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  • Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 30, 2026

    Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 30, 2026

    Despite the huge fan turnout of 18,145 at Scotiabank Arena, the Toronto Tempo weren’t able to pull off an upset against the Minnesota Lynx. They lost their second matchup in three days against the Lynx 104-72.

    The Good

    The Tempo came out strong in Q1 with a 12-3 run, playing quickly, passing dimes, and controlling the tempo. Juškaitė’s court vision was next level with several clutch assists; she also finished the quarter with 9 points.

    Conde 5′ Turnaround Bank Shot (2 PTS) (Juskaite 1 AST) c/o https://stats.wnba.com/

    Mabrey wasn’t able to find success at range, so she took it to the paint; finding ways to score, even when being double-teamed. Later, after being chopped in the neck, Mabrey channeled her range into a fierce 3-pointer. Not sure how Marina’s “energy coach” feels about this, but you can definitely see Marina channel her rage like a super sayan and I’m here for it.

    Mabrey 2′ Cutting Layup Shot (6 PTS) (Juskaite 2 AST) c/o https://stats.wnba.com/

    Even though they are both on limited minutes and not back to 100%, it was exciting to see Sabally and Rice back on the floor together. Fingers crossed that we may have both Sykes and Harrison back before the end of the regular season.

    The Bad

    Before I get into the game, I want to talk about the broadcast. I’m not sure if this is the fault of the venue or the broadcast team, but the stream was a comedic disaster to start. Neither member of the broadcast team could be heard for introductions, audio was all over the place and there was no overlay for nearly the first 5 minutes of the game!?

    The defensive pressure being put on our players feels quite intense; sometimes we are straight getting beat up! Marina was hit in the face, chopped in the neck, and was being guarded like glue. Meanwhile Sabally took a wild pass to the face from Miles, and later could be seen holding her rib (injured during the July 17th game against the Atlanta Dream) after a body foul from Courtney Williams. Sandy said “Nyara has an issue, she probably shouldn’t have played today” but noted “she wanted to be out there”.

    Howard REBOUND (Off:5 Def:1) c/o https://stats.wnba.com

    The biggest problem was taking care of the ball. Toronto committed a brutal 24 turnovers, which Minnesota converted into 31 points. The Lynx also dominated the effort categories, finishing with 18 second-chance points to Toronto’s four and outrebounding the Tempo by 10.

    Minnesota is a championship favourite, riding a nine-game winning streak, so an upset was always going to be difficult. Still, Toronto is capable of keeping the game far closer than 32 points as evidenced by the last matchup on Tuesday. There seems to be a real issue with drive and hustle. Sandy did not mince words during the presser saying “That’s embarrassing. This is our home court.” and that the team “didn’t compete, it was too easy”.

    The Outlook

    Both Nyara Sabally and Kiki Rice saw meaningful minutes, although neither appeared fully healthy or back in rhythm. Having Kiki back is hopefully going to reignite our offense, but that will take time. “It’s going to take her a few games to get her rhythm, to get the rust out.” Sandy said at the post-game presser. But overall, the message has been fairly clear from coach; the team needs to turn up the physicality, energy, and hustle.

    In their previous meeting with Golden State, Toronto led for most of the game but suffered a familiar fourth-quarter collapse, allowing the Valkyries to go on a 12–0 run. The Tempo need to keep a level head, take Sandy’s words to heart, and contain Gabby Williams in order to pull off a win on Sunday.

    As we wrote about yesterday, the Tempo made a trade before the Sunday deadline, securing Aneesah Morrow. The timing of the trade feels especially relevant after Minnesota dominated Toronto on the glass. Morrow arrives averaging 8.9 rebounds per game, addressing one of the Tempo’s clearest weaknesses. She may not be available Sunday, but her rebounding, physicality, and consistent effort could provide exactly what this roster has been missing.

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  • Tempo trade for Aneesah Morrow

    Tempo trade for Aneesah Morrow

    Give the Toronto Tempo credit. They are not messing around!

    As reported by Alexa Phillipou, the Tempo have traded for Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for the rights to Mariia Kliundicova and a 2028 second round pick. 

    This is absolutely a phenomenal pickup for the Tempo. 

    Coming into the league, Aneesah Morrow was billed as an elite rebounder and double-double machine with the ability to shoot the ball from distance as well. 

    In the one and a half seasons she has played in the league, Morrow has lived up to the hype. This season, she is averaging close to a double-double with 11.6 points and 8.9 rebounds. Despite being undersized at 6’1” at the power forward position, Morrow has elite strength, hustle, and energy that propels her to be able to more than hold her own against taller players on both ends of the court.  

    For the Tempo, Morrow’s strengths will immediately be helpful and welcomed to this team. 

