Seattle Storm Blew a Halftime Lead, and Losing to an Expansion Team Is a Wake-Up Call
Holy moly, Storm fans, can we talk about what just happened? Our Seattle Storm, playing against the expansion Toronto Tempo, ended up on the wrong side of history with an 86-73 loss on Wednesday. Toronto just snagged their first-ever franchise victory against us. That one stings, big time, especially after what we saw in the second half.
The Second Half Meltdown That Cost Us Everything
Look, the first half was tight, right? We were only down by a single point. We were in it! But then, something absolutely fell apart. Toronto outscored us a staggering 42-28 in the second half. That's a full-on collapse. Flau'Jae Johnson and our defense were overwhelmed. The numbers are brutal. We coughed up 19 turnovers in the game, and Toronto turned 11 second-half blunders into 14 points. That’s just handing them the game. They took 12 more shots than us in those final two quarters. And three-pointers: Toronto sank seven from deep after halftime, while we managed just one. We gotta get our defensive rotations locked down, because that can't happen against any team, let alone an expansion squad getting their first W.
🎲 Want to Make Tonight's Game More Interesting?
Kalshi lets you trade on real sports outcomes — not just spreads. It's the only federally regulated prediction market in the US, and it's available right here in Washington state.
New users get a FREE $10 just for signing up — no deposit required to claim it.
👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiHow an Expansion Team Ran Away With It
Credit where credit's due, Toronto played like a team possessed, living up to their 'Tempo' name. Marina Mabrey was a problem, dropping 26 points, and Brittney Sykes added 18. Their ball movement was slick, piling up 21 assists on 30 made field goals. Coach Sandy Brondello even said, "Moving the ball, playing together, it looks good." It looked good enough to beat us. They had a huge 17-2 advantage in fastbreak points, proving their pace was something we couldn't handle. Toronto is now heading out to Los Angeles for a doubleheader against the Sparks, who are coming off an 87-78 home loss to Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever. The Sparks are 0-2 and dealing with injuries, with Sania Feagin out and Ariel Atkins in concussion protocol. Kelsey Plum, who led the Sparks with 25 points, believes they'll push for the playoffs. But that doesn't excuse our Storm letting Toronto get their momentum against us first.
This loss to an expansion team, especially giving up such a huge second-half lead, has to be a major gut check for our Seattle Storm. We can't be allowing teams to dominate the second half like that, converting our turnovers into easy points, and raining down threes. It's early, but these games show what you're made of. Our Storm needs to tighten up, protect the ball, and get back to that suffocating defense we know they can play. We bleed green and blue here in the Emerald City, and we expect our teams to fight every possession. Let's see how they respond after this humbling opener for Toronto.
🐦 What fans are saying on X
See the latest reactions and highlights from Seattle fans about Los Angeles.
View X conversation →DFS Pick'em
📋 Chalkboard: 100% Deposit Match Up to $100 + a Free Square on Your First Entry
Use code ONTAP to lock in this offer.
👉 Double your first deposit on ChalkboardSponsored. Must be 18+. Terms apply.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.