Friday 3/4/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

French Ligue 1 TODAY 19:30

Caen

v

Monaco

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		21/10	9/4	11/8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CAEN	RECENT FORM
HWALHLALHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 3 0 - 0 2 - 2 4 - 1	HWHWAL*ADHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Monaco are unbeaten in their last five league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Monaco have been second in the French top flight since mid-January and can further cement their position by beating fourth-placed Caen in Normandy. Leonardo Jardim's side have lost just one of their last 15 league games and should have a little too much quality for Caen, who have taken only one point from their four games against teams in the current top three.

RECOMMENDATION: Monaco
1

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 19:45

Roma

v

Fiorentina

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BTEU		11/10	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ROMA	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHLHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 3 0 - 2 2 - 0 2 - 1	ADHWHDAWALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Roma are unbeaten in their last seven Serie A home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Fiorentina were rocked back on their heels by last week's Europa League exit at the hands of Tottenham and their Champions League qualification hopes could be dented by a defeat in the capital. Roma jumped above Fiorentina into third place at the weekend and can cement their position by registering a seventh successive league victory.

RECOMMENDATION: Roma
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[superbeets]

Italian Serie A Sa 5Mar 17:00

Verona

v

Sampdoria

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		11/8	23/10	19/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VERONA	RECENT FORM
ADHWHDALHWAL​ Most recent​	1 - 3 2 - 0 1 - 1 0 - 0	ALHDALHDALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sampdoria have lost their last four away matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Serie A basement boys Verona waited until February before claiming their first league win of the season but have been playing much better in recent games and have every chance of beating fellow strugglers Sampdoria. Survival remains a longshot for Verona but they can can register a third win in four home games.

RECOMMENDATION: Verona
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[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga Sa 5Mar 17:15

Villarreal

v

Las Palmas

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS2		8/13	11/4	9/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VILLARREAL	RECENT FORM
HWHWADADHWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 0 2 - 1	HWALALHLAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villarreal have kept clean sheets in their last seven home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Villarreal’s ruthless streak at home continued with a 3-0 win over Levante last weekend and they should be confident of another clean sheet at home to Las Palmas. The Yellow Submarine drew the reverse fixture 0-0 but Las Palmas have lost nine of their 13 away games and this could be a similar story to their recent 2-0 defeats at Seville and Rayo Vallecano.

RECOMMENDATION: Villarreal to win 2-0
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[superbeets]

German Bundesliga Sa 5Mar 17:30

B Dortmund

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B Munich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		21/10	12/5	5/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT B DORTMUND	RECENT FORM
HWHWAWAWHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 2 - 0 0 - 2 0 - 3	AWAWHWADAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bayern have taken seven points from their last three league games away to Dortmund.

EXPERT VERDICT: Borussia Dortmund's relentless pursuit of Bayern Munich has injected some interest into the Bundesiga title race but the Bavarians can virtually seal the deal with a win at the Westfalenstadion. Bayern's big players are likely to relish the big occasion and they may just have a little too much quality for their hosts, who have been superb this season.

RECOMMENDATION: Bayern Munich
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[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga Sa 5Mar 19:30

Getafe

v

Seville

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		3	5/2	10/11	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT GETAFE	RECENT FORM
HLALHLALHLAL​ Most recent​	2 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 1 5 - 1	HWHWADALALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Getafe have lost their last seven matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Seville's dreadful away results have been holding them back but they can bag their first La Liga road success of the season at the expense of struggling Getafe. A top four finish remains the aim for Seville, who can take heart from their narrow 2-1 loss to Barcelona in their last away fixture.

RECOMMENDATION: Seville
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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

The NHL trade deadline is no different than those in Major League Baseball or the NBA: the rich get richer and the bad teams throw in the towel and accrue assets for the future. Can I tell you with certainty who will win the Stanley Cup after Monday's NHL trade deadline passed? I can't, but I can tell you which teams to bet against the rest of the season.

But let's start with the winners from the deadline, and by winners I mean just for this season, which have to be the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche.

The Caps are +315 favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They sent Brooks Laich, the team's longest-tenured player, to Toronto for forward Daniel Winnik. Laich used to be a good player but is breaking down and had just one goal and six assists this season, playing mostly on the fourth line. Winnik ranked second among NHL forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game last season (3:16) and set career highs in assists (25) and points (34). This year, he had four goals and 10 assists for the sorry Leafs. He's an upgrade even though Laich was hugely respected in the Caps' locker room.