    On the defensive side, Morrow fills exactly what the Tempo have desperately needed all season long. As Zulfi Sheikh notes, Morrow led the league in defensive rebounding rate last season (31.9%). This season, the Tempo are second-worst in the league in defensive rebounding and third-worst in rebounding overall. At an average of 8.9 rebounds per game, Morrow is currently ranked eighth in the league in rebounding. For reference, Izzy Harrison is currently the Tempo’s leading rebounder with 6.4 rebounds per game. Morrow will come in and immediately become the Tempo’s best rebounder. 

    On the offensive side, while Morrow still needs to improve her scoring efficiency (she is currently shooting just 42% from the field, 28% from 3, and 62% from the free throw line), she works best operating in the paint through drives, hustle plays, and working in the dunker spot. The Tempo have lacked points in the paint all season long and Morrow can immediately improve that area of need. 

    Finally, Morrow is still only 23 years old and under contract until 2028 with lots of room to grow.  

    We can’t wait to watch her play in a Tempo jersey. Welcome Aneesah!

  • Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 28, 2026

    Tempo vs Lynx Game Report – July 28, 2026

    In their first game back from the all star break, the Toronto Tempo put on a valiant effort on the road against the Minnesota Lynx. Unfortunately they fell short losing 100 – 93. 

    We break down the Good, Bad, and Outlook from this game.

    The Good

    Raptors’ legendary commentator, Jack Armstrong, regularly says, “They say there is no such thing as a moral victory, but…”. Jack’s saying very much applies to the Tempo in this game. 

    Despite being shorthanded and seemingly out of the game to start the 4th quarter, the Tempo clawed their way back and challenged the best team in the WNBA until the final minute. 

    The most memorable part is that they did it as a team. Throughout the game, multiple players had shining moments. María Conde, for example, got her first career double-double with 20 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Laura Juškaitė added 18 points and made key baskets and plays when the team was in need. 

    While the numbers don’t jump off the page, Temi Fágbénlé also played what we think was her best game in a Tempo uniform. She exposed her size advantage over Natasha Howard multiple times, made great cuts, and played great help defense on Napheesa Collier. 

    Even though Marina Mabrey did not have her most productive and efficient game, she still scored 24 points and spearheaded the Tempo’s 4th quarter run to cut the deficit down to three with 80 seconds left. 

    We also have to give a shout out to the return of Kiki Rice. No, her shots didn’t fall like she wanted them to. However, this just feels like someone having a case of the “Mondays” after some time away from work. The first email you send is always going to suck. The shots will fall. We were more so impressed by her work ethic and persistence to help the team. 

    As a team, the Tempo played more connected defense for parts of the game (with the first quarter being the best example) and made a more concerted effort to crash the boards on both ends. We were also very impressed by the Tempo’s “no quit” attitude. With a frenetic pace to start the 4th quarter the Tempo players had their hands on their knees and it looked like the wheels were going to fall off and they weren’t going to be able to keep up with the Lynx’s offensive firepower. They immediately responded after a timeout by going on a 9 – 0 run to cut the Lynx lead down to two points, forcing the Lynx starters to work and close this game out. 

    The Bad

    It’s hard not to think that the Tempo was simply “out-talented” by their opponent. The Lynx were amongst the best teams in the W coming into this season. Drafting Olivia Miles who has already made the all-star team in her first season and is considered the runaway rookie of the year hasn’t hurt. Tonight proved once again why she is looking like generational talent. Her creative and ingenious passing is reminiscent of Chelsea Gray; her drives are reminiscent of Kelsey Plum; and she can shoot the 3-ball at a high clip. She will be a nightmare for teams for years to come. Tonight, she scored 24 points and looked simply unstoppable.

    Beyond Miles, the Lynx has one of the best shooters in the game in Kayla McBride who shot 60% from the field and contributed 18 points. The Tempo actually did an admirable job in guarding former MVP, Napheesa Collier, as well as Natasha Howard. However, as a collective, the Lynx simply had too much fire power and their ability to make the next pass to find the player with the most open shot was a marvel to watch. 

    We knew upsetting the Lynx was going to be a tough task, but the loss is especially deflating when the Tempo become victims of their own mistakes. The Tempo turned the ball over 17 times, leading to 16 points for the Lynx. While the discrepancy in points off turnovers was not glaring, the Lynx defenders did an excellent job of applying pressure when the Tempo brought the ball up the court and we counted at least a handful of times where the Tempo tried to make the first pass and it resulting in a run out turnover for the Lynx. Those mistakes were crucial in giving the Lynx the lead in the second quarter and have to be addressed in order for the Tempo to have a chance against these top teams in the league. 

