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Preview: Packers (4-6) at Eagles (5-5)

Date: November 28, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Green Bay Packers started the season, as they always do, with championship aspirations.

The Philadelphia Eagles, after crushing Pittsburgh 34-3 to improve to 3-0, looked like they were emerging as a surprise challenger.

Instead, Monday night's game at Lincoln Financial Field could serve as an elimination game. The Packers have lost four in a row to plunge to 4-6 and 14th place in the NFC playoff race. Even with an upset victory over the Eagles, they would remain two games behind the division-leading Lions after their Thanksgiving Day win over Minnesota.

The Eagles have crashed back to Earth with losses in five of their last seven games. At 5-5, they are in ninth place in the NFC and trail Washington (6-3-1) for the final NFC wild-card spot.

For the Packers, this is unexpected territory as they join New England as the only teams to qualify for the playoffs in each of the past seven seasons.

Head coach Mike McCarthy's confidence, however, hasn't waned.

"We have the right kind of men," he said. "This group of men, we're going to get to where we want to go. I'm fully confident in that. The process, the approach, the preparation, we're going to get this the way it needs to be. This locker room is awesome.

"We've got to win. We get that. It's about results. But everything leading up to that, I'm very pleased with. So we're just going to keep stoking our fire and we're going to do everything we need to do this week and prepare to go beat Philadelphia."

For the Eagles, their up-and-down play isn't surprising considering rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, is learning on the job. That doesn't mean there isn't disappointment.

They lost last week at Seattle by 11 points but their other four losses have come by a combined 19 points.

"It's something that we kind of in the back of our minds sort of planned for," first-year head coach Doug Pederson said. "Still, to be 5-5 and to be in the thick of it is a credit to him and the rest of the team and how well they've played. We've had our chances. We've had moments to pull out some of these close games that we've been in. It's just something that it is what it is right now. He's learning. Every rep that he takes, he's learning. It's going to make him a much better quarterback down the road."

If there are big advantages for the Eagles, it's defense and venue. The Eagles rank fourth in the league with 18.6 points allowed per game. They've allowed a total of 38 points in going 4-0 at home.

The Packers, meanwhile, gave up 47 points at Tennessee in Week 10 and 42 more at Washington in Week 11. Green Bay hasn't allowed back-to-back 40-point games since 1953 or four consecutive 30-point games since 1952. The Packers have lost four in a row on the road for the first time since 2008.

Injuries are a factor for both teams.

The Eagles' top running backs, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles, were knocked out of the Seattle game. Sproles (broken rib) is more likely to play than Mathews (knee), Pederson said. Still, it could leave the Eagles' running game in the hands of rookie Wendell Smallwood.

Top cornerback Leodis McKelvin is in the concussion protocol.

The Packers had seven starters out by the end of the Washington game, including both starting cornerbacks and both starting inside linebackers. With the injuries to Jake Ryan (ankle) and Blake Martinez (knee) at inside linebacker, the Packers might be forced to move Clay Matthews back inside, where he played the previous season-and-a-half.

There's a chance the Packers could get back second-year cornerback Damarious Randall, who's missed the past five games following groin surgery, but veteran Sam Shields will spend the rest of the season on injured reserve with a concussion.

Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota took advantage of that depleted secondary to post passer ratings of more than 145 the last two weeks.

Can Wentz take advantage, too? In his first four games, Wentz had a 103.5 passer rating with seven touchdowns vs. one interception. In the last six games, he's had a passer rating of 72.3 with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Against Seattle, Wentz completed 51.1 percent of his passes, threw two interceptions and had a passer rating of just 61.2.

"We've just got to be on point. We had a couple mistakes that really hurt us," Wentz said. "Especially when you're facing good teams, you can't have those letdowns. You have to be sharp. You can't have those little mistakes that can really cost you big in the end. I think we're learning that. Unfortunately, we have too many of those every week, even in wins."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Packers look to snap skid

Week 12 SNF Betting Preview
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Odds: Philadelphia (-4); Total set at 48

The Green Bay Packers have been one of the NFL's best teams to fade in the month of November as they have gone 0-3 ATS so far in the month as part of a four-game losing streak.

It's been the Packers defense that's to blame for those defeats as they seemingly can't stop anyone right now, allowing 30 or more points in all four of their defeats during this run, including 40+ in the last two.

At 4-6 SU and looking up at the 7-4 SU Detroit Lions in the division, there is no more margin of error left in Green Bay's season and they've got to turn things around in a hurry.

Going into Philadelphia on MNF isn't exactly the best place to start a turnaround for the Packers as Philly has been a very tough out at home. The Eagles have beaten the likes of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Atlanta already on this field and have been much better then people expected entering the year.

Rookie QB Carson Wentz appears to be the real deal, and a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS mark at home this season is part of the reason they are laying more than a FG here. Obviously, Green Bay's disasters the past few weeks finally appear to have many jumping off their bandwagon, but I wouldn't be in such a hurry to lay the chalk with the Eagles this week.

For one, Green Bay's offense has been doing everything they can to eliminate the mistakes made by their defense during this losing stretch. Had the Packers got even average defensive play over their past four games they could very well be sitting at 2-2 SU over that stretch and right in the hunt for the NFC North lead.

It was Aaron Rodgers and the offense that endured much of the criticism early on this year, but with 24 or more points in five straight games, that Packers offense has found something that definitely works.

That play will be tested against an Eagles team that has yet to allow more than 15 points in any home game this season, but the level of desperation on the Green Bay sideline this week will be at an all-time high and they are going to need to rely on their strength (the offense) to save their season.

Green Bay has gone 4-1 ATS in their past five games with Philadelphia and are playing an Eagles team who've had their own struggles this month too as they are 1-5 ATS in their last six November games.

Secondly, the Eagles dominance at home has come in large part because of their ability to force numerous turnovers in those contests and halt the opposition in their tracks. I expect this to be one of Aaron Rodgers' best games of the year to date and I don't see him or the rest of the Packers offense putting the ball on the turf much.

Taking care of the ball will force an Eagles offense that only averages 222.1 yards/game through the air to continually go the length of the field. Even with all of Green Bay's defensive issues of late, forcing the Eagles to go the length of the field on a routine basis gives the Packers defense a much higher chance at success.