The Blackhawks, who are +625 second-favorites for a fourth title this decade and beat the visiting Capitals in a potential Finals preview on Sunday, probably are the most improved team. GM Stan Bowman was able to keep the team's top young players yet still able to bring back forward Andrew Ladd, a key member of the 2010 Cup team, as well as forwards Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise. They also swapped defensemen with the Kings: Rob Scuderi for Christian Ehrhoff. Ladd, acquired from Carolina, had 17 goals and 18 assists this season. He was a very popular player on that 2009-10 Hawks team but was part of the salary-cap purge after winning the Cup. Ladd will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will cost too much to be re-signed. He had an assist Sunday in his Chicago debut. Weise had 14 goals and 12 assists in Montreal and Fleischmann 10 goals and 10 assists with the Habs. Both those guys will be free agents after the year as well.

The Rangers, +1600 to win the Cup, got perhaps the biggest "name" in Eric Staal from the Hurricanes. Carolina's former captain had spent his entire 12-year career with the club. The four-time All-Star has 10 goals and 23 assists. He joins brother Marc on the Blueshirts. Staal will be a free agent after the season. Noticing a pattern here?

The Panthers added some scoring punch in acquiring wingers Jiri Hudler from the Calgary Flames and Teddy Purcell from the Edmonton Oilers as well as defenseman Jakub Kindl from Detroit. Florida is +1500 for the Cup.

Anaheim landed forward Brandon Pirri from Florida and winger Jamie McGinn from Buffalo. Pirri has only played in 101 games since the start of the 2014-15 season but he has scored 33 goals in those games. He's out with an ankle injury right now. The Ducks are +1400 for the Cup. Colorado (+5000) landed winger Mikkel Boedker from the Coyotes. After Ladd, he was arguably the top rental forward on the market. He had 13 goals and 26 assists with 18 of those points on the power play. The Avs are simply battling to get into the playoffs.

Which teams are worse after the deadline? No question it's Arizona, Toronto, Calgary and Carolina. Those four all loaded up on young players and draft picks in their moves and that may well work out in the long term, but they are clearly in full tank mode the rest of this season. Bet against those clubs accordingly.

This Week's Games To Watch

Anaheim at Los Angeles, Saturday: The Ducks enter the week on an NHL-high eight-game winning streak and are two points behind the crosstown Kings in the Pacific Division. The Kings also made a move at the deadline, getting winger Kris Versteeg from Carolina. L.A. needed some forward depth because it has lost Marian Gaborik to injury. Gaborik will reportedly miss 10-12 weeks with a knee injury. Versteeg had 33 points (11 goals) with the Hurricanes and has plenty of postseason experience as well from his time in Chicago. The Kings moved Gaborik to long-term injured reserve to absorb Versteeg's salary. The Ducks lead the season series with the Kings 2-1 and beat visiting L.A. 4-2 on Sunday to snap the Kings' four-game winning streak. Corey Perry had his ninth career hat trick for the Ducks. The Kings haven't finished first in their division since the 1990-91 season, believe it or not. The Ducks trailed the Kings by 15 points on Jan. 2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Edmonton interested in hosting 2020 World Cup of Hockey
By The Sports Xchange

The World Cup of Hockey will return in 2020 and Edmonton is interested in being the host.
The Canadian city immediately put its name up for consideration as host of the eight-team tournament after NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed on Wednesday that the 2020 event was a go.
The Edmonton Journal reports that Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson already informed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Daly of Edmonton's interest.
The Oilers are in the process of creating "The Ice District," which includes a new arena named Rogers Place. The project is slated to be finished in 2019.
This year's World Cup of Hockey is being held in Toronto from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1. It will be the first time the tournament is played at one venue as opposed to multiple sites.

---Two current members of the New Jersey Devils were fined for violating the diving/embellishment rule, the NHL announced.
Devils forwards Joseph Blandisi and Devante Smith-Pelly were each fined $2,000. Smith-Pelly's offenses came with the Montreal Canadiens.
New Jersey acquired Smith-Pelly from Montreal before Monday's trading deadline.
Blandisi was issued a warning from a Feb. 16 incident against the Philadelphia Flyers and was cited against on Feb. 23 against the New York Rangers, which triggered the fine. Smith-Pelly was issued a warning for an incident against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 22. A second incident on Feb. 24 against the Washington Capitals led to the fine.

---Forward Brendan Leipsic was recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs on an emergency basis. He replaces Brad Boyes, who is out with an upper-body injury.
Leipsic, 21, has one goal and one assist in four games with the Maple Leafs this season, and 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 50 games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

---The Anaheim Ducks recalled right wing Stefan Noesen from the San Diego Gulls, the team announced.
Noesen, 22, appeared in one NHL game for Anaheim last season and went scoreless. He has 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 50 games with San Diego this season.

