The Toronto Tempo set a WNBA record Thursday night, scoring 125 points, the most in a regular season game in league history, en route to a 125-97 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. However, that wasn’t the part of last night that has dominated headlines as Tempo guard Marina Mabrey made history herself, tying the single-game scoring record with a 53-point explosion. Mabrey joins A’ja Wilson and Liz Cambage at the top of the list after what was one of the most ridiculous scoring performances I’ve ever seen in basketball.
She shot 17-for-28 from the field and was a problem from the perimeter, drilling nine threes. Mabrey logged 32 minutes in the win, and as she checked out, the Coca Cola Coliseum erupted with a massive standing ovation for their lead guard.
There were questions about how the Tempo would stay afloat with both Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice missing extended periods of time, but Mabrey has put that talk to rest. The Tempo are 2-1 in Sykes' absence, and with Mabrey at the helm running the show, their offense has found a new flow that may alter the way Toronto plays at full strength. When Sykes returns, Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello should keep the ball primarily in Mabrey’s hand and let Sykes play more of a complementary role.
Mabrey is forcing the Tempo’s hand
Prior to this three-game stretch without Sykes, Toronto had a 109.6 offensive rating, but since Sykes has been out, that number has jumped to 124.6. Obviously, it’s a 15-game sample size versus a three-game sample size—that being said, a jump that large can’t be overlooked.
When Mabrey is at the helm, the Tempo’s offense fits the style Brondello wants this team to play, prioritizing perimeter shot creation over everything else. Having Mabrey initiate the offense from the point of attack forces opposing defenses to remain more honest and not play drop coverage because she’s shooting 40.5 percent from three. While Sykes does do a great job of blowing by defenders and getting to the rim, she isn’t a respected perimeter shooting threat, and it hurts everyone else.
Having a non-shooter initiating the offense allows the defense to sag or send two at players they know are threats from the perimeter. With Mabrey, that isn’t the case, and this recent stretch has been proof of that. Her 53-point explosion wasn’t a one-time thing, as in the other two games with Sykes sidelined, she had 37 points against Connecticut and 23 against Atlanta.
I’m not saying Sykes isn’t valuable at all; her ball-handling and ability to generate offense are missed and needed for this team to reach its highest potential. But going forward, the ball should be put in Mabrey’s hands just as much, if not more than Sykes. Mabrey’s ability to get the offense flowing from the perimeter is unlike anyone else on this roster, and putting the ball in her hands more can take the Tempo’s offense to a different tier.
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