The Toronto Tempo are deep in an offensive rut. Over their last eight games, the first-year WNBA expansion franchise hasn't managed to score more than 95 points, sputtering to a brutal 1–7 record during that stretch. For a new team still trying to carve out an identity in a loaded league, this kind of stagnation is a glaring red flag.
The trouble started right after a massive 125–97 blowout win over the Los Angeles Sparks on June 25. At the time, that offensive explosion looked like a turning point. Instead, it was an outlier.
Over the next eight matchups, Toronto's offense stalled out completely. Their scoring totals read like a team searching for answers: 80, 76, 75, 95, 93, 62, 92, and 83. The absolute floor came on July 14 against Washington in an ugly 62-point showing. Meanwhile, their defense has been bleeding points, giving up 89, 89, 83, 108, 91, 79, 111, and 109 over that same span. Amidst the wreckage, they’ve managed just one victory: a gritty 93–91 nail-biter against the New York Liberty on July 12.
The frustrating part for Toronto fans is that the team has shown flashes of being competitive. They dropped tight, single-digit games to the Golden State Valkyries (by eight points) and the Phoenix Mercury (by nine). But hanging around isn't enough when the shots refuse to fall late in the fourth quarter. An offense that consistently tops out at 95 points is going to struggle to close out games against anyone with a functional defense, which is exactly what doomed them against Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas.
Looking Ahead: How Can Toronto Break the Slump?
If the Tempo want to salvage this stretch of the season, they need to find ways to generate easier looks. Grinding out half-court possessions clearly isn't working. They have to get out in transition—something they did brilliantly in that late-June Sparks win but have seemingly abandoned since.
The schedule isn't offering any relief. The Aces just dropped 109 on them, and the Dream already have their number this season. Toronto has to fix its spacing and ball movement fast. Until they prove they can consistently threaten the 100-point threshold again, expect these frustrating losses to keep piling up.