So while many are finally jumping ship on the Packers this year after there defensive struggles were laid bare for everyone to see on national television last week, I'm taking the alternate approach here and believe them to be the side that gives this Eagles team their first home loss of the year.

Remember, the Eagles were projected to be a 6-7 win team this year with Wentz at the helm and that's likely exactly where they'll finish.

No team is ever as bad as they look one week – especially on a nationally televised game – and with the Eagles offense not striking fear in anyone these days, the Packers defense should surprise many with a strong turnaround.

Best Bet: Take Green Bay +4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Monday Night Football Picks: Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles Odds & Predictions
by Alan Matthews

The last time the Green Bay Packers missed the playoffs was in 2008 when Aaron Rodgers finally replaced Brett Favre as the team's starting quarterback. Rodgers had his first-year starter growing pains but obviously has become one of the best QBs of his era and of all time.

I can say pretty confidently that if the Packers (4-6) don't win Monday night in Philadelphia to conclude Week 12 that they will not be a playoff team in 2016 and that there will be major turnover on the team's coaching staff in the offseason. It's possible highly-successful head coach Mike McCarthy survives, but he probably is forced to make several coaching changes -- starting on the defensive side of the ball. If this were any other team but the Packers and perhaps the Pittsburgh Steelers, two franchises that are fairly conservative in making big changes and reward loyalty, then I think McCarthy would be gone for sure.

At 2.5 games behind in the NFC North, the Pack aren't winning the division. And the remaining schedule is pretty tough even with three of five at home: vs. Texans, vs. Seahawks, at Bears, vs. Vikings and at Lions. Maybe the Pack can go 4-1 in that stretch, meaning a win Monday would put them at 9-7. Will that be enough for a wild-card spot? Perhaps, with the Pack battling the Giants, Redskins and possibly Bucs outside the NFC North for one of those spots.

At 5-5, the Eagles would be competing for a division title in the AFC North and South and NFC North and South, but they are four games behind Dallas in the NFC East entering Week 12 and in last place. Philly's schedule is easier than Green Bay's the rest of the way: at Bengals (in free-fall), vs. Redskins, at Ravens, vs. Giants, vs. Cowboys. Not impossible to see a 4-1 record there. Thus 10-6 is doable with a win Monday. That probably is enough for a wild-card spot.

Packers at Eagles Betting Story Lines

This concludes Green Bay's first three-game road trip in four years -- back when it started Week 10 in Tennessee I mentioned here a prop on the total Packer wins during it ; I recommended the under 1.5 and that already has hit. The banged-up Packer defense -- totally ravaged in the secondary -- has allowed at least 31 points in each of its four-game losing streak and a total of 89 points the past two weeks in Tennessee and Washington.

The Redskins torched Green Bay for 515 yards last Sunday night in an 18-point victory. There was history made in that game. Washington's Kirk Cousins and Rodgers became only the seventh pair of opposing quarterbacks in NFL history to both throw for at least 350 yards with three or more touchdowns and no interceptions in the same game. Rodgers has been pretty fantastic in the losing streak as the Packers have scored at least 26 points in each. If you can't win scoring that many points, well, you are the Cleveland Browns.

Philadelphia continued its season-long trend of struggling on the road in Week 11, a 26-15 loss in Seattle. Carson Wentz has really gone into a rookie funk and was just 23-for-45 for 218 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. Wentz had a rating north of 100 in three of his first four games. He has been over 90 just once since. It doesn't help that Wentz has no good receivers other than Jordan Matthews, and he's probably not a true No. 1. Wentz is completing 66 percent of his throws to Matthews this season with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 103.1 quarterback rating. The numbers aren't nearly as good to the other receivers like Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham. I expect the Eagles to target one early in the 2017 draft -- they owe the Browns their first-round pick but have the Vikings' first-rounder.

The Eagles are hurting at running back as No. 1 Ryan Mathews and No. 2 Darren Sproles both left the Seahawks game with injuries. It's not clear if either can play yet, but if not then rookie Wendell Smallwood will start. He had 13 carries for 48 yards vs. Seattle. Also hurt last week were top cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who is in the concussion protocol, and rookie starting right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who is out several weeks with a knee injury. Vaitai was starting there because of the 10-game suspension to Lane Johnson.

Packers at Eagles Betting Odds and Trends

Philadelphia is a 4-point favorite (-110) with a total of 47. On the moneyline, the Eagles are -205 and the Packers +173. On the alternate lines, the Eagles are -4.5 (-103) and -3.5 (-117). Green Bay is 4-5-1 against the spread (2-3 on road) and 6-4 "over/under" (4-1 on road). Philadelphia is 5-5 ATS (4-0 at home) and 5-5 O/U (0-4 at home).

The Packers are 1-4-1 ATS in their past six after a loss of at least 14 points. They are 0-6 ATS in their past six after allowing at least 30 points in their previous game. The Eagles are 5-1 ATS in their past six on Monday. They are 1-5 ATS in their past six in November. The under is 14-5 in Green Bay's past 20 vs. the NFC. The under is 6-1 in the past seven meetings. The Pack are 4-1 ATS in the past five in the series.

Packers at Eagles Betting Prediction

I don't take much from the last meeting as Wentz was still at North Dakota State, but the Packers blasted the Eagles 53-20 at Lambeau in Week 11 of the 2014 season. That was a stretch where Packers were playing their best football of the past two years. Rodgers passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Mark Sanchez was the Philly QB that day, and it being Mark Sanchez you can probably presume how he fared.

