Brittney Sykes Dropped 38 Points And The Commissioner's Cup Race Is On Notice

Holy smokes, you guys, did you SEE what Brittney Sykes just did?! The expansion Toronto Tempo are absolutely on fire, riding a two-game winning streak straight into a Commissioner's Cup showdown this Friday against the struggling Washington Mystics. Sykes and Marina Mabrey are playing like they're possessed, and if you haven't been paying attention, you're about to get schooled on why the league is officially taking notice.

Tempo's Unstoppable Surge: Sykes and Mabrey Are Just Different

Seriously, the Tempo are 7-5 overall and sitting pretty at 2-1 in the Commissioner's Cup, and it's all thanks to some absolutely clutch performances. Brittney Sykes, who is already third in the WNBA for scoring at 21.6 points per game, went OFF last Wednesday. She dropped a career-high matching 38 points on 11-for-20 shooting in their 106-102 overtime thriller against the Connecticut Sun. Mabrey added another 21 points to that insane combined total of 59 points from the duo. Coach Sandy Brondello put it best: "We put the ball in her hands a fair bit near the end, and she made great things happen." Sykes pulled them back from an 11-point halftime deficit, scoring 14 of her points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Brondello admitted they "weren't happy with the way we played" in the first half, but that comeback "shows we're a resilient bunch." You just love to see that fight!

Mystics' Rookie Woes And A Heartbreak Loss

On the flip side, things are looking a bit rough for the Washington Mystics. They're struggling at 4-6 overall, 1-2 in the Commissioner's Cup, and have dropped their last two games. Their most recent loss was a brutal 78-76 defeat to the Indiana Fever on Monday. Imagine this: rookie Cotie McMahon gambles on a steal in the final seconds, misses it, and leaves Caitlin Clark wide open for a 3-point game-winner with only 1.2 seconds left. Heartbreak, right? Their roster is super young, with only two players not being rookies or second-year pros, so growing pains are definitely part of the story. Michaela Onyenwere, the oldest Mystics player at 26, led them with 17 points against Indiana, with guards Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore each adding 12. And to make things worse, they were without standout forward Kiki Iriafen for most of that game after she sprained her ankle early on. She averages 14.6 points and 8.9 rebounds, so that's a HUGE loss. Coach Syndey Johnson summed it up, saying, "We just came up short one possession," but she was still "prouder of how they acquitted themselves throughout that game." Remember, the Mystics actually beat Toronto in their first meeting this season, 68-65 on May 8. Will we see a repeat?

So, what's gonna happen this Friday when the Tempo roll into Washington? Will Sykes keep her scorching pace and push Toronto even deeper into the Commissioner's Cup race, or will the young Mystics find a way to avenge their recent losses and protect their home court? You know I'll be watching every single possession!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.