    The Outlook

    The second game in this home-and-home matchup between these two teams takes place on Thursday, July 31. This marks an opportunity for the Tempo to take lessons they learned and immediately apply to see if we can improve from this game. 

    Can the Tempo find a way to limit Miles’ drives to the basket and make things a bit harder for her? Can the team devise better schemes to ensure that our ballhandler is able to escape from the initial defensive pressure and limit our turnovers? Can Chef Mabrey play the way she did late in the 4th for the entire game? Can we get either Sabally or Izzy back to give us even more of a size advantage? Can we repeat the impressive help defense played on Phee and Howard to limit their production again? Can we find a better balance between doubling players in the post and limiting their 3’s so that they don’t shoot 56% from the 3-point line? 

    If we are able to answer some of these tough questions with a yes, the Tempo might just have a chance to upset the Lynx in front of Tempo fans at Scotiabank Arena.

  • Tempo vs Aces Game Report – July 20, 2026

    Tempo vs Aces Game Report – July 20, 2026

    The star-studded Las Vegas Aces handed the Toronto Tempo their third consecutive loss with a high-powered 109–93 victory on Monday night at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

    A’ja Wilson led the charge for Las Vegas with a dominant 26-point performance, while “silent assassin” Jackie Young delivered a stellar double-double, putting up 24 points and dishing out 12 assists. For Toronto, Isabelle Harrison provided a bright spot in the loss, pacing the Tempo with a career-high 26 points.

    Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the outlook

    The Good

    Taking on the reigning champions for the first time this season was always going to be a tall order, but Toronto held its ground early. Trailing by just six after the opening quarter, the Tempo showed encouraging fight on the boards. With head coach Sandy Brondello serving a one-game league suspension, associate head coach Olaf Lange stepped in as interim head coach and made rebounding an explicit priority.

    His message clearly hit home. Toronto answered the call by out-rebounding the Aces 40–31, generating 21 crucial second-chance points thanks to their relentless energy on the offensive glass. 

    Leading the charge on the boards and in the box score was Isabelle Harrison, who delivered a standout double-double performance featuring a career-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. Harrison stepped up with notable confidence, showcasing her evolving skill set taking players off the dribble and playmaking from the top of the key. Most impressively, she met the moment head-on in a marquee battle against 8x All-Star and MVP A’ja Wilson.

    Another performance worth highlighting was Maria Conde, who was an energizer bunny for the Tempo. In her 28 minutes, she was extremely active on both ends of the floor and finished the game with a well-rounded performance contributing 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

    While we’re always Team Tempo, let’s take a moment to worship the Point Gawd herself with this deliciously precise behind-the-back pass. Witnessing greatness is a win for everyone!

    The Bad

    Containing the big three of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray is tough on a good day and near impossible shorthanded. While Toronto played with plenty of energy, they lacked the execution and defensive communication needed to slow down Las Vegas’ high-powered offense. The Aces dissected the defense with masterclass ball movement, tallying 29 team assists and placing five players in double figures.

    On the offensive end Marina Mabrey had another tough night getting swarmed by the Aces defense, a challenging situation she’s found herself in with opposing teams able to key in on her given the lack of depth in scoring with Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice, and Nyara Sabally all sidelined with injuries. Mabrey chipped in 14 points, though it came on an inefficient 5-of-21 shooting night from the field (1-of-8 from deep).

    On the flip side, Vegas shot the lights out going 58% from the field. As if Wilson wasn’t doing enough damage in the paint, she left no room for a solution going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. 

    Credit goes to the Aces’ transition defense as well. They successfully dragged Toronto into a half-court battle, limiting the Tempo to just three fast-break points on the night.

    The Outlook

    Monday’s matchup marked the finale of a grueling 9-game homestand for the Tempo. This was a historic stretch that saw Toronto host games across three different venues: Coca-Cola Coliseum, Scotiabank Arena, and a historic showcase at Montreal’s Bell Centre, where they set a WNBA regular-season attendance record with 20,996 fans.

    While a 2-7 record during the homestretch wasn’t the exact result Toronto wanted, the marathon run served as a successful showcase of women’s basketball in Canada over the last month. The Tempo showed real competitive grit going toe-to-toe against elite league competition while drawing passionate, record-breaking support from fans across the country.

    The Tempo take to the road to face the Minnesota Lynx next coming off a much-needed All-Star break where most of the team got to rest, relax, and recharge while they cheered on Toronto Tempo’s first-ever WNBA all-star Marina Mabrey in Chicago.

    Not only did Mabrey get to represent Toronto for the first time but she did it with the same flair we know and love, erupting for 17 points in the first 5 minutes and finishing with 23 points and 3 rebounds for Team Coop. On Friday night, she participated in the 3-point contest scoring 18 points in the first round and securing a donation of $6,500 to Black Women’s Institute of Health by partnering with Under Armour – a performance that made Tempo fans proud!