This one is tough. Obviously I lean Rodgers and the Packer offense over Wentz and Co. But the Eagles are unbeaten at home and their defense hasn't allowed more than 15 points there (9.6 per game compared to 24.6 on road) despite playing some high-powered offenses like the Steelers and Falcons. I'm going to take the four points, however. Rodgers usually shines on Monday night and has won his past two on MNF. Go under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 12
By Bruce Marshall

Monday, Nov. 28

GREEN BAY at PHILADELPHIA (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Birds 4-0 SU and vs. line at home TY, also “under” all four of those games. Pack 3-8-1 vs. line last 12 reg.-season games, and “over” last three this season.
Tech Edge: Eagles, based on team trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL

Week 12

Monday Night

Packers (4-6) @ Eagles (5-5)— Philly won/covered all four of its home games, winning by 14-31-11-9 points, but they’re 2-5 overall since a 3-0 start, averaging less than six yards/pass attempt in five of last six games. Green Bay lost its last four games, allowing 153 points, worst 4-game stretch for Packer defense since 1958 (year before Lombardi arrived). Pack lost its last four road games, by 3-1-22-18 points; this is also their third straight road game, a historically soft spot for NFL teams. Packers won four of last five series games, with last meeting a 53-20 beatdown at Lambeau in 2014- they won last two visits here, both in ‘10. NFC North non-divisional road dogs are 5-6 vs spread; NFC East home favorites are 7-2. Under is 4-0 in Eagle games this year; last four Green Bay games went over total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Hayes ends scoring drought in Bruins' 4-1 win
By The Sports Xchange

BOSTON -- Jimmy Hayes notched his first goal and first point in 36 games and Tuukka Rask came within 2:39 of a shutout to help the Boston Bruins end a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
Hayes, who hadn't scored since Feb. 24 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, redirected a David Krejci pass past Ben Bishop to cap a three-goal second period for the Bruins, who had scored four goals during the losing streak.
Rask stopped 30 Tampa Bay shots until Victor Hedman deflected in a pass off the skate Boston's Colin Miller to end what would have been Rask's fourth shutout of the season.
Dominic Moore and David Backes scored the first two Boston goals.

Jets 3, Predators 0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Winnipeg woke up in the second period and it was enough to snap a five-game losing streak. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 42 shots in posting the shutout, his second of the season and fourth of his young career.
Hellebuyck blocked 20 shots in the third period, many of them from point-blank range.
The Jets gave the fans reason to make noise when Drew Stafford picked up a rebound from Jacob Trouba and wheeled around the net to stuff the puck behind Predators goalie Juuse Saros for his first of the season at 15:21 of the second period.
Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele put the game out of reach with his 12th goal of the season into an empty net at 19:18 of the third period. Adam Lowry followed 32 seconds later with his sixth of the season with the Predators' net still empty.

Hurricanes 3, Panthers 2
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Michael Leighton won his first NHL game in almost six years as Carolina used a big second period to rally past Florida at PNC Arena.
Viktor Stalberg, Jeff Skinner and Derek Ryan scored in a productive span early in the second period as the Hurricanes won their fifth home game in a row.
Jonathan Marchessault and Aaron Ekblad scored in the first period for the Panthers. Aleksander Barkov had assists on both Florida first-period goals.

Coyotes 2, Oilers 1
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Jamie McGinn scored the winning goal with 3:44 left in regulation as Arizona continued its mastery over Edmonton.
The victory extended the Coyotes' run of success against Edmonton to 25-straight games without a loss in regulation (21-0-4).
Kris Russell accidentally swatted a puck into his own net at 16:10 for the Coyotes first goal and Milan Lucic equalized for Edmonton.

Senators 2, Rangers 0
NEW YORK -- Craig Anderson made 33 saves as Ottawa defeated New York at Madison Square Garden.
Jean-Gabriel Pagueau and Mark Stone scored for the Senators, who have won four straight.
Antti Raanta made 18 saves for the Rangers, who have lost four of six and four straight at home.

Flyers 5, Flames 3
PHILADELPHIA -- Anthony Stolarz allowed a goal on just the second shot he faced, but settled down to stop 29 of 32 shots in a Philadelphia's win over Calgary at the Wells Fargo Center.
Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds and rookie Roman Lyubimov each picked up a goal and an assist for the Flyers, and Michael Raffl and Chris VandeVelde also netted goals as Philadelphia halted a two-game losing streak.
T.J. Brodie, rookie Matthew Tkachuk and Alex Chiasson scored for the Flames, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Chad Johnson (38 saves) lost for just the third time this month.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (10-13) at Islanders (6-10)

Date: November 28, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Calgary Flames are staying afloat during a six-game Eastern Conference road trip. They will try to close the trek out in winning style Monday when they face the skidding New York Islanders at Barclays Center.

Both teams are coming off losses. Calgary fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 Sunday night, while New York dropped a 3-2 decision to the Sharks in San Jose on Friday. The Islanders return home to open a brief two-game homestand.

The Flames already ensured themselves of at least a .500 trip (3-2-0). They enter play Monday two points behind the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars in the race for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

"It's a disappointing loss, but we have back-to-back games and we've got to finish this trip off on the right note," Flames defenseman Mark Giordano said Sunday night. "If we win (Monday), it's a 4-2 trip, and that's a good trip."

The Flames (10-13-1) should have some added motivation after giving up three unanswered goals in the second period Sunday night as the Flyers turned a tie game into a rout.

"I was very disappointed with our guys after the first," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "I let them know that and it didn't get any better in the second. There's no system for being outworked."

If there were, perhaps Islanders coach Jack Capuano would feel better about his team's fortunes. New York, which reached the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993, enters Monday with a 6-10-4 record. The Islanders have the fewest wins and points (16) in the NHL.

Eight of the Islanders' losses were by one goal. New York allowed the go-ahead goal in the final three minutes of the third period five times, including Friday, when the Islanders tied the score with 57.2 seconds remaining, only to give up the winning goal to the Sharks with 22.5 seconds to play.

"It's just mind-boggling," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. "We played one of the best games we've played. We came in here against San Jose -- Stanley Cup finalists -- (and we) dominate the third period. No puck luck right now. There is no explanation."

Also a fact for the Islanders: They are all but buried in the playoff race already. New York is a whopping nine points behind the New Jersey Devils in the race for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The goalie matchup Monday likely will pit the Islanders' No. 1 netminder, Jaroslav Halak, against Flames backup Brian Elliott.

Halak didn't play Friday but started eight of the Islanders' first 10 games in November. He is 8-5-1 in his career against the Flames. He stopped 31 of 32 shots to earn the win the last time the two teams played on Feb. 25, when New York captured a 2-1 victory at Calgary.

