Brittney Sykes' 20.1 PPG Is Gone and The Toronto Tempo Have No Answer

Whoa, hold up. The Toronto Tempo got absolutely rocked by some brutal injury news on the WNBA wire. Their expansion season, already a grind, took a massive hit with two key guards sidelined indefinitely. This ain't good, people.

Sykes' Sidelined: A Team-Best 20.1 PPG Out The Door

This ain't just some nagging bruise for Toronto, folks. We're talking about Brittney Sykes, their absolute leading scorer, dropping a dominant 20.1 points per game. The 32-year-old went down with a nasty plantar fascia injury on Tuesday, during their tough 131-91 loss to the Indiana Fever. It was ugly, man. She had to be helped off the court in the third quarter. That's a massive gut punch, especially for an expansion team trying to find its footing. Sykes had been an absolute beast for them in her 15 games, also grabbing 3.8 rebounds and dishing out 3.5 assists. Her explosive energy and consistent scoring presence? Poof, gone, for now. That's a gaping hole to fill, and it's going to test this young squad big time.

Rookie Rice Also Down: The Double Whammy No Team Wants

And if losing Sykes wasn't enough to make you wince, it somehow gets worse. Rookie Kiki Rice, a 22-year-old phenom from national champion UCLA and the sixth overal

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

l pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, is also out! She's been battling a nasty Grade 3 ankle sprain since June 3. This isn't just one star out, it's two critical guards, one a veteran leader who carries a huge load, and the other a promising young talent making her mark. Rice was averaging a really solid 12.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in her first 10 games. For an expansion team building for the future, losing that kind of developing talent, especially at a crucial position, is just brutal. It feels like the basketball gods are really testing the Tempo right now. So what's next for the Toronto Tempo? The team announced that both Sykes and Rice will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. The good news is, they're expected back at some point this season. But for tonight, the Tempo are heading into a challenging road game against the Connecticut Sun, missing both of their top two guards. Think about that for a second. How do you even begin to adjust your entire game plan for that kind of blow? Their season is already a marathon, and losing two foundational pieces, including their leading scorer, means they're fighting uphill from here. We'll be watching closely to see how they try to fill those massive shoes and if they can somehow stay competitive and find an identity through this brutal, brutal patch.

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