---The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to a two-year contract extension with forward Kyle Baun, the team announced.
Baun, 23, has played in five career NHL games with Chicago. He has three assists in 22 games with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (37-21) at Capitals (47-12)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Washington has 19 more tuneups before trying to live up to its regular-season success and exorcise its playoff demons.

The Capitals realize, though, that if they carry their recent lackadaisical play into the postseason, they might find themselves facing the same issues as in years past.

The New York Rangers roared back from the brink of elimination to defeat Washington in last season's playoffs, and they'll try to snap the Capitals' three-game winning streak in the series Friday night in D.C.

Washington (47-12-4) matched the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings for the most victories through 63 games with Thursday's 3-2 home win over Toronto, but it needed Matt Niskanen's power-play goal with 10:29 left to survive against the league's worst club.

The surprisingly tough contest came one night after the Caps fell behind 2-0 to Pittsburgh before T.J. Oshie scored on the power play late in the third to give them a third unanswered goal and a hard-fought victory.

"We've been fortunate we've got enough firepower where we can kind of find a way to win, but we know down the stretch and in the playoffs it's not going to be that easy," said defenseman Taylor Chorney, who scored his first goal in more than five years against the Maple Leafs.

Success on the power play certainly has helped. Washington has scored at least once with the man advantage in each of its last four and has the best conversion rate in the NHL at 23.9 percent.

The Capitals have played eight consecutive one-goal games, winning six.

"The power play has found different ways to score goals," Oshie said. "Obviously, you got Alex (Ovechkin) over there on the side, that's always your No. 1 option. But there's so many different ways we've been scoring them, and that's going to be huge at the end of the season here and into the postseason."

Washington hasn't reached the Eastern Conference finals since losing to Detroit in the '98 Stanley Cup Final - eight years before Ovechkin arrived - and has been ousted by the Rangers (37-20-6) in seven games in each of its last three appearances.

Ovechkin, who scored an even-strength goal against Toronto to increase his league-leading total to 41, has scored in nine straight regular-season meetings with New York. That streak becomes 10 with Game 7 of last year's second-round matchup, when the Rangers completed a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

They won the first meeting this season Nov. 3, but the Capitals have taken the last three while scoring 16 goals. Justin Williams had a hat trick in Washington's 5-2 victory in the last matchup Jan. 17.

New York is completing a stretch of playing five of six on the road after having a three-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh. It sits in second place in the Metropolitan Division, 18 points behind the NHL-leading Capitals.

Henrik Lundqvist allowed three goals on 22 shots before leaving in the second period because of neck spasms following a collision with defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Coach Alain Vigneault said he didn't think it was anything serious.

"He's obviously an elite player so we hope everything's all right with him," center Eric Staal said. "We'll get some rest and try to rebound for (Friday)."

Braden Holtby should be in net for the Capitals but has struggled with a .877 save percentage while starting each matchup this season.

Antti Raanta, who stopped all three shots he faced against Pittsburgh after replacing Lundqvist, started the last meeting and likely will get the nod in this one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (25-34) at Blue Jackets (26-30)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The individual success has been there all along for Connor McDavid. It now might be translating into victories.

Edmonton heads to Columbus on Friday night seeking its first four-game winning streak with the rookie sensation on the ice, and he already had a big impact in a win over the Blue Jackets just over a month ago.

The Oilers (25-34-7) won six straight to start December while McDavid was on injured reserve with a broken clavicle that cost him 37 games, but they haven't won more than three in a row with him.

Thursday's 4-0 victory at Philadelphia has them in position to change that. McDavid had an assist, and while Edmonton has averaged 3.00 goals on the streak after totaling three in its previous three games, the defensive effort has been more impressive.

The Oilers have given up two goals and held the New York Islanders, Buffalo and the Flyers scoreless on 12 power-play chances.

Granted, their own power play hasn't scored a goal in weeks, going 0 for 17 in its last eight games, but it's been an enjoyable time for the team as it makes its third stop on a four-game trip. The Oilers had dropped their previous five road games with a goal scored in each, and they'd managed 10 goals on a 0-5-1 overall span.

"We've learned by trial and error that the cute, fancy homestand we tried to play wasn't going to do it," coach Todd McLellan said. "We're a proud group so we took it upon ourselves to be a scrappy, relentless, tenacious team."

McDavid has two goals and two assists on the winning streak, and his 1.10 points per game ranks second behind Chicago's Patrick Kane. When he's held without a point, Edmonton is 1-6-2. Since returning from the injury with a goal and two assists in a 5-1 home win over Columbus on Feb. 2, he has 20 points in 16 contests.

