As the WNBA regular season winds to a close, each matchup brings more and more intensity. The Toronto Tempo won’t find themselves in the playoff picture when it’s all said and done, but they’ve taken some important steps this season. But the Dallas Wings are a near-lock for the postseason and are busy jockeying for position down the stretch.
The Wings enter as 9.5-point home favorites with -470 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Tempo are +360 underdogs, with the game total set at 183.5 points.
Let’s dive into a preview, prediction, and pick for this Tempo-Wings matchup.
Tempo vs. Wings Prediction, Preview
So far, these two teams have played twice, resulting in a pair of 13-point wins for the Wings. Dallas’ stars went off in the first game; Paige Bueckers had 22 points and seven assists, Jessica Shepard had a loud double-double, and Azzi Fudd knocked down the threes while playing great defense. A shorthanded Tempo team couldn’t keep pace, though Marina Mabrey did her best.
The second game was considerably more exciting, with Dallas winning 108-95. Paige and Marina traded buckets all night, with both All-Star guards netting 34 points. Though Mabrey got some support from Laura Juškaité and Isabelle Harrison, it wasn’t enough to keep up with Dallas’ nuclear offense. Shepard put up 20 points and 17 boards, and Arike Ogunbowale showed up with 20 points and seven assists.
But things will be quite different this time around due to the injury report. Jessica Shepard, who dominated the Tempo in both matchups, will be out with an ankle injury. Rookie Azzi Fudd is listed as questionable for Dallas as well. Brittney Sykes remains out for Toronto, but since she missed both matchups with Wings, the injury report is sure doing the Tempo a lot of favors.
It all starts with the backcourt matchup. Bueckers and Mabrey are two of the best shot creators in the league, and their offensive prowess can swing any matchup any given night. If Mabrey can outperform Bueckers, that’s a huge leg up for Toronto. Arike Ogunbowale can also be a huge plus for Dallas when she’s on, and will likely have to contend often with Kiki Rice, who is back in the lineup and producing good results for the Tempo.
I’m also awfully curious how the Wings address Jessica Shepard’s absence. She’s such a massive offensive presence for Dallas as a roller and handoff hub, and her rebounding has been tremendously valuable. Now that Aneesah Morrow is on the Tempo after a deadline move, someone has to keep her in check on the glass. Will it be Alanna Smith starting alongside Li Yueru in the frontcourt to go full size? Or will Wings head coach start to trust Awak Kuier again, who has mysteriously fallen out of the starting lineup?
Now that we know these teams a bit better, who is going to pull out the win, and how should we bet on this game?
Tempo vs. Wings Pick, Best Bet
Toronto isn’t the most consistent team, but I don’t know what to make of the Wings lately. They’ve lost five of their last six games, and rotation concerns and defensive inconsistencies are bothering them. Now that Shepard is out, they have more questions that I’m not sure they can answer. Dallas should be able to pull out the win, but I’m not confident that they can get a third double-digit victory.