Toronto Tempo vs. Golden State Valkyries Odds: WNBA Preview and Prediction
That matchup ended in a big Golden State win in front of their home fans, as Janelle Salaun scored 24 points off the bench en route to a 17-point victory. Although both teams are expansion franchises, Golden State has had an extra year in the league, while this is Toronto’s debut season. The Tempo are clearly feeling some growing pains, as they sit at 10-19, good for the third-worst record in the WNBA.
Tip-off is set for 10 pm ET at the Chase Center, and I have Tempo vs Valkyries picks, so let’s dive in.
Toronto Tempo vs. Golden State Valkyries NBA Odds and Betting Trends
The Tempo enter tonight’s matchup as a 13.5-point underdog, with the Over/Under set at 168.5 (-110 odds on both sides). Golden State are -900 money line favourites, while Toronto are +600 underdogs.
Although you might think this line is too big, these teams met two days ago, and Golden State won 96-79 at home. Their other matchup this season occurred on July 8, with the Valkyries winning 83-75 on the road. Toronto has dropped 10 of their last 11 contests, and five of their last six defeats have come by 14+ points.
Toronto Tempo
Toronto is in complete free fall with the second half of the season underway. While they started the season 7-5, they’ve gone 3-14 since and have shown no signs of turning things around. The problem hasn’t been on offence, as they average 87.8 points per game (ninth in the WNBA), but their defence has been atrocious. The Tempo allow 93.7 PPG, and only the Los Angeles Sparks allow a bigger clip. The 96 points they allowed to Golden State in their previous loss were the fewest points they’ve allowed since July 14th.
If the Tempo want any chance of winning this contest, they’ll need Marina Mabrey to suit up. She is the team’s leading scorer at 20.9 PPG, but she is currently questionable for tonight’s matchup with a neck injury; she missed their game against Golden State on Sunday. Outside of Mabrey, the Tempo have dealt with a foot injury to their second-leading scorer, Brittney Sykes, who isn’t close to returning to action. Things look bleak for this Toronto squad, and I can’t see them getting better tonight.
Golden State Valkyries
While Toronto is struggling in their debut WNBA season, Golden State is thriving in their second season in the league. The Valkyries are 20-9 and trail the league-leading Minnesota Lynx by 4.0 games for the top spot in the WNBA. Only Minnesota and the Las Vegas Aces have better records than Golden State, and a major reason the Valkyries are in this spot is because of their three-headed attack of Gabby Williams (14.9 PPG), Janelle Salaun (13.2 PPG), and Veronica Burton (12.2 PPG).
The hardest part about stopping this Valkyries team is that they can hurt you in multiple ways. Outside of Williams, Salaun, and Burton, they have four other players averaging 7.4 PPG or more. Additionally, they have been elite on defence. Golden State allows 77.0 PPG (first in the WNBA), and they have allowed 85+ points in just six games this season. This will clearly be a game of opposing styles, as Golden State will aim to grind down the Tempo, while the visitors will want this game to end with both teams in the 80s.
WNBA Prediction: Who Will Tempo vs. Valkyries?
Golden State should take care of business again tonight, but covering two consecutive games against the same team is difficult. Plus, Mabrey playing for Toronto will be a big boost, and I expect points from both sides. While Golden State is one of the league’s best defensive squads, they’ve allowed 80.8 PPG in their five games since the All-Star break. The Valkyries should win the contest, but my favourite bet is on the Over tonight.
Score Prediction: Tempo 80 | Valkyries 92