    Let’s hope Mabrey keeps her hot streak going and the Tempo come back from the break healed and re-energized. Rumor has it that Kiki Rice was back at training and Head Coach Brondello, who will be back at the helm, has her listed as questionable for tonight’s game!

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  • 3 Trade Ideas for the Toronto Tempo

    3 Trade Ideas for the Toronto Tempo

    The WNBA trade deadline is fast approaching (August 2, 2026). To be clear, I don’t think the Toronto Tempo are going to make any moves before the trade deadline. But, in the spirit of this trade season, here are 3 mock trades that the Tempo should consider:

    1. Temi Fágbénlé to the Dallas Wings for Alanna Smith

    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle for Alanna Smith.
    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle for Alanna Smith.

    Last season Alanna Smith won co-defensive player of the year along with A’ja Wilson. This offseason, Alanna signed a 3-year max contract with the Dallas Wings. While the Wings have improved leaps and bounds, Smith has surprisingly been relegated to a bench role (playing behind Awak Kuier). 

    As a result, she is averaging season lows in minutes played, points, rebounds, and assists. The contrast between her max contract and current role can become quite a conundrum for the Wings. Some have already deemed her contract one of the worst current contracts in the league. From a long-term perspective, keeping Smith might also get in the way of building out this exciting Wings roster, headlined by Paige Bueckers, Jess Sheppard and Azzi Fudd. 

    Temi’s contract is only guaranteed this year. Flipping Smith for Temi would help the Wings to clear this potential salary cap issue well ahead of schedule, while they still retain a quality bench player in Fagbenle for their playoff run this season. 

    For the Tempo, they receive a player that can protect the rim, switch onto perimeter players, and play defense at an elite level. On offense, Smith is efficient near the basket, can space the floor well, and is dangerous from the 3-point line. Smith has also had extensive experience playing for Coach Sandy Brondello for the Australian national team. Her recent struggles in Dallas should not be seen as a reclamation project; rather, an opportunistic home run for the Tempo.

    2. Temi Fágbénlé and the 2028 first round pick to the Washington Mystics for Shakira Austin

    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Washington Mystics and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle and a 2028 First Round Pick for Shakira Austin.
    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Washington Mystics and Toronto Tempo of Temi Fagbenle and a 2028 First Round Pick for Shakira Austin.

    Remember when the Toronto Tempo tried to sign Shakira Austin to a million-dollar contract this offseason? Since the Mystics matched the Tempo’s offer, one would imagine that door has closed. Or has it?

    The Mystics currently have a log jam in their front court. Austin has been playing like a borderline all-star this season, being a beast in the paint and averaging close to a double-double. Her strengths are clear, but those strengths are also shared by fellow teammates, Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts – both who are still on rookie contracts. The Mystics are clearly ahead of schedule with this young team and if this young team continues to ascend, the Mystics might get to a point where they can’t afford all three bigs. 

    This is certainly not a 2026 problem, so it makes any trade interest from Washington unlikely. In the event that there was interest, the Tempo would instantly benefit from acquiring a player who can fill their biggest needs on both defense and offense. Giving up a 2028 first round pick will serve as the tax for getting a player as good as Austin. It’s not an ideal situation, but the Tempo would then have an elite starting center for the next few years. 

    3. Maria Conde to the Dallas Wings for Li Yueru

    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Mariea Conde for Li Yueru.
    Screenshot from sportrac.com of Trade between Dallas Wings and Toronto Tempo of Mariea Conde for Li Yueru.

    To address their lack of frontcourt size and depth, the Tempo could also aim for a less flashy trade by sending Maria Conde to the Dallas Wings for Li Yueru.

    Conde has played a significant role for the Tempo thus far, but the result have been just ok. There have been bright spots (for a wing, Conde has been averaging an astonishing 4.6 rebounds per game) but also times where we wish she was better in her role (for instance, Conde is only shooting 36% overall and sometimes tries to do too much on the floor). 

    By trading Conde, the Tempo receive a true backup big in Li Yueru. Li’s game has improved year after year. She is a stretch center with a great shooting touch, is a brick wall on defense, and can offer some rim protection and rebounding. In Li, you get a player who can fit into the Tempo’s offensive scheme while also improving their biggest areas of weakness. 

    For Dallas, Conde provides an experienced presence to improve their depth at the wing position, which will be helpful come playoff time. 

    Closing

    Again, I don’t think the Toronto Tempo are actually going to make any trades. Rather, the goal for the rest of the season will be to get as healthy as possible and see what this team at full strength looks like before the front office can decide how to better tweak this roster for the next season.