"He gets faster when he gets the puck," Taylor Hall said of McDavid. "That's a quality that not many guys in the world have. It's fun to watch."

That win snapped the Oilers' three-game skid versus the Blue Jackets, though Edmonton has averaged 4.15 goals over an 8-2-3 span in the series. Jordan Eberle has played in 12 of those and managed six goals and nine assists.

The Blue Jackets (26-30-8) have had fairly straightforward results lately, winning each time they've scored more than once over a 5-2-2 span. That stretch includes a 2-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Monday before a three-day break. Cam Atkinson reached 20 goals for a third straight season but chances were otherwise limited.

"There wasn't much room for either team as far as scoring chances. We talked about not opening up and just staying with it," coach John Tortorella told the team's official website. "I thought we did a lot of good things. We defended well, but we have to find a way to win."

In goal, Joonas Korpisalo is 2-1-0 with a 1.96 goals-against average and .925 save percentage since allowing four goals in consecutive games. He allowed all five in Edmonton last month.

Cam Talbot beat him and has started the last nine games for the Oilers. After shutting out the Flyers, he's posted a 1.19 GAA and .966 save percentage over a 3-1-1 span.

"I felt pretty comfortable again tonight, the PK did a heck of a job in front of me, and it was a big two points for this group," Talbot told the team's official website.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (31-27) at Stars (38-20)

Date: March 04, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

As much as the Dallas Stars would love to claim their first division title in 10 years, the main goal now is heading into the playoffs fully healthy.

Patrick Sharp and Jordie Benn finally have decided not to play through nagging injuries in order to heal up before the postseason, but the Stars certainly will have a more difficult time snapping their slump and pulling into a tie atop the Central.

Dallas looks to avoid a season-high fifth consecutive loss when it faces the playoff-hopeful New Jersey Devils on Friday night.

The Stars (38-20-7) are two points back of first-place Chicago with a game in hand despite going just 1-5-2 since Feb. 16. They also have a game in hand on St. Louis, which they tie for second as they seek their first division crown since 2005-06.

The slump continued Tuesday with a 5-3 loss at Nashville after Dallas allowed three unanswered goals in the second period that put the game away. Sharp, whose 47 points are fourth on the club, left that contest early with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss 5-7 days, according to coach Lindy Ruff.

The veteran is in his first season with Dallas and had played in every game.

"Sharp has been battling his situation most of the year," Ruff said. "Just got to a point where we're going to shut him down for a few days. Hopefully, he'll be ready once we get back from the road trip."

After facing New Jersey (31-27-7), the Stars travel to Montreal and Ottawa on Sunday and Tuesday. Benn, whose brother Jamie leads Dallas in scoring, will miss at least each of those games and could be out up to two weeks with a lower-body issue.

Ruff will have to switch up his defensive pairings with Benn out. He had Alex Goligoski on the right with Patrik Nemeth and put recently acquired Kris Russell with John Klingberg at practice Thursday.

Johnny Oduya and Jason Demers will remain together as the Stars also try to avoid a fifth consecutive home defeat.

"I think we have options now," Ruff said. "With Jordie out, one of our top five will have to play some right defense, and Alex has been the best at it so far."

Sharp scored in the first meeting with New Jersey on Jan. 2 before John Moore's overtime goal gave the Devils a 3-2 victory and their fourth win in six meetings.

Moore assisted on Adam Henrique's overtime goal as New Jersey roared back for a 5-4 win at Nashville on Thursday. The Devils trailed by two entering the third and were down a goal late in regulation when Henrique force OT with 39.7 seconds left.

New Jersey scored three times during a three-game skid prior to the victory and had dropped six of its previous seven. The club is tied with Philadelphia for ninth in the Eastern Conference, but it sits five points back of Pittsburgh and has played two more games than both the Flyers and Penguins.

"It was nice we were able to tie it up and find a way to win," coach John Hynes said. "You can feel it on the bench and with your team that guys felt good, felt good about how we played."

Cory Schneider will be back in net after Keith Kinkaid made 30 saves Thursday. Schneider had a 3.35 goals-against average over his previous seven but is 3-1-1 with a 2.09 GAA in his last five against the Stars.

