Atlanta Dream vs. Toronto Tempo WNBA preview and prediction

Brian Burden
Last Updated: 2 days ago

Atlanta just stopped the bleeding and, Friday, will do its best to make sure Toronto doesn’t get to do the same. The Dream look to clinch the season series when they make the trip to Canada to face the Tempo at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Angel Reese returned from a minor injury to record her league-leading 16th double-double, notching 23 points and 13 rebounds as the Dream knocked off the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday, 101-92. Atlanta had lost six of seven coming into that contest.

The shorthanded Tempo continue to flail. Julie Allemand had 15 points, Nyara Sabally added 13 and Marina Mabrey was held to eight when Toronto fell to 2-5 on its current season-long, nine-game homestand with a 79-62 setback to the Washington Mystics on Tuesday. The Tempo have lost nine of twelve overall.

Atlanta won two games in eight days against Toronto last month. This is the third of four meetings between the teams. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray are each averaging 22 points against the Tempo this season, while Isabelle Harrison is leading Toronto with 19 points a game against the Dream.

Atlanta Dream vs. Toronto Tempo WNBA Odds and Betting Trends

Atlanta is a firm -7.5 road favourite on the WNBA odds, with a -300 moneyline, while the Tempo are at +240.

The Dream are 6-6 straight up and 4-8 against the spread on the road. The Tempo are 6-8 straight up and 5-9 against the spread at home.

The over/under for this contest is 182.5. Both games between the teams last month were played to the over.

Atlanta Dream

Reese’s presence was a boon on Monday, and it should be the difference Friday. She is averaging 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Tempo, who were trampled on the boards by the Mystics on Tuesday, 47-26.

Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin combined for 24 rebounds, so what could Reese get by herself?

Howard has had back-to-back subpar offensive games, totalling just 21 points. The last time she did that, however, she averaged 22.3 points over the next four contests.

Australian Isobel Borlase does not get much press for the Dream. She’s averaging 4.5 points in just over 12 minutes a game, but the rookie guard had 10 against Los Angeles on Monday. It was just the second time she finished in double-digit scoring this season. The only other time? When she had 17 in a 102-77 Atlanta triumph over the Tempo on June 14.

Toronto Tempo

It’s starting to feel like copy-and-paste when it comes to Tempo news. The team continues to be without Brittney Sykes (20.1 ppg) and her rookie backcourt partner Kiki Rice (12.7 ppg, 4.7 REB). Both guards have been sidelined for extended periods.

The good news is Sykes just took part in individual workouts for the first time, while Rice has also progressed. However, don’t expect Rice back before the All-Star break; same goes for Sykes.

Reserve centre Temi Fagbenle, who’s averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in just eight games, could return Friday after missing the last five contests with a concussion.

First-time All-Star Mabrey had averaged 28.1 points in her previous eight games, but Tuesday was the third time this season she scored eight or fewer points. Toronto is now 1-4 on the season when she only scores in single digits.