The road-weary Toronto Tempo was unable to keep up with the Portland Fire and fell 97 – 83, and extending their losing streak to eight games.
We break down the Good, Bad, and Outlook from this game.
The Good
Admittedly, this was a tough game for Tempo fans to watch and we wish there was more good to take from this game.
Nevertheless, there were some small bright spots. This includes newly acquired, Aneesah Morrow. Morrow is every bit as advertised. Every time she was on the floor, she brought refreshing energy and tenacity that this team sorely needs. Even in a bench role, she led the team in rebounds and shot the ball efficiently for 11 points. She was also able to finish inside with strength.
We also want to give a nod to Laura Juškaitė and Nyara Sabally. No, neither shot the ball efficiently but they demonstrated their creativity and willingness to switch it up on offense. When the Fire defense doubled the ball handler, Sabally slipped past the defenders to get open near the free throw line or cut to the basket to attack inside.
Meanwhile, Juškaitė was arguably the only Tempo player who played with patience and always tried to make the right next play to help the Tempo offense.
This trio, along with Julie Allemand and Maria Conde, also spearheaded the only stretch in the middle of the 4th quarter where the Tempo played with hunger, determination, and urgency. Yes, we realize the Fire had probably let go of the rope by that point, but the Tempo have to find a way to bottle up the type of hustle and competitiveness demonstrated in that stretch for the team to find their way out of this losing streak.
The Bad
The broadcast said it the best, Portland looks like they were having fun; the Tempo did not. Let’s be honest. The Tempo looked road-weary and deflated from this ongoing losing streak. And it showed on the court. The Tempo missed a lot of layups, free throws, and 3-pointers. The passing was flat and there were a lot of isolation plays from individual players, leading to poor shots.
With the Tempo offense struggling, the Fire took full advantage. Missed shots led to easy run outs by the Fire who absolutely thrive in these types of situations.
The Tempo also looked lethargic on the defensive end. The Fire must have sensed that Mabrey did not look 100 percent healthy out there and made her work on defense. This led to open stepback 3s and blow bys.
The Tempo further struggled to handle the speed of Carla Leite. Simply put, she carved our perimeter defenders and left them in the dust, leading to easy layups and passes to open shooters. She was also deadly from 3 and shot a whopping 15 of 17 from the free throw line. As a result, Leite scored a game high 27 points.
The Outlook
The road does not get easier for the Tempo. Their five-game road trip continues and the team travels to Atlanta to play the Dream next. The Dream have taken all three of the matchups so far this season, and most of those games have resulted in one controversy or another.
The Dream currently hold the record for the fourth best team in the WNBA and feature a potent combination of star players, including Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese, and Brionna Jones, who recently returned from injury and is one of the best bigs in the game.
The cards are certainly stacked against the Tempo. But, we are going to lean into Florence and the Machine when they sing “it’s always darkest before the dawn”. Shake it out, Tempo and Tempo fans. Let’s regroup and come back with some competitive spirit in Atlanta.
When push came to shove, the Tempo were unable to keep up with the Golden State Valkryies’ physicality, falling 96-79 and extending their losing streak to six games.
We break down the good, bad, and outlook from this game.
The Good
For two and a half quarters, the shorthanded Tempo kept up with the third-seeded Valkyries. Despite their lack of effectiveness from the 3-point line, the Tempo switched up their strategy, using physicality and attack inside the paint. While this has generally been an area in need of improvement, they executed the strategy against the Valkyries’ defense.
Kiki Rice and Nyara Sabally both shone in this style of offense. Kiki reminded us of her strength and tenacity, getting to the basket and finishing while remaining completely unafraid of contact. Our rookie finished with 16 points, shooting an efficient 6-of-12 from the field.
Meanwhile, Nyara scored a game-high 19 points for the Tempo, also shooting 6 of 12 from the field. Her speed and finishing abilities were on full display, while also contributing three 3-pointers. In addition, we saw Sabally hit a couple of pick-and-pop midrange shots that we typically see Izzy Harrison make consistently, but not as consistently for Sabally. She hit them with confidence this game, and we wonder if this could be the next step toward unlocking her offensive toolkit.