Antti Niemi, who has a 4.68 GAA over his last five, could be in goal for Dallas.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - March

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
3/1 8 48.5 49 OVER
3/2 3 16.5 17 OVER
3/3 12 65.5 69 OVER
3/4 3 - - -
3/5 11 - - -
3/6 6 - - -
3/7 7 - - -
3/8 8 - - -
3/9 6 - - -
3/10 6 - - -
3/11 5 - - -
3/12 12 - - -
3/13 3 - - -
3/14 6 - - -
3/15 8 - - -
3/16 6 - - -
3/17 8 - - -
3/18 6 - - -
3/19 11 - - -
3/20 7 - - -
3/21 4 - - -
3/22 10 - - -
3/23 2 - - -
3/24 11 - - -
3/25 3 - - -
3/26 14 - - -
3/27 3 - - -
3/28 8 - - -
3/29 9 - - -
3/30 3 - - -
3/31 10 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Spurs G Ginobili close to return
By The Sports Xchange

Manu Ginobili could be back with the San Antonio Spurs next week after missing a month recovering from testicular surgery.
The Spurs wanted Ginobili to take his time getting back on the court because the medical staff had no experience treating the injury.
Ginobili is practicing with the team and could work his way back on to the court as early as Saturday.
Ginobili last played in a game on Feb. 2, when Ryan Anderson caught him squarely in the groin with a knee. Ginobili was unable to get to his feet, and knew it was more than just a typical low blow when he couldn' t get his wind five minutes later.

--Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant was fined $10,000 for throwing a water bottle into the stands during a recent game, NBA executive vice president Kiki VanDeWeghe announced.
The incident occurred with 8:44 remaining in the 76ers' 116-108 loss to the host Washington Wizards on Feb. 29.

--The Denver Nuggets signed forward Axel Toupane to a 10-day contract, the team announced.
Toupane, 23, was averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 32 games for Toronto 905 of the D-League. The 6-foot-7 Toupane played four years of professional basketball in France before going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (35-26) at 76ers (8-53)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

With their backcourt providing an offensive spark and Hassan Whiteside anchoring the defense, the Miami Heat have stretched out their Southeast Division advantage.

The Heat look to continue making the most of a soft portion of the schedule Friday night when they open a home-and-home set with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Miami (35-26) was three games back of defending division-champion Atlanta following a 1-7 stretch on Jan. 22 before turning things around by winning 12 of its past 17 games.

Dwyane Wade had 25 points and Goran Dragic added 22 in Thursday's 108-92 home win over Phoenix that gave them a two-game lead on the Hawks. Wade has scored 24.4 per game in his last five, while Dragic has averaged 19.3 points and 7.0 assists over his past eight.

They've helped the club put up 107.4 points per game in its last eight after ranking 29th with a 95.9 scoring average - ahead of only Philadelphia's 94.9 mark - over its previous 52.

Miami, which allows an Eastern Conference-low 96.8 points per game, held the Suns to a 40.2 field-goal percentage and 5-of-22 shooting from 3-point range. Whiteside finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks and he's averaging 18.4, 15 and 4.1 in his last seven.

The Heat, 6-2 since losing leading scorer Chris Bosh, hope to inch closer to third-place Boston as they chase a fourth straight win in a stretch with five of seven against losing teams. Chicago is the only non-losing club in that span at 30-30, but has dropped 18 of 26.

'It's the time of the year where you've got to win games you're supposed to win,' said Wade, who insists he'll play in the second of back-to-back games.

Highly touted rookies and former Duke teammates Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow might not get a chance to face each other in the opener of back-to-back meetings. Okafor, averaging a team-high 17.5 points, could miss a third straight game with a shin injury.

Jerami Grant has totaled 21 points while replacing Okafor in the starting lineup. He was fined $10,000 for throwing a water bottle into the stands versus Washington on Monday.

Philadelphia (8-53) looks to avoid its 11th straight loss after falling 119-99 to Charlotte on Wednesday. Robert Covington, Nerlens Noel and Isaiah Canaan had 17 points each, but the Hornets shot 49.4 percent and had a 50-38 edge on the glass.

'We've got to find ways to get back in it,' coach Brett Brown said. 'I think the game ends up feeling long; it is long. You're not going to get a win unless you play long.'

The 76ers, last in the NBA with 96.4 points per game, have played better of late with an average of 105.6 over the past nine. They haven't been able to contain opponents at the other end, however, surrendering 118.6 on 49 percent shooting over that stretch.

Canaan finished with 22 points, Covington had 21 and Okafor added 16 and 11 rebounds Nov. 21 when Philadelphia gave Miami everything it could handle in a 96-91 road loss. Wade scored 27 and Winslow had a big tip-in with 27 seconds left to help the Heat overcome a late 11-point deficit for their 24th victory in the past 28 meetings, including the playoffs.

Miami will host the 76ers on Sunday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (32-29) at Hornets (32-28)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

With Kemba Walker leading the way, the Charlotte Hornets have registered a pair of wins over the Indiana Pacers during their recent surge.

