Las Vegas Aces vs. Toronto Tempo WNBA preview and prediction

The defending WNBA champions meet the league’s newest franchise for the first time as the Toronto Tempo host the Las Vegas Aces Monday at 8 pm. ET.

Las Vegas is right back amongst the top teams in the league with a 17-7 record. The Aces’ 10-2 road mark is tied for best in the league, and the team has won three straight on the road.

However, Las Vegas did drop its last game, a 109-75 clunker at home to the Indiana Fever last night. The Aces have won five of seven, with both losses coming in the past eight days to Indiana.

A’ja Wilson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Jackie Young added 15 points for Las Vegas.

The Tempo’s nine-game homestand was supposed to solidify the expansion franchise as a playoff threat this year. Instead, the team has gone 2-6 to drop to 10-15 and a tie for 10th place,

The Tempo suffered a 111-92 setback to Atlanta on Friday, the Tempo’s sixth loss in seven games. Marina Mabrey led the way with 26 points. 

Las Vegas Aces vs. Toronto Tempo WNBA Odds and Betting Trends

Las Vegas is a massive -11.5 road favourite on the WNBA odds with a -575 moneyline, while the Tempo are at +425. 

The Aces are 2-4 against the spread in their last six games, while Toronto is 1-6 ATS in its last seven, and 5-10 ATS at home overall.  

The over/under for this contest is 182.5. The Aces are averaging 89.9 points per game, while the Tempo are allowing 92.3 points per game, and have played to the Over in 10 of their last 14 contests. 

Las Vegas Aces

Las Vegas received a big boost Sunday with the return of reserve Dana Evans. The sixth-year guard averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 assists in 17.7 minutes per game during the Aces’ championship run last year. 

Evans had been out the entire season with a left leg injury. She had eight points in 18 minutes.

Chelsea Gray had nine points and six assists against Indiana. NaLyssa Smith added nine points and five rebounds. The Aces are fully healthy and have won seven of 10. They just need to figure Indiana out. 

The Fever defeated Las Vegas by double digits on two consecutive Sundays and just handed the Aces their worst loss of the season.   

Toronto Tempo

Monday is the Tempo’s last game before the All-Star break, and Toronto needs the time to heal before its next regular-season game at Minnesota on July 28.

Nyara Sabally had 16 points on Friday for the Tempo, but the oft-injured forward, who has already missed seven games this season, is out with an injury to her ribs. 

Guards Brittney Sykes (20.1 ppg) and Kiki Rice (12.7 ppg, 4.7 REB) are out again Monday. The backcourt tandem has combined to miss 25 games this season and is desperately needed back in the lineup. One or both could return in time to face the Lynx next week.

The Tempo shot 54 per cent (30-for-56) from the field, including 48 per cent (10-for-21) from 3-point land against the Dream, but had 20 turnovers against just 19 assists in the loss.  

WNBA Prediction: Who will win Aces vs. Tempo?

This is a bad time for the Tempo to meet Las Vegas. Toronto may gain an edge early as the Aces stretch their legs in the second game of a back-to-back, but look for Wilson and company to control this contest by halftime.

Take Las Vegas to win and cover, 99-85.