We see you Nyara Sabally 🤩
She ended the first half with 12 PTS, 8 REB & 2 3PM!
For those two and a half quarters, despite not having their leading offensive creators on the floor, the Tempo played well as a team and gave us hope that they might be able to steal this game. That was especially true midway through the third quarter, where we saw peak Tempo basketball: active hands on defense leading to transition baskets at the other end.
The Bad
However, in the final quarter and a half, Golden State adjusted their game plan and increased their physicality on both ends of the floor. From there, the scrappiness and physicality of the Valkyries flustered the Tempo, leading to Toronto turnovers and successful Golden State drives to the basket. This stretch was reminiscent of their first matchup where Golden State simply bullied the Tempo to submission. Unfortunately, the same problem reared its head again.
Similar to their first matchup, the Golden State bench played phenomenally. Janelle Salaün came off the bench to score a game-high 24 points and looked simply unstoppable. Toronto Raptors fans might see some similarities between her game and watching Brandon Ingram last season. Once they get to their spots, even if their shot is not the quickest, it is money (even with a hand in the face). Overall, the Valkyries’ bench scored 46 points to the Tempo’s 8.
Finally, we have to mention that Golden State shot 48% from the 3-point line, shooting 14-of-29 from the field, while the Tempo only shot 23% (7 of 30). While the Tempo did find success dictating the physicality in the first two and half quarters, once the script was flipped, they reverted to relying on the 3-ball and couldn’t find the bottom of the net.
The Outlook
The same two teams will be facing off again at Chase Center for a rematch. Knowing how much success the Valkyries have with their physicality, we expect them to bring that intensity from minute one. It is up to Coach Sandy Brondello and the Tempo to find ways to counter that intensity and find success without letting the Valkyries get under your skin.
On offense, we liked seeing the Tempo attack the paint more. From this past game, you can see that Kiki Rice and Nyara Sabally can both be used in these ways. Can they find a better balance between going inside and shooting the 3-ball, making themselves more dynamic and harder for the Valkyries to guard?
What might help is the arrival of newly acquired player, Aneesah Morrow, who is slated to play and does not back down from any physicality. It will be exciting to see what she brings, and this game could provide the perfect opportunity for her to showcase her strengths.
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.
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.
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.
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.
All star weekend is here! With that, the Toronto Tempo get a much-needed break before we enter into the latter half of this season. Let’s take this moment to reflect on the Tempo’s inaugural season. We offer five observations:
1. Marina Mabrey was the best pick in the expansion draft
While Carla Leite might have a chance at being the best expansion pick in a few years, there is no question that the Tempo selected the best player in the expansion draft in Marina Mabrey. Here are just some of Chef Mabrey’s accomplishments this season:
Selected as an all-star
Tied the WNBA record with 53 points scored in a single game
Leads the league in overall 3-pointers made (with 82) and 3-point field goals made per game (with 3.3 per game), shooting the ball pretty efficiently at just under 40%.
Ranks fourth amongst players in scoring at 21 points per game. This is a career high for her (she only averaged between 14 to 15 points per game over the past three seasons).
Chef Mabrey is accomplishing all this while taking on the responsibility of being a number one option for the first time. Sabreena Merchant further noted, “Mabrey has played the most composed and disciplined basketball of her eight-year career and produced at her highest rate.”
Why Connecticut left her unprotected in the draft continues to boggle our minds. Regardless, the Tempo benefitted greatly.
Beyond Mabrey, however, looking back at the expansion draft, we have to be honest…in hindsight, it was kind of a let down. After our tally, 60% of the players the Tempo drafted have either been waived or aren’t playing this season because they haven’t come over from overseas.
Yes, the 40% remaining (i.e. Julie Allemand, Nyara Sabally, Maria Conde, and Marina Mabrey) have been significant contributors to the team. However, we can’t help but wonder if the Tempo could have selected Sarah Ashlee Barker (who is averaging career highs and who we had selected in our mock expansion drafts), Emily Engstler (who is averaging career highs for the Fire and would bring the toughness that we lack), or Kaitlyn Chen (who is having a breakout year for the Valkyries).