Elliott lost his job to the surging Chad Johnson, who took the defeat Sunday to fall to 6-3-0 this month. A start Monday would be just the sixth in November for Elliott, who is 4-1-3 in nine career appearances against the Islanders. He last faced New York while playing for the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 4, 2015, when he stopped 24 of 25 shots but took the loss in the shootout as the Blues fell 2-1.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (9-8) at Blues (12-7)

Date: November 28, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- Opponents generally know that one of the biggest keys to beating the St. Louis Blues is to find a way to shut down their leading scorer, right winger Vladimir Tarasenko.

Teams have more than Tarasenko to worry about now, however, because of the way the combination of left winger Jaden Schwartz, center Paul Stastny and right winger David Perron are playing since being placed on a line together.

Shutting down that line will be the challenge for the Dallas Stars when they visit the Blues on Monday night.

In his last seven games, Perron owns two goals and eight assists. Schwartz, in his last six games, scored five goals and assisted on three more. Stastny adds two goals and two assists in his last five games.

The three forwards combined for all three of the Blues' goals in regulation on Saturday night before Perron scored the only goal in the shootout in a 4-3 win over Minnesota.

Perron recorded at least one point in his last seven games, the longest active streak in the NHL. He is second to Tarasenko in scoring for the Blues with six goals and nine assists this season.

"It's going good," Schwartz said. "We're getting chances. Both guys (Stastny and Perron) are smart players, can make plays in tight areas, working hard for each other. Stas is doing a great job on faceoffs, he's taking a lot of (defensive) zone draws, winning a lot of faceoffs, doing a lot of little things.

"We haven't been together for certain times in a game, or we'll switch wingers, but we're getting some good reads off Perron."

The play of the three forwards helped the Blues go 9-1-2 at home this season, including wins in their last four games.

"If you look at the way he (Schwartz) is scoring, and Paul too, I think both of them, they're creating a lot of offense by going around the net," said defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. "I think when we're getting the puck there and we're getting bodies in front, you have guys with that type of vision, they're going to find the puck like that."

Trying to find the right combination of his forwards is the challenge for Stars' coach Lindy Ruff, who shuffles Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Jason Spezza and Patrick Sharp into different spots in the lineup.

"Right now, we just aren't quite clicking to put a game away," Ruff said. "It's going to start with the Seguins, the Benns, Spezza, Sharp, those guys. Until our top guys can push through and make a difference, our games are going to be a lot tighter and we re going to be a little up and down."

The Stars scored just one or two goals in four of their last six games. They are coming off a 2-1 win at home over Vancouver as they begin a four-game road trip.

Dallas made one roster move on Sunday, recalling defenseman Stephen Johns from the Texas Stars of the AHL. Johns played in 16 games with the Stars earlier this season before being sent to the minors.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - November

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
11/1 12 66.5 57 UNDER
11/2 3 16.5 16 UNDER
11/3 12 65.5 65 UNDER
11/4 3 16 24 OVER
11/5 13 69 70 OVER
11/6 6 32 33 OVER
11/7 3 15 14 UNDER
11/8 10 55.5 60 OVER
11/9 3 15.5 11 UNDER
11/10 10 54.5 54 UNDER
11/11 6 31.5 30 UNDER
11/12 11 56.5 61 OVER
11/13 6 32 28 UNDER
11/14 1 5.5 4 UNDER
11/15 13 70.5 63 UNDER
11/16 2 10.5 11 OVER
11/17 10 53.5 52 UNDER
11/18 5 26 22 UNDER
11/19 11 57 53 UNDER
11/20 5 26 24 UNDER
11/21 7 37 36 UNDER
11/22 5 26.5 25 UNDER
11/23 12 64.5 68 OVER
11/24 2 10.5 7 UNDER
11/25 11 58.5 61 OVER
11/26 9 47.5 42 UNDER
11/27 6 32 26 UNDER
11/28 2 - - -
11/29 12 - - -
11/30 3 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Monday’s games

Islanders won their last four games with Calgary; under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Flames lost four of last five visits to LI/Brooklyn. Calgary is 4-3 in its last seven games, winning four of last six road games. Under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games. Islanders lost six of their last seven games; they’ve lost four of last five home games. Under is 3-1-3 in their last seven games.

Blues are 6-4 in their last ten games with Dallas, splitting last four meetings here. Over is 4-0-3 in last seven series games. Dallas Stars are 3-4 in their last seven games, losing 5-2/5-4 in last two road games. Four of last six Dallas games stayed under. St Louis won five of last six games; they’ve outscored opponents 14-7 in winning last four home games. Last three Blues games went over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Cavs off to franchise-best start
By The Sports Xchange

PHILADELPHIA -- Kyrie Irving scored 39 points, Kevin Love had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from an early 14-point deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 Sunday.
LeBron James also had 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for this third triple-double of the season. Tristan Thompson added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers (13-2), who own the best record in the Eastern Conference and are off to the best 15-game start in franchise history. The Cavaliers beat the Sixers for the eighth straight time.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers (4-13) with 22 points and nine rebounds, and Jahlil Okafor added 14 points and nine rebounds. Ersan Ilyasova and Gerald Henderson scored 13 points each.

Nuggets 120, Suns 114
PHOENIX -- Wilson Chandler scored 25 points and Jameer Nelson added 21 to help Denver top Phoenix.
Emmanuel Mudiay had 19 points and Kenneth Faried added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets.
The backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker combined for 65 points -- a career-high 35 from Bledsoe and 30 from Booker -- for Phoenix. P.J. Tucker added 21 points and Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 15 rebounds, but the Suns played from behind the entire game, and long scoring droughts did them in.

Kings 122, Nets 105
NEW YORK -- DeMarcus Cousins scored 18 of his 37 points in the third quarter and Sacramento ended a seven-game road losing streak to Brooklyn.
Cousins started slowly by missing his first three shots and going 0 of 5 in the second quarter when the Kings faced a nine-point deficit. The center helped Sacramento take control by shooting 6 of 9 in the third and his point total equaled the production from the Nets.
Rudy Gay added 22 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Kings. Darren Collison contributed 18 points for Sacramento. Sean Kilpatrick led the Nets with 22 points, but Brooklyn was outscored 34-18 in the third quarter and dropped its seventh straight game.

