Brittney Sykes Dropped 38 Points, And the Rest of the WNBA Should Be Terrified of Toronto

Alright, Seattle fam, listen up! While our Emerald City teams are doing their thing, we gotta talk about what's going down in the WNBA because there's a new squad absolutely *lighting it up*. The expansion Toronto Tempo are playing like they've been here for years, and right now, they're riding a wave of pure fire, looking to dominate that Commissioner's Cup race. On the flip side, the Washington Mystics are reeling, struggling big time and probably wishing they could just fast-forward past this rough patch.

Tempo's Scorching Duo

The Tempo, an expansion team no less, are currently sitting pretty at 7-5 overall and a strong 2-1 in the Commissioner's Cup. They're on a two-game winning streak that's all thanks to some absolutely monstrous performances. Their veteran guards, Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey, are just tearing it up, plain and simple. In their last game, a wild 106-102 overtime win against the Connecticut Sun, these two combined for a ridiculous 59 points! Mabrey chipped in a solid 21 points, but it was Sykes who stole the show. She matched her career high with a mind-blowing 38 points on 11-for-20 shooting. Coach Sandy Brondello said it best, "We put the ball in her hands a fair bit near the end, and she made great things happen." Sykes, who's already third in the WNBA in scoring with 21.6 points per game, went off for 14 of her points in the fourth quarter and overtime, erasing an 11-point halftime deficit. That's pure grit right there, showing what Brondello called "a resilient bunch."

Rookies and Heartbreak in D.C.

Now, down in Washington, it's a completely different story. The Mystics are struggling, sitting at 4-6 overall and 1-2 in the Commissioner's Cup. They've dropped their last two games, and their most recent loss was a brutal 78-76 heartbreaker to the Indiana Fever. Imagine this: rookie Cotie McMahon gambles on a steal in the final seconds, misses, and leaves Caitlin Clark wide open to bury a game-winning three with just 1.2 seconds left. Ouch. When your 13-player roster has only two players who aren't rookies or second-year players, you're gonna have some growing pains. Michaela Onyenwere, at 26 the oldest Mystics player, led them with 17 points, while guards Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore each added 12. 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 was a huge blow. Mystics coach Syndey Johnson put a brave face on it, saying, "We just came up short one possession," and added, "But I couldn't be prouder of how they acquitted themselves throughout that game." Funny thing is, Washington actually beat Toronto 68-65 back on May 8. So, what's next? The Tempo roll into Washington on Friday. Can the Mystics get some revenge and snap their losing streak, or will Toronto's dynamic duo keep lighting up the scoreboard and cementing their spot in the Commissioner's Cup hunt? You know we'll be watching to see if the Tempo keep proving everyone wrong!

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