Tempo vs. Sky WNBA Betting Odds, Picks: Toronto on verge of sweeping season series

Two struggling teams looking to finish the regular season on a positive note meet on Tuesday when the Chicago Sky host the Toronto Tempo at 8 p.m. ET.

Toronto is 11-31 and has lost six straight overall while dropping 11 consecutive road games. Chicago is 15-27 and enters on a five-game losing streak.

The Tempo have dominated the season series, winning both previous meetings. Toronto won 111-104 at Chicago on May 27 before beating the Sky 85-68 at home on June 7.

Toronto Tempo vs. Chicago Sky WNBA Odds and Betting Trends

Chicago is a 6.5-point home favourite at -230 on the moneyline, while Toronto is +190. The total sits at 178.5 on the WNBA odds. The Sky are 10-11 at home, while Toronto is just 4-16 on the road. 

Neither team enters in good form. Chicago has lost five straight by an average of 18.4 points, while Toronto is 1-9 over its last 10 and has been outscored by 14.9 points per game during that stretch.

Toronto Tempo

Toronto is coming off a 106-69 home loss to New York on Sunday, its most lopsided defeat during its current six-game losing streak.

Laura Juskaite provided one major bright spot, scoring a career-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Rookie Kiki Rice added 19 points and five assists, but the rest of Toronto’s starting lineup combined for only 13 points.

Juskaite has scored 50 points in two games since the FIBA World Cup break after putting up 22 against Indiana on Friday. Rice is averaging 13.0 points this season and has become another important part of Toronto’s offence.

The Tempo average 85.8 points while allowing 94.3, with their defence the bigger concern heading into this game. Opponents are shooting 47.6 per cent against Toronto this season.

Chicago Sky

Chicago’s skid reached five games with Saturday’s 106-81 loss at Atlanta.

Gabriela Jaquez led the Sky with 14 points, while Kamilla Cardoso and Aicha Coulibaly scored 11 apiece. Chicago shot 46.3 per cent overall but made only four of its 20 three-point attempts and committed 17 turnovers.

Cardoso leads Chicago’s regular rotation at 14.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while Courtney Vandersloot averages a team-high 5.2 assists.

The Sky average 86.4 points while allowing 90.5. Their defence has been particularly vulnerable lately, surrendering at least 106 points in each of the last two games.

The venue also favours Chicago, particularly against a Toronto team that has lost 11 consecutive road games. 

WNBA Prediction: Who will win Tempo vs. Sky?

Backing a team on a five-game losing streak as a 6.5-point favourite isn’t especially comfortable, particularly when Toronto has already beaten Chicago twice.

But the Tempo’s road struggles are difficult to overlook. Toronto has lost 11 consecutive games away from home and has surrendered at least 90 points in five straight overall.

Chicago should have enough offence at home to take advantage of a Toronto defence allowing more than 94 points per game.

Take Chicago minus 6.5 points in a 92-83 victory.