Bucks 104, Magic 96
ORLANDO, Fla. -- John Henson scored a season-high 20 points and a grabbed seven rebounds in leading Milwaukee past Orlando.
The Bucks never trailed after the first period. The Magic lost their fourth consecutive game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Bucks. Magic guard Evan Fournier led everyone with 27 points, but he scored only two in final period. Orlando center Nikola Vucevic, who lost his starting role, scored 17 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as a reserve.

Pacers 91, Clippers 70
INDIANAPOLIS -- Glenn Robinson III and Myles Turner each scored 17 points as Indiana defeated Los Angeles.
The Clippers posted their lowest point total during coach Doc Rivers' four seasons with the franchise. The previous low was 80, and the previous low this season was 83. Indiana won its second in a row, also getting 16 points from Al Jefferson, 12 from Rodney Stuckey and 11 from Thaddeus Young.
The Clippers, who lost their second in a row on their six-game road trip, got 16 points from Blake Griffin, 13 from Chris Paul and 12 from Jamal Crawford. The Clippers shot only 31.4 percent (22 of 70), including 4 of 24 from 3-point range.

Mavericks 91, Pelicans 81
DALLAS -- Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews each found the hot hand in the fourth quarter to lead Dallas past New Orleans, snapping the Mavericks' eight-game losing skid, the longest of the Mark Cuban era.
Matthews and Barnes combined for 23 of the Mavs' 31 fourth-quarter points to bring Dallas back from a 68-62 deficit early in the period.
Barnes, who signed a big-money deal with Dallas during the offseason, finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. His lone 3-pointer on four attempts with under five minutes to play came on the heels of Matthews burying one to start Dallas' finishing push.

Rockets 130, Trail Blazers 114
PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden scored 38 points and dished out 10 assists as Houston swept to a victory over Portland at Moda Center.
Eric Gordon came off the bench for 26 points and Clint Capela contributed 21 points and nine rebounds for Houston, which won for the fifth time in six outings.
CJ McCollum collected 28 points and seven assists and Damian Lillard chipped in 27 points for the Trail Blazers, who lost for the sixth time in their last eight contests.

Lakers 109, Hawks 94
LOS ANGELES -- Lou Williams scored 21 points, Jordan Clarkson had 18 and Nick Young added 17 points, and Los Angeles defeated Atlanta at Staples Center.
Larry Nance Jr. contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who ended a two-game slide. Kent Bazemore scored 21 points to lead the Hawks, who fell for the fifth time in six contests. Four of those losses were by double digits.
Dwight Howard finished with 19 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta. The former Laker was booed each time he touched the basketball.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors about to get hot if they continue mirroring 2010-11 Heat
By JASON LOGAN

The second Kevin Durant jumped ship from Oklahoma City to Golden State this past summer, comparisons were made between the 2016-17 Warriors and the 2010-11 Miami Heat.

Just seven seasons prior, LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in South Beach – a star-powered trio that would eventually put Miami in the NBA Finals in four straight years, winning championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Durant’s decision to team up with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in the Bay Area instantly made Golden State the favorite to win the NBA title, over LeBron’s current team the Cleveland Cavaliers, and bracing Dubs bettors for some sizable spreads once the 2016-17 campaign got underway. And those expectations have been justified.

Through the first 16 games of the schedule, Golden State has been giving an average of 11.78 points to opponents through the spread and has been a single-digit favorite just six times.

Those lofty spreads and some growing pains as they work Durant into their offensive flow, have made the Warriors a barely breakeven option for NBA bettors, sitting just 8-7-1 ATS (14-2 SU) as of Saturday. And that’s where the comparisons to the 2010-11 Heat continue.

In the inaugural season for Miami’s “Big Three”, the Heat were tripped up by the same pitfalls. LeBron & Co. lacked cohesion and were an average favorite of -8.34 points through their first 16 games, stumbling out to a 9-7 SU mark and 5-11 ATS mark. However, things quickly turned around for Miami and appear to be on the up for the 2016-17 Warriors as well.

That Heat squad followed that slow start with a 13-2 SU and 11-4 ATS streak between November 27 and Christmas Day, when they smoked the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers 96-80 as 3.5-point road underdogs.

Golden State seems to be walking that same path, having won and covered in its last three games heading into Saturday’s home date with the Minnesota Timberwolves (-14). Even the Warriors’ upcoming schedule mirrors that of Miami’s in 2010.

Then, the Heat played 10 of their next 15 games on the road, including a stretch of six away dates in eight games between December 6 and December 18. The current Warriors have five home stands in a row before taking to the highway for a five-game road swing between December 7 and December 13. They will tackle a stretch of schedule that has them on the road for eight of 11 games, culminating in a Xmas Day showdown with the defending champion Cavaliers – similar to the December 25, 2010 matchup between Miami and Los Angeles.

The 2010-11 Heat eventually finished with a 58-24 SU record – going Under their season win total of 64.5 victories - and went 40-41-1 ATS in the regular season, followed by a 12-8-1 ATS run in the playoffs and loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the finals.

This summer, the Warriors were pegged with a season win total of 66.5 victories a year after breaking the NBA record for most regular season wins with a 73-win campaign. In order to play Over that season win total, Golden State must go at least 53-13 SU the rest of the way.

Early projected lines for the Christmas Day game between the Warriors and Cavaliers had Golden State as a 3-point road favorite, however that spread will change depending on how the Dubs handle the next 16 games.

If they continue to mimic the 2010-11 Heat, NBA bettors should expect a few extra points to be tossed on that line by Xmas Day.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (7-10) at Wizards (5-10)

Date: November 28, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall were teammates for one dynamic college season at the University of Kentucky. The Sacramento Kings center and the Washington Wizards point guard are individually playing at a high level, though their respective teams aren't finding similar success this season.

Both teams enter Monday night's matchup with losing records, though the Kings (7-10) have won three of four. Cousins had 37 points and 11 rebounds in Sacramento's 122-105 romp over the Brooklyn Nets Sunday night. The Kings sank 13 of 23 3-pointers and outscored the Nets 34-18 in the third quarter.

"Good game for us as far as coming out in the second half," Kings coach Dave Joerger said. "We got three stops in a row 11 times tonight, which is good. ... I don't know how often we'll go 13-of-23 from 3-point line."