The Hornets will try to keep rolling by completing their first season sweep of the Pacers in Friday night's opener to a seven-game homestand.

Charlotte (32-28) has pushed a half-game ahead of Indiana (32-29) for sixth place in the Eastern Conference by winning eight of 10. The Hornets blew out the Pacers 117-95 in their final game before the All-Star break Feb. 10 and edged them 96-95 last Friday with Walker making the go-ahead basket with 2.4 seconds left.

He provided 30 points in a 119-99 rout of Philadelphia on Wednesday, one of Charlotte's two blowouts of lowly teams to open this month. The Hornets topped Phoenix 126-92 on Tuesday.

Walker is averaging a career-high 20.8 points after scoring 23.9 per game in his last nine. He had 25 points in the first meeting with Indiana and scored 22 while dishing out a season-high 10 assists in last weekend's victory.

"(Kemba's) definitely controlling the game and Coach (Steve Clifford) is definitely going through him," guard Jeremy Lin said.

The Hornets have won six of seven at home as Walker has averaged 29.5 points.

They're 20-9 in Charlotte this season and now begin a long homestand a half-game behind fifth-place Atlanta and within striking distance of Miami for the Southeast Division lead. The Hornets don't play on the road again until visiting the Heat on March 17.

"(The homestand) is going to be big. It's going to be some really important games for us," Walker said. "Hopefully, our fans give us a huge push, and we come out and get some big wins."

Indiana is coming off a 104-99 road win over Milwaukee on Wednesday, snapping a three-game slide and remaining 1 1/2 games ahead of the ninth-place teams in the East. Jordan Hill had 19 points - one shy of his season high - to lead seven players in double figures.

Rodney Stuckey had 12 of his 15 in a 3:22 stretch of the fourth quarter in his fourth game since returning from a bruised right foot. The guard, averaging 9.5 points, had a combined 12 on 5-of-16 shooting in his previous three contests.

"I think it's to the point now where my foot is feeling fine, so I'm just going to go out there and play my game and not really necessarily worry about re-aggravating it or anything," Stuckey told the team's official website. "I'm feeling good. Tonight I just saw lanes where I could be aggressive, attack the basket and just shoot the ball when I'm open."

Paul George has averaged 27.0 points in the two games against the Hornets and had 32 in last Friday's defeat. He's averaged 16.3 points in the past three games while shooting 34.8 percent.

Charlotte has not swept a season series from Indiana since entering the league in 1988-89 and is looking to match its longest winning streak in the history of the series, having taken three straight meetings in 2002.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (15-46) at Magic (27-33)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Coach Scott Skiles hopes a performance that brought back memories of a promising 2015 can spark a run toward the Orlando Magic's first postseason berth in four years.

The Phoenix Suns are just trying to avoid the worst road slide in franchise history.

Coming off a strong defensive showing, Orlando will attempt to move closer to a playoff spot Friday night when it looks to take advantage of another opportune matchup at home.

The Magic (27-33) were playing more like Skiles had envisioned when they ranked sixth in the NBA with 98.4 points allowed per game during a 19-13 start. That all changed once the calender flipped to 2016, as they gave up 107.1 while dropping 20 of the next 27.

Orlando took a step in the right direction Wednesday when it held Chicago to 38.4 percent shooting in a 102-89 home win. It allowed it lowest point total since holding Brooklyn to 77 on Jan. 8 and its lowest field-goal percentage since Denver's 33.3 on Dec. 8.

"We're hoping we can start stringing some games together because that's where we were (early in the season)," Skiles said. "If we had bad moments in a game, it tended to be four or five rather than 24 or 25. It's something we got away from and have to get back to."

The Magic, who haven't reached the playoffs since the 2011-12 season, are 11th in the Eastern Conference and 3 1/2 games behind eighth-place Detroit with 22 left. They'll try to keep closing the gap with only their second back-to-back wins since Dec. 28 and 30.

Nikola Vucevic led the way with 24 points Wednesday, while Victor Oladipo scored 17 and Aaron Gordon contributed 13 points and 15 rebounds. Mario Hezonja had a season-high 21 points while filling in for the injured Evan Fournier, who hopes to return against the Suns.

Vucevic is averaging 22.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in his last 10 games and Gordon has put up 15.6 and 8.6 over his past five. Oladipo has chipped in with 17.1 points in his last eight.

Orlando had scored 111.9 per game over a seven-game stretch before shooting just 40.2 percent against the Bulls. They should get some open looks as they play one more at home before starting a stretch with nine of 11 on the road Monday at Golden State.

The Suns, who are 3-30 since Dec. 20, have allowed 113.6 points per game while matching the 1973-74 team with a franchise-record 17 consecutive road defeats. They let Miami shoot 48.2 percent in Thursday's 108-92 road loss.

