There’s one lonely game on tonight’s WNBA board. The Toronto Tempo make their first ever trip to the desert to face the Phoenix Mercury.
Toronto is playing its third straight road game in a span of five days while Phoenix has enjoyed an extended break, which will help standout guard Kahleah Copper tighten the bolts on her sluggish shooting to start the season.
Our Tempo vs. Mercury predictions call for Copper to start connecting on her FGAs and my WNBA picks take her to top her scoring prop on May 19.
Tempo vs Mercury prediction
Tempo vs Mercury best bet: Kahleah Copper Over 18.5 points (-112)
Kahleah Copper is shaking off the rust, shooting just 32% through the first four games. To her defense, three of those foes rank Top 4 in advanced defensive rating.
While her shots weren’t dropping, Copper is generating offense from the foul line. The past two games, she’s gone a collective 20 for 23 from the stripe.
The Toronto Tempo been called for the fourth most personal fouls (23.5) and generated 27 whistles in Sunday’s win over L.A., sending that opponent to the line 30 times.
Copper’s projections have a ceiling of 20+ points.
COVERS INTEL: Copper still leads Phoenix in usage and is No. 8 in the WNBA (30.1%) in that advanced stat among qualifying players with more than 100 minutes. With fellow top guards Monique Akoa Makani and Sami Whitcomb out, Copper will continue to get shots.
Tempo vs Mercury same-game parlay
Toronto gets its first taste of the grind of the WNBA schedule. The Tempo are playing three road games in five days with little time to practice or rest a dinged-up frontcourt.
The Phoenix Mercury, on the other hand, have been home for an extended period and last played on May 15. That breaks helps the aging legs of some of the Mercury’s veterans, who should be fresh for Tuesday night.
One of those vets is Alyssa Thomas. The do-it-all forward snatched 11 rebounds in the win over Chicago last time out and faces a Toronto team ranked third lowest in rebound rate (47.8%). Projections call for closer to 10 rebounds from AT tonight.
Tempo vs Mercury SGP
- Mercury -7.5
- Kahleah Copper Over 18.5 points
- Alyssa Thomas Over 8.5 rebounds
Tempo vs Mercury first basket scorer: DeWanna Bonner (+900)
The Mercury can win the tip and DeWanna Bonner can strike first against a Tempo team missing its starting center as well as dealing with injuries in the frontcourt. She scored the opening bucket in the game with Minnesota on May 12.
- Best bet: 2-0, +1.74 units
- SGP: 1-1, +2.9 units
- First basket: 0-2, -2.0 units
Tempo vs Mercury odds
- Spread: Toronto +7.5 | Phoenix -7.5
- Moneyline: Toronto +260 | Phoenix -320
- Over/Under: Over 171.5 | Under 171.5
Tempo vs Mercury trend
Toronto is 3-1 ATS to start the season but those first four games were against teams ranked in the bottom half of the WNBA’s advanced defensive ratings, taking on Los Angeles (15th) twice, Seattle (11th) and Washington (10th). Phoenix enters Tuesday No. 5 in that advanced metric (102.2). Find more WNBA betting trends.
How to watch Tempo vs Mercury
| Location | Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ |
| Date | Tuesday, May 19, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TSN, KTVK |
Tempo vs Mercury latest injuries
Tempo: Nyara Sabally F (Probable), Temi Fagbenle C (Out), Isabelle Harrison F (Out), Julie Allemand G (Out).
Mercury: Sami Whitcomb G (Out), Monique Akoa Makani G (Out).
Find our latest WNBA injury reports.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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