Expecting offensive production from Cousins is common. The big man with range made 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished 13 of 24 from the field.

"He's a difficult cover because he can play facing you, with his back to the basket, he can shoot a little bit, he can drive a little bit," Joerger said of Cousins, who leads the Kings with 27.8 points per game. "He creates a lot of contact and gets to the free-throw line. You look at that and you say how do you take him for granted."

Cousins knows better than to take for granted what his former college teammate provides the Wizards. Wall leads Washington with 23.5 points and ranks fifth in the NBA with 8.7 assists.

"Tough matchup with John Wall, he is a big athletic guard," Cousins said. "We have to keep the crowd around him, be there to help guards to help the guard. He really looks to get into the paint and get everybody involved. It is going to be a tough task (Monday) and if we play the way we did tonight minus some of the mistakes we will be fine."

The Wizards (5-10) saw their modest two-game winning streak, a season high, end Saturday as the San Antonio Spurs handled Washington 112-100. The Spurs were relentless getting to the free throw and attacking a Wizards defense that struggles defending the perimeter.

"They were a more aggressive team," said Wall, who had 21 points in the home loss. "They got a lot of easy shots and I think we missed some easy shots."

Bradley Beal paced the Wizards with 25 points on a night center Ian Mahinmi made his season and Wizards debut after missing the opening 14 games following knee surgery. Rust was evident, but the hope is Mahinmi, who signed a four-year, $64 million contract over the summer, can help Washington defensively against the likes of Cousins.

"He knows how to play," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said of Mahinmi. "It's going to take him some time. I'm very patient and he understands that we all are. But I like what he brings to our team. He's a tough player and he just brings a good fiber to our team. I thought tonight's game, at times he looked good (and) at times he looked rusty. That's expected. He's missed the last six weeks of the season."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (4-13) at Raptors (10-6)

Date: November 28, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

TORONTO -- After playing eight of their past 10 games on the road, the Toronto Raptors open a season-long six-game homestand Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

When the Raptors defeated the Bucks 105-99 Friday at Milwaukee, they finished their 10-game grind with a 6-4 record.

"On the road, you've been edgy, you've been uptight, you've got the you-against-the-world mentality," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said Sunday. "Now you come home to the comforts of home and relax and we can't do that. We've got some good teams coming in, the young, athletic Philly team coming in, Memphis is playing well, the Lakers are playing well and Atlanta. It's going to be a tough homestand, it won't be a piece of cake whatsoever. "

The homestand will end with games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Raptors (10-6) are 4-3 at home and Philadelphia is 0-5 on the road this season.

The 76ers (4-13) are coming off a 112-108 loss to the Cavaliers at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday after leading for the first three quarters.

Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, who is coming back from foot injuries that cost him the past two seasons, will not make the trip to Toronto after scoring 22 points with nine rebounds in 25 minutes on Sunday.

"We played hard," Embiid said. "We had a good defensive game. They just played better.

The game Monday will be the sixth he will have missed this season. The restriction in minutes and the skipping of some games fit in with his rehabilitation program. He also did not play in the 105-89 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

"You come up with some really hard decisions that maybe don't favor me or us or whatever," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "But for the long-term lens that we all have, we have to be responsible with Joel Embiid. Winning a game in the middle of November in 2016, sometimes that takes a back seat."

The 76ers were without point guard Jerryd Bayless on Sunday because of a sore left wrist. Bayless, a former Raptor, missed the first 13 games of the season after suffering a torn ligament in the wrist during training camp. The free-agent acquisition played in only three games. Bayless said his wrist was sore when he played against the Bulls on Friday.

The Raptors made a season-best 14 3-pointers against the Bucks and had double-digit scoring from six players.

While the offense is working, the concern remains the defense.

"We've got to be more conscious of letting teams get easy buckets, transition buckets, make everything a lot tougher on them," said Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan, who is averaging 30.2 points. "Especially from the 3. Just be more disciplined. We can't have mistakes. Once we get clicking defensively and everything comes together as one, we have a chance to be really good."

Improving the defense is constantly on Casey's mind.

"If we have to get guys in there that are going to be committed to the defensive end, we've got to do that because to get where we want to go, we're kidding ourselves if we're not committed to that end," Casey said.

Forward DeMarre Carroll is improving as he returns from knee surgery and that should help the Raptors' defense. He also scored 14 points on Friday.

"That's what I've got to do," Carroll said. "They're double-teaming Kyle (Lowry) and DeMar (DeRozan). I've got to be able to space the floor, especially in the first unit. I'm just trying to do my part. I know at the beginning of the season I wasn't doing my part, but now I'm trying to step up, and I'm just trying to progress and not look back."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (10-8) at Knicks (8-8)

Date: November 28, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Point guards Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, chosen first and fourth, respectively, in the 2008 draft, will renew acquaintances on Monday when the New York Knicks host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden.

Rose's Knicks (8-8) have won six straight at the Garden. Westbrook's Thunder (10-8) are 4-3 on the road.

Oklahoma City comes in after a 106-88 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday when Westbrook posted 17 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his second consecutive triple-double and seventh this season. It was also his 44th career triple-double, which ties him with Cleveland's LeBron James. It took Westbrook 395 fewer games than James to achieve the milestone.

Westbrook passed Fat Lever in all-time triple doubles to move into sixth place all-time. The UCLA product had 18 games in which he was either one assist or one rebound short of a triple double.

Westbrook averaged 32 points against the Knicks in two games last season.

"He's a Hall of Fame player," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of Westbrook. "I mean that's really what he is. He's a Hall of Fame player."

While Westbrook is humming along in his ninth season with the Thunder, averaging 31 points, 11 assists and 9.9 rebounds, Rose continues to get acclimated in his first season as New York's point guard. He's averaging 15.9 points and five assists a game.

The Knicks have recently lacked a point guard with Rose's ability to accelerate to the rim and bounce off the pick-and-roll for layups. His arrival in the Big Apple after an offseason trade with Chicago and the development of power forward Kristaps Porzingis have alleviated some of the scoring burden from Carmelo Anthony.

The 32-year-old forward, who has been the Knicks' top scorer since he arrived in a 2011 trade from Denver, has been buoyed by Rose, who he invited over for Thanksgiving dinner.