Devin Booker was a bright spot with 15 of his season-high 34 points in the fourth quarter.

The Suns rank in the league's top 10 with 14.3 fast-break points per game. They scored 19 on the break en route to their fourth win in five meetings with Orlando, 107-104 in Phoenix on Dec. 9.

"We have to get back on defense," Skiles added. "They come at you fast."

Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe led the way with 21 points apiece for the Suns (15-46) in December, but they've long since been sidelined due to injury. Alex Len added 20 points and 14 rebounds and Mirza Teletovic scored 15 with four 3-pointers.

'We all know that our main guys are out,' interim coach Earl Watson said. 'That's not even a secret, but we make no excuses.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (33-29) at Raptors (40-19)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

A select few can rival the production of a backcourt that's catapulted the Portland Trail Blazers into playoff contention. The Toronto Raptors are one of them.

Two of the NBA's best teams of the second half face off Friday night at Air Canada Centre, where the Raptors aim for an unprecedented 12th consecutive home win and the Trail Blazers look to put behind a road loss which has been rare recently.

After opening this season-high six-game trip with three victories, Portland (33-29) had a six-game road win streak halted by becoming the 12th straight visitor to lose at Boston's TD Garden in Wednesday's 116-93 defeat to the Celtics. The Blazers had been 8-1 on the road in 2016.

They haven't dropped back-to-back games overall since a three-game skid Jan. 4-8. They've since gone 18-5 for the league's fourth-best record, eclipsed only by Golden State, San Antonio and a Raptors team that's 19-4 since Jan. 6.

Portland has lost just three times in its last 17 games, one being a 110-103 home defeat to Toronto on Feb. 4. The Raptors (40-19) also won the battle of guard tandems, as Kyle Lowry hit seven 3-pointers and amassed 30 points to complement 29 from fellow All-Star DeMar DeRozan.

Both also delivered big performances in Wednesday's 104-94 win over Utah, with Lowry scoring 32 and DeRozan 31 on 11-of-15 shooting to help Toronto to a franchise-record 11th straight home victory.

"We just go out there and do their job," Lowry said. "We try to make sure that we still have everyone else contributing and get those guys involved. For me and (DeRozan), we try to take some of the attention we get and make other guys get open looks."

Lowry and DeRozan's 44.9 points per game rank third among NBA guard combos, just behind Portland's Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum (46.1). The duo's play has been instrumental to the Blazers' rise, with Lillard averaging 31.6 points over his last 10 and McCollum shooting 50.0 percent from 3-point range in averaging 21.6 over the past eight.

The two combined for 48 points in last month's matchup but were mostly held in check by Boston, which outscored the Trail Blazers 60-34 in the paint and had 19 offensive rebounds leading to 21 second-chance points.

'We just weren't good enough," said Lillard, held to 20 points after scoring 30 or more in each of the trip's first three games. "We didn't do a lot of the things that we've been doing at the level that we've been doing them."

Portland forced a season-low five turnovers, its fourth straight outing of nine or less. Toronto has been terrific at taking care of the ball of late, averaging a league-low 9.4 giveaways over its last eight.

The efficient Raptors are averaging 108.0 points while shooting 50.1 percent over their last five. They've won four times during that stretch, with the lone blemish Sunday's 114-101 loss at Detroit in which Lowry was rested two days after scoring a career-high 43 against Cleveland.

'It's a long season, it's a grind and we put our bodies through a lot," he said. "We get paid really good money to do it, so I know the resting thing is not too popular with everyone, but in the end we want to be able to put out the best product possible.'

Toronto is seeking its first season sweep of Portland since 1996-97. The Trail Blazers have won 12 of the last 14 matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (25-37) at Celtics (37-25)

Date: March 04, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The New York Knicks entered play Jan. 22 one-half game behind the second-place Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division.

More than a month later, the Celtics are third in the Eastern Conference while the Knicks are third from the bottom.

A big reason for the Celtics' surge is a home winning streak they can extend to 13 by taking the season series from the lowly Knicks on Friday night.

Boston was 22-21 before beginning its current 15-4 surge with a nine-point home win over Chicago on Jan. 22. The same day, New York was 22-22 and looking for a third consecutive victory, but suffered a 116-88 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers that began a stretch of 15 losses in 18 games.

The Celtics helped their own cause by adding to the Knicks' woes with a 97-89 victory Feb. 2.

'I don't know why," Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said. "I don't know how, it just went downhill from there.'

While the Knicks (25-37) can't explain their extended slump, Boston's success has been highlighted by its longest home winning streak since a 13-game run in 2008-09.

