Now this matchup brings some drama. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo face off for the first time in their inaugural seasons, and both are at very interesting points. Both teams are scrappy, have some good talent, and are looking to start out their WNBA tenures on the right foot.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. ET. The Tempo are 5.5-point home favorites with -218 Moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. A Fire upset is priced at +180. The game total is set at O/U 175.5 points.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Fire vs. Tempo game.
Fire vs. Tempo Preview
The Fire were, by all accounts, the expansion squad that was less likely to push for the playoffs this year. That is likely to prove true, but it doesn’t take away from how entertaining they are to watch. Bridget Carleton has been a strong offensive tone-setter, Carla Leite is playing well in an expanded role, and Sarah Ashlee Barker has been excellent as the sixth player off the bench. A tough shot-maker with a knack for all-around hustle, Barker looks like a steal for the Fire after being the 18th overall pick in the expansion draft.
Portland has a long way to go, especially on the defensive end of the floor. But the Fire have found ways to win tight games already and will be competitive.
The Tempo sent a clear message with their offseason: we are going to compete. So far, so good since Toronto sits at 3-3 as the plan for this roster has worked. The backcourt has been a ton of fun. Brittney Sykes is driving like crazy and defending her tail off, Marina Mabrey is making a whole lot of tough shots, and rookie Kiki Rice has been lights-out offensively. That’s the kind of formula that can carry a team. Unfortunately for the Tempo, injuries have prevented this team from coming together fully.
Temi Fagbenle, signed to hold down the center spot, has missed five of the first six games. Julie Allemand has missed three of six. Nyara Sabally is now injured. The Tempo was already a very guard-heavy team, and losing this many minutes on the wings and in the frontcourt is tough. Still, they’re finding ways to graft in the early going.
Now we have a good idea what to expect from these teams. Who is going to come out the winner?
Fire vs. Tempo Pick, Best Bet
The talent gap between these two is apparent. However, the injuries on Toronto’s part hold major sway over this matchup. That makes this one more of a toss-up.
If the Fire were a bit stronger on the wings and in the paint, this would be a serious concern for Toronto. But both teams have similarly constructed rosters. They want to play smaller, run the floor, and work from the outside in to generate offense. That should make things a lot more comfortable for Toronto, which should secure the home win.
