When Brittney Sykes limped off the court in the third quarter Tuesday night, the Toronto Tempo didn’t just lose a game. They may have lost their anchor.
The Tempo fell 113-91 to the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, their third consecutive defeat dropping them to 7-8 on the season. But the scoreline felt secondary to the image of Sykes — the WNBA’s third-leading scorer at 20.7 points per game — heading to the locker room with a foot injury and not returning.
According to ESPN’s Kareem Copeland, head coach Sandy Brondello offered no update on Sykes’ condition immediately after the game. “No update on Sykes from Brondello. Said she’ll be evaluated, but hopes it’s not too serious,” Copeland posted on X. He added that he saw the 32-year-old guard in the hallway on a scooter with ice on her foot, noting she “seemed to be in good spirits.”
A Two-Way Difference-Maker
Sykes finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and three assists before exiting. The four-time All-Defensive Team member has been the engine of Toronto’s attack on both ends, and Brondello didn’t sugarcoat what her absence would mean.
“Obviously, she’s been playing so well for us and doing so much for us at both ends of the floor. So when you lose one of your best players, it’s tough,” Brondello said, per Copeland. “(If) we couldn’t find ways that could fill Slim’s shoes, that’s going to be really hard.”
The nickname “Slim” fits Sykes’ game — sleek, efficient, and capable of cutting through defenses. Alongside Marina Mabrey, the duo has formed the second-highest scoring tandem in the WNBA behind Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, averaging 38.6 combined points per game compared to the Fever pair’s 40.6.
Fever Keep Rolling
Indiana, meanwhile, extended its winning streak to four games, improving to 9-5. Mabrey led the Tempo with 18 points, seven assists, and two steals, but the Fever’s balanced attack proved too much for a Toronto squad still adjusting to life without Sykes on the floor.
The Tempo now face a critical stretch. They’ll try to snap their skid Friday against the Connecticut Sun — and they’ll likely do so without their injured star. How Brondello reshuffles the rotation, and whether the team can weather even a short-term absence, will determine if this losing streak grows deeper.
For now, the Tempo wait. And hope the scooter and ice turn out to be just a precaution.
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