"It's an easy transition for me," Anthony told Newsday. "I always wanted somebody or other guys who can do it for me. Sometimes you want to play the back end and do what you do from that aspect. You don't always want to be in the driver's seat."

New York's other big offseason acquisition, center Joakim Noah, who played with Rose in Chicago, has struggled. He missed two games with flu-like symptoms, but since his return against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Noah hasn't provided much offense. Noah has scored in double-figures only once this season.

He played just 12 minutes in the 107-102 loss to Charlotte in the back-end of a home-and-home on Saturday and didn't take a shot, posting his fourth scoreless game of the season. He sat out the fourth quarter as the Knicks staged a late comeback.

"Those are not things I can control," Noah told the New York Post about being on the bench in the fourth quarter. "All I can control is my progress. I need to play better and I will. I just got to stay working. I need to play better and I will."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (9-7) at Heat (5-11)

Date: November 28, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

MIAMI -- It's not as if they still have Bird, McHale and Parish.

It's not as if -- going back even further -- they still have Russell and Cousy.

No, the Boston Celtics don't have any of those superstars. Their leading scorer is Isaiah Thomas -- and he's not that Isaiah Thomas, the Hall of Famer from Chicago.

This is the 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas, the one from Tacoma, Wash. Yet this particular Thomas, who is averaging 26.1 points and 6.3 assists, has continued a recent but substantial trend of Celtics domination over the Miami Heat.

Since Thomas joined the Celtics last season, Boston is 3-0 against the Heat, and it's an Eastern Conference rivalry that will be renewed on Monday night inside Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena.

But going back before Thomas arrived, Boston has won at least one game per season in nine of the past 10 years. That overlaps the time span when the Heat had far superior talent with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Now Miami's "Big Three" is effectively gone, and the Heat (5-11) is paying the price, falling to its current standing of 13th place out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics (9-7), meanwhile, appear to be a team on the rise, sitting in fifth place in the East at the moment.

Boston could be ready to get on a roll now that post player and four-time All-Star Al Horford has returned. He missed nine games due to a concussion, and he is just now rounding back into form after returning on Nov. 19.

"He makes a huge difference to our team," Thomas told the media. "Even if he is not scoring, he is still defending and making plays for his teammates."

Horford has two double-doubles in the four games since he came off the disabled list. He has averaged 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds since returning, and both of those numbers are higher than his season averages.

Miami already struggles to score but may get strangled on Monday by Avery Bradley's tight defense. Bradley, a 6-2 shooting guard, is a dynamo who is just entering his prime after years of battling injuries.

Bradley, who made first-team All-Defense last season, leads Boston in rebounding (8.0) and is second in scoring (17.9).

Jae Crowder, a 6-6, 235-pound small forward, is Boston's other double-figure scorer, averaging 12.5 points.

Amir Johnson, a 6-9, 240-pound power forward, is Boston's fifth starter. He, Bradley and Horford are the key figures on Boston's defense. And remember, Boston was fifth in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season without Horford.

His defense has made the unit better.

The Heat will try to crack that defense, but it will depend to a large extent on some health issues. Point guard Goran Dragic (elbow) and shooting guard Dion Waiters (groin) are listed as questionable.

In addition, starting small forward Justise Winslow is out due to a wrist injury. It will be the eighth straight game he has missed.

"Has it been that long already?" Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said painfully. "Everything is day to day. He hasn't gone through a practice yet."

Generally, Spoelstra prefers that a player get at least one full practice in before returning to the lineup. But with Miami potentially missing three of its top four starters -- Dragic, Waiters and Winslow -- Spoelstra may have to alter that plan.

Miami will continue to rely on center Hassan Whiteside, who is averaging 16.8 points, 14.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

On the perimeter, Miami will look to scorers such as Josh Richardson (10.8) and sixth-man Tyler Johnson (12.4).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (9-8) at Timberwolves (5-11)

Date: November 28, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Utah Jazz defense is getting stingier as the season progresses.

Defensive-minded coach Tom Thibodeau is pleading for his Minnesota Timberwolves to do the same.

Utah travels to Minnesota on Monday off one of the most impressive defensive performances of the season in a 95-68 home win against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, a matchup of two stiff defensive teams.

"We try to approach every game like that defensively," said forward Gordon Hayward, who had 24 points. "We haven't been as successful as we were tonight. We knew it was going to be tough to score against them. We were able to get stops, so we did want to make sure they weren't locking in and going against half-court defense all the time. They're pretty good when they get to set up like that."

The Timberwolves haven't figured out the defensive end in their first season with Thibodeau as coach.

The young talent is averaging 103.1 points and produces highlight moments offensively. But Thibodeau was brought aboard to develop the team's highly-touted core and get them to play soundly on the defensive end.

Minnesota is giving up 103.5 points, good for 15th in the league. The Timberwolves held Phoenix to 85 points in a 98-85 win on Friday, but they lost 115-102 at Golden State on Saturday and lost four of their past five games.

"I don't get excited about stuff like that," Thibodeau told the Minneapolis Star Tribune when asked about a big dunk by guard Zach LaVine against Phoenix. "I get excited about stuff that wins, so I liked our defense. That's the important thing. I hope we can get to the point where we're talking about the things that go into winning and get away from the sideshows."

Utah's style isn't one to lead to many highlight-reel plays. However, the Jazz own the league's top defense, giving up just 92.8 points, a year after finishing second in the category. Utah opponents are shooting a league-low 42.3 percent from the field this year.

In winning their second-straight game, the Jazz held Atlanta to 31.3 percent shooting. Utah outrebound the Hawks 55-40, blocked nine shots, had nine steals and forced 14 turnovers.

The Jazz (9-8) held eight opponents to fewer than 90 points this season, with the 68 allowed to Atlanta the lowest of the season.

"We want to be a really good defensive team," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "We knew we were playing against the best defensive team in the league. We were focused on being disciplined and that was the main thing."

The Jazz lost four games in a row before their two-game win streak. Opponents scored 100 or more points in three of those games. Another common theme was the absence of point guard George Hill.

Hill missed eight games with a thumb injury but played in the past two contests. Hill scored 23 points against Atlanta.