2. The Tempo would be in the playoffs if we had Shakira Austin
Folks might remember that, during free agency, the Tempo made a big splash by signing Shakira Austin to a max contact. Because of Austin being a restricted free agent, the Washington Mystics could and did match Toronto’s offer to retain Austin, which they did on the day of the rookie draft. The Mystics subsequently drafted Lauren Betts who plays the same position that Austin does.
From Washington’s perspective, we get it. It would be a mistake to let a talent like Austin go, especially since she played incredibly well in this past season of Unrivaled where she looked like she was ready to take the next leap as a player. And, this proved to be the right decision. Austin is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists this season, and is nearly averaging a double-double in 14.5 points and 9.7 rebounds. Also, with a frontcourt of Austin, Kiki Irafen, and Lauren Betts, the Mystics is the best rebounding team in the WNBA and amongst the best in defensive rating.
And, boy oh boy, could the Tempo benefit from her at the center position.
Tempo is bottom three in points in the paint. Austin operates in the paint. Toronto is also bottom three in rebounds. Austin is ranked third in grabbing rebounds. We like Temi Fagbenle and think that, when healthy, she has a lot to offer this team, but Shakira Austin would have been perfect for this team.
3. The Toronto Tempo do not feel like an expansion team
Let’s take this opportunity to give a round of applause to the Tempo and the fans. From setting a new WNBA record for regular season attendance of 20,966 fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal to consistently selling out the Coca Cola Coliseum, Toronto and Canada at large have shown out for the Tempo and people are taking notice.
In the Tempo’s most recent game against the Las Vegas Aces, A’ja Wilson had glowing praise for Toronto:
In the June 19, 2026 game, I had the pleasure of running into part-owner of the Atlanta Dream and WNBA broadcaster, Renee Montgomery. I said, “We love you, Renee!” In response, she said, “this place is electric. Congratulations to you all.”
Beyond the court, we have seen notable individuals, including Kyle Lowry and Ayahna Cornish-Lowry, Masai Ujiri, and Serena Williams, amongst many others, join the Tempo ownership group.
The Tempo have set themselves up really well for the future.
4. We need a defensive identity
At this halfway mark of the season, we think we have a grasp of the Tempo’s offensive identity: shoot the 3-ball well, find opportunities to get on a fast break, get to the line and shoot free throws well, and trust in Chef Mabrey’s elite shot-making. We have also seen that, when we share and pass the ball well, this team can be pretty dynamic on the offensive end.
On the defensive side though, the Tempo have a lot of work to do.
We currently rank last in the WNBA in numerous defensive metrics, including points in the paint, offensive rebounds, and defensive rating, and we rank second-last in giving up the most points per game.
None of this is surprising. The team has endured an injury-riddled season, especially in our frontcourt and teams have exploited it.
Our hope for the remainder of the season is to solve some of those defensive issues, even though we know that solving all of them might be too tall of a task.
5. Is being the best of the rest a worthwhile goal for the season?
Before the injury to Brittney Sykes, the Toronto Tempo’s record stood at 7 – 7. If we want to go back even further, prior to Kiki Rice’s injury, the Tempo’s record was 5 – 4.
Since Slim’s injury, the Tempo have gone 3 – 9. Even more alarmingly, against the upper echelon teams (or teams above 0.500) in the WNBA, the Tempo currently have a record of 1 – 12. To make matters worse, the Tempo have the second toughest remaining schedule amongst all WNBA teams.
Inevitably, the question of whether to compete for a playoff spot or tank should be the goal for the remainder of the season.
While tanking is alluring, our hope is for the Tempo to be healthy and be able to compete at full strength for at least part of the season. To not be able to see how this team looks at full strength would be a shame to the players, fans, and organization. It also makes it hard to determine how to tweak this team moving forward without that data.
At this point, everything that has been reported is pointing towards the likelihood that Slim, Rice, and Sabally will return to the court.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that these players return healthy and the Tempo end up punching well above their weight after the all star break and get into the playoffs.
If the more likely scenario happens and the Tempo win some more games but don’t make the playoffs, this season has already been a successful inaugural season and the team can build on that success for year two.
Even if all else fails and the Tempo don’t win as many games as we’d like, we will then still have a high draft pick in next year’s draft. We can have our cake and eat it too.
