Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Washington Mystics-Toronto Tempo matchup on Friday, May 8.
The debut of the Toronto Tempo takes place on Friday night, as the 2026 WNBA season gets underway. The Tempo have two star guards in Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes, and they’re looking to follow the Golden State Valkyries blueprint from last season, going from an expansion team to a playoff team.
Toronto is a slight underdog at home in its season opener against the Washington Mystics, who have a ton of young talent on their roster. Lauren Betts , Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore highlight a roster that is looking to build on last season's 16-28 finish. Let’s dive into the odds, a player prop to bet and my prediction for the first game of the season for these playoff hopefuls.
Marina Mabrey leads what should be an intriguing Tempo roster into the 2026 season, and I think the Notre Dame product is due for a bounce-back season. Mabrey dealt with injuries in a rough situation on a tanking Connecticut team in 2025, averaging 14.4 points while shooting just 27.0 percent from 3. A career 34.7 percent shooter from deep, Mabrey had a huge showing in Unrivaled and should return to her old form in Toronto.
Even though she shot just 27.0 percent from deep last season, Mabrey still averaged 1.9 3s per game, and she averaged 2.5 made 3s on 37.7 percent shooting in the 2024 season. A change of scenery – and an interesting supporting cast – should help Mabrey hit her full potential in 2026. I actually think this Toronto team could be a sneaky playoff contender in Year 1, as it has a ton of veteran players to jump start the franchise.
Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Temi Fagbenle, Julie Allemand, Nyara Sabally and others should give the Tempo a really strong rotation this season. The Mystics have a ton of young talent, but they won just 16 games in the 2025 season and lack a true No. 1 scoring option. Washington may be the more talented team long term, but I like the Tempo at home to begin their first season with a win. Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting.
He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.
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