The East's highest-scoring team has averaged 112.7 points in the last 12 at home, and overcame an early 12-point deficit to win 116-93 over Portland on Wednesday. Boston has yielded an average of 92.3 points and 39.7 percent shooting in the past three of a five-game homestand that ends Friday.

"We're all competitors," reserve guard Marcus Smart said. "We love to win. So we're going to find a way to go out there and compete every night."

Isaiah Thomas scored 30 with Smart and Jared Sullinger each recording 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who can match a season high with their fifth straight win.

Even with their impressive roll, the Celtics feel they still have something to prove.

"Teams in the NBA they still don't respect us. And we know that,' Thomas said. 'We go into every game with a chip on our shoulder and knowing that we gotta earn the respect. We gotta earn what we get and take what's ours.'

That familiar chip on the shoulder will be in place even against the Knicks, who have shot 37.4 percent and gone 10 of 39 from 3-point range in their two losses in three meetings with Boston this season. Thomas has averaged 25 points in the three, scoring 34 in a 120-114 defeat at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 12.

Anthony had 29 points in a 100-91 loss at Boston on Dec. 27, then totaled 33 in the next two matchups.

His overall frustration might have peaked during Tuesday's 104-85 loss to the Trail Blazers when he told a heckling fan at MSG to ask team chairman James Dolan for his money back. Anthony apologized for his actions.

"We are all frustrated by the team's recent results - everyone, including me, my teammates, coaches and the fans," he said. "I should not have responded the way I did.'

Following last Friday's 108-95 victory over Orlando, the Knicks averaged 83.0 points and 37.1 percent shooting in back-to-back losses to Miami and Portland. They scored 13 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday.

New York guard Arron Afflalo had four on 2-of-10 shooting at Boston in December, but scored 42 over the two home meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (30-30) at Cavaliers (42-17)

Date: March 04, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards have gained ground in the playoff race by capitalizing on opportunities such as facing a Cleveland Cavaliers team without LeBron James earlier this week.

That won't be the case when the resurgent Wizards visit Cleveland on Friday night seeking a season-high fifth consecutive win.

Three games out of a playoff spot at the All-Star break, Washington (30-30) has closed within a half-game of eighth-place Detroit in the Eastern Conference by winning seven of nine since returning. It's taken advantage of two meetings with NBA-worst Philadelphia and one with another non-contender in Minnesota during its streak, the club's longest since a four-game run Jan. 9-15.

The Wizards also received an assist from their former point guard Tyronn Lue in Cleveland's visit to Washington on Sunday, as the Cavaliers coach decided to rest James in a 113-99 loss in which his team trailed by 30.

Cleveland (42-17) put forth a considerably more determined effort in Monday's 100-96 win over Indiana, closing on a 9-2 run to halt a two-game skid. Having James return to score 33 points in 37 minutes certainly helped as well.

'We showed some mental toughness,' James said. "We were able to keep our composure, get some stops, make some shots and win the ballgame.'

The Cavaliers figure to be challenged again in this one, as the Wizards have averaged 108.3 points and 50.8 percent shooting in winning two of three matchups this season. John Wall in particular has given Cleveland a hard time, averaging 25.3 points and 11.7 assists in the season series.

Wall had 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and added 13 assists Sunday. The All-Star guard was held to 14 on a 6-of-18 effort at Minnesota on Wednesday, but Washington got a huge night from its bolstered bench in a 104-98 win.

Bradley Beal scored 26 points while Alan Anderson had 18 in his fourth game back from offseason ankle surgery, helping the Wizards' reserves outscore the Timberwolves' 64-18.

Beal and Nene's returns from lengthy injury absences have improved the depth as well, as has the acquisition of Markieff Morris at the trade deadline.

'I think this year it's more the healthiest we've been. I think that's the main reason," coach Randy Wittman said of his team's surge.

Improvements on defense also have played a part in the turnaround. The Wizards have held seven of their last 10 opponents to fewer than 100 points and are 6-0 since the break when yielding 99 or less.

Washington has been much tougher in defending the 3-point shot of late, limiting teams to 29.9 percent over its 7-2 stretch. The Wizards entered the break last in 3-point percentage defense at 38.7.

They've held Cleveland to a combined 36.8 percent from the field in their two victories, though the Cavaliers won the lone matchup in which both James and Kyrie Irving played. Cleveland shot 53.9 percent in a 121-115 road win Jan. 6 with James collecting 34 points and 10 rebounds and Irving scoring 32.

Irving had 28 on Sunday and 22 against Indiana, going a combined 19 of 19 from the foul line and 5 of 10 from 3-point range.