Point guard is a rotation or sorts for Minnesota, recently. Starter Ricky Rubio is still trying to find his form after missing five games with an injury. Rookie Kris Dunn has been the backup, but Tyus Jones sparked the team in a fourth-quarter comeback against Phoenix. He also played the entire fourth quarter against Golden State.

"We're looking for a spark," Thibodeau said. "I thought Ricky gave us a good start and I thought Kris was solid."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (9-7) at Grizzlies (11-6)

Date: November 28, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Numerous defenders are struggling to stop Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley this season and no team experienced more difficulties than the Charlotte Hornets.

A week ago Conley scored a season-high 31 points and Memphis claimed 15-point win in Charlotte.

Now comes the rematch when the Hornets visit the Grizzlies on Monday night.

Conley is averaging a career-high 19.5 points to go along with 5.8 assists. He is shooting 43.5 percent and making a career-best 47.6 percent of his 3-pointers.

Conley has three 30-point games this season through his first 16 games. He had never more than two 30-point games in a season and last week in Charlotte, Conley hit five 3-pointers and shot 11 of 21 from the field.

The big night by Conley occurred as the Grizzlies opened a 12-point lead early in the first quarter, led by 24 at halftime and shot 58 percent.

"What can I say about Mike Conley?" Memphis coach David Fizdale said last week. "He's getting closer and closer to the guy I want him to be -- the killer, the killer that I want him to be. I'm really proud of his openness to it and that he is trying to adapt to what I want him to be."

Conley's performance is part of a 7-1 run for the Grizzlies, who started it two weeks ago in Utah. In the last eight games, Conley is averaging 20.2 points and delivered another strong showing in Saturday's 110-107 win at Miami.

Conley had 21 points while Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 28. The duo took turns taking over as Gasol scored 26 in the first three quarters and Conley scored the final 11 points.

"We play off each other; we know how to play together," Gasol said of Conley. "I know where he likes to get the ball and we are patient. We're unselfish. We're going to make a basketball play every time."

For Charlotte, last week's loss to Memphis was the second of four straight defeats. The Hornets dropped to .500 with a five-point loss to San Antonio Wednesday and a two-point overtime setback at New York Friday.

Charlotte rebounded with a 107-102 win over New York on Friday in a game that might have resembled a 2010-11 Connecticut Huskies game with Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb starting in the backcourt for the first time as NBA players.

Walker scored 28 while Lamb added 18 and a career-high 17 rebounds. The performance was impressive since Lamb had only played six minutes since returning from a 10-game absence with a strained left hamstring.

"That was a great win for us," Lamb said. "Everybody fought. We were short-handed and everybody just fought and leaned on each other, and it was just a huge, huge win for us."

Lamb filled in for Nicolas Batum, who did not play due to a corneal abrasion Friday. In 36 minutes, Lamb shot 8 of 15 and his showing even surprised coach Steve Clifford.

"It's surprising, because he literally hasn't been able to do any kind of contact for, I'd say, close to a month, three-and-a-half, four weeks," Clifford said. "But his game is based on skill. He's a skill-based player and you saw that tonight."

Besides the showing of its starting backcourt, Charlotte's defense also improved. The Hornets allowed 114.5 points and 47.1 percent shooting during their slide but held the Knicks to 37.8 percent shooting as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was part of a defensive effort that held New York star Carmelo Anthony to 7-of-25 shooting.

Batum is expected to return Monday but the Hornets will be without Marvin Williams, who will be out for a week with a knee injury. Charlotte may also be without Marco Belinelli, who strained his hamstring Saturday.

Memphis may be without Zach Randolph. Randolph missed the last two games after his mother passed away on Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (10-7) at Warriors (15-2)

Date: November 28, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors will seek to extend their winning streak to 12 games when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

The Warriors (15-2) saw their run of 10 straight games with at least 30 assists end Saturday during a 115-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, Golden State shot 55.6 percent from the field and hit half of its 22 3-point attempts. The Warriors got 34 points from Stephen Curry, 28 from Kevin Durant and 23 from Klay Thompson.

The Warriors are 7-0 when Curry, Durant and Thompson all score at least 20 points in the same game.

Golden State began a five-game homestand with the comfortable win over Minnesota despite being without Draymond Green, who sat out because of a sprained left ankle. He is questionable for the Monday game.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Green was missed.

"It was just not having Draymond out there," Kerr said while discussing the team's 25 assists, five shy of keeping alive the NBA's second-longest, all-time streak of 30-plus assists. "It changes our ball movement and the force that we played with. He's handling the ball so often for us that you take him out of there, it changes things."

Kevon Looney made his first career start in Green's place and contributed six points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal to the win.

The Warriors will be facing an Atlanta team that played Sunday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Coincidentally, Golden State entered their Saturday game against the Timberwolves under the same circumstances, having beaten the Lakers 109-85 the night before.

The Hawks (10-7) had no such luck in Los Angeles, losing 109-94. It was their fourth defeat in five games.

Atlanta's one and only visit to Oakland this season means another chance for Warriors fans to ridicule longtime rival Dwight Howard's free-throw shooting.

The Warriors intentionally fouled Howard on multiple occasions in his only visit last season as a member of the Houston Rockets. With the fans screaming in his ears, Howard obliged by missing eight of 10 from the line.

He is just 145 of 248 (58.5 percent) from the line in his career against the Warriors, having made 6 of the past 20. Often intentionally, the Warriors put Howard at the line an average of 9.5 times in his 26 career visits.

The veteran, a former Laker, responded to unappreciative former fans in Los Angeles on Sunday night with 19 points and nine rebounds. He did, however, miss four of five from the line.

Howard insisted after the game that the fans didn't bother him.

"I closed my ears," he said. "(The Lakers) are playing good basketball."

The Warriors swept the two-game series from the Hawks last year, but it was a struggle.

The second meeting, in Oakland, went to overtime, with the Warriors needing a 15-point, 13-rebound, nine-assist, four-steal effort from Green in order to prevail.

Golden State was missing Curry (sprained left ankle) that night.

The win, the Warriors' third straight over the Hawks and eighth in the past nine meetings, allowed Golden State to take a 143-142 lead in the all-time series between the rivals, who first met in 1950 as the Philadelphia Warriors and the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.