six in twenty-five attempts and shot 24%. Meanwhile, Portland hit eleven of their twenty-three 3’s, shooting 48% from 3.
On defense, the Tempo’s lackadaisical defensive intensity and energy was evident. Portland created consistent advantage running their pick-and-roll resulting in easy layups or kickouts to one of their wing players if help defense came in from the Tempo. They ran it so many times that it felt like groundhog day – it worked every single time.
Portland’s bigs also bullied us this game. Whether it was Emily Engstler, Nyadiew Puoch, Luisa Geiselsoder, Serah Williams, or Megan Gustafson, they simply outmuscle us in the low post or going to the basket and it put the Tempo on their heels all game long.
Lastly, our transition defense was also notably poor. In total, the Tempo had 17 turnovers and Portland scored 28 points from those turnovers. To compare, the Tempo caused 14 turnovers and only got 13 points off those turnovers.
And this is where we have to tip our hat off to Portland. While this team does not feature a lot of household names, they have carved out an identity in a short amount of time. This team is already known for their athleticism, rabid defense, and constant ball pressure. They have already beaten the New York Liberty twice and are quickly changing perceptions of what they can accomplish this season. Simply put, the Fire are not going to be pushovers this season and the Tempo saw that firsthand.
The Outlook
Perhaps it was the fact that the Tempo played 6 games in 11 days. Or, as Coach Sandy Brondello said after the game, “We’re facing some adversity, and sometimes you need to get slapped in the face to make some change and be better.” Either way, the Tempo have to play better and they have had a few days rest to regroup.
Up next for Toronto is the Chicago Sky. Currently, Chicago ranks second in lowest opponent field goal percentage, which means the Tempo are up against another strong defensive squad.
Since their disastrous 2025 season, the Sky have dramatically changed their roster this offseason with both brilliant and headscratching moves. One thing is for certain. By getting players such as Skyler Diggins, Azura Stevens, and Natasha Cloud, the Sky clearly want to win now. Unfortunately, during their strong start to the season, their young and upcoming star, Rickea Jackson, went down with a torn ACL and is now out for the season. Since that injury, the Sky have also endured back-to-back losses.
Both teams will be looking to take advantage of the other and get a win Wednesday night. Fortunately for the Tempo, the Sky’s offense ranks near the bottom of the league. If the Tempo can ratchet up their defensive intensity and execution, they might be able to frustrate the Sky like the Fire frustrated us on Saturday. More importantly, the Tempo will need their “million-dollar backcourt” of Slim and Mabrey (again, thoughts on Fast & Furious as a nickname?) to perform at a higher level to overcome the Sky.