Monday 12/14/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 20:00

Leicester

v

Chelsea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		21/10	5/2	11/8	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
AD*AWHWAWHDAW​ Most recent​	1 - 3 0 - 4 2 - 3 2 - 1	ALHWAWADHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leicester have lost one Premier League game this season

EXPERT VERDICT: A clash between Leicester and Chelsea at the King Power Stadium brings together the Premier League’s two most amazing stories of the season. The Foxes are flying and Chelsea are in the middle of a desperate campaign but the Blues are solid enough on the road to grab a point.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: N.Y. Giants at Miami

When: 8:30 PM ET, Monday, December 14, 2015
Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Playing in the NFC East is the only thing keeping the New York Giants afloat in their bid to earn an invite to the postseason party. Despite three consecutive losses, which have come by a combined 10 points, New York remains in a three-way tie for the division lead as it prepares to visit another underacheiving team in the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

The Giants blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in an eventual overtime loss to the New York Jets last week, their fifth defeat when holding a lead late in regulation. "We've got to play better at some critical moments in the game," quarterback Eli Manning said. "We're just not making that crucial play to get us the win." The firing of Joe Philbin and subsequent hiring of Dan Campbell gave the Dolphins a brief jolt, but they are still residing in the basement of the AFC East. Miami halted a two-game skid by holding off a late comeback by Baltimore in a 15-13 victory last week.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Giants -1.5. O/U: 46.5

ABOUT THE GIANTS (5-7): New York continues to be hindered by the lack of a running game, which ranks 29th in the league at 88.1 yards per game, putting too much pressure on Manning and a defense that is dead last against the pass with an average 314.5 yards allowed. The one constant for the Giants is second-year wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who has ripped off five straight 100-yard games and had 10 touchdown catches, including one in each of the last three contests. Since throwing for six TD passes at New Orleans on Nov. 1, Manning has seven touchdowns versus six interceptions in four games.

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (5-7): Since amassing 82 points in its first two contests under Campbell, Miami has failed to score more than 20 in six straight games and cannot decide whether to emphasize the pass or the run. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was fired following a Nov. 29 loss to the Jets and his replacement, Zac Taylor, stressed the ground game with Lamar Miller rushing for 113 yards after being limited to 44 or fewer in his previous five contests. Ryan Tannehill attempted only 19 passes last week after unleashing 58 the previous week. Miami's defense is 30th against the run (134.8 yards per game).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Beckham and Miami WR Jarvis Landry, teammates at Louisiana State, have 78 receptions apiece.

2. Dolphins rookie WR DeVante Parker has a TD catch in his of the last two games.

3. New York has only three rushing touchdowns, the lowest mark in the NFC.

PREDICTION: Giants 23, Dolphins 20

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Giants (5-7) @ Dolphins (5-7) -- Giants have lost four games in last minute when they had lead, most by any team since 1970. Big Blue lost last three games, all by 6 or less points- they're 1-2 on natural grass, scoring 17.8 ppg. Miami lost four of last six games, with two wins by total of three points- they're 2-2 at home. Giants ran ball for only 62.3 ypg in last three games; they won five of last seven series games, winning 19-14/17-7 in last two visits here- last seven series totals were 37 or less. NFC East non-divisional road teams are 5-8 vs spread; AFC East home teams are 7-7-1. Last three Giant games, three of last four Miami games stayed under total. Teams have same record, but Miami is playing out string, while Giants are tied for first place, despite blowing those late leads.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL Week 14 Essentials
By Tony Mejia

N.Y. Giants at Miami: It’s not the most attractive matchup of the week, but the Monday night game does again pack some intrigue. The Dolphins held off Baltimore at home to remain alive in the playoff hunt, but continue to bring up the rear in the AFC East. Meanwhile, New York blew yet another fourth-quarter lead in a dreadful loss to the Jets that makes this a must-win considering it closes the season against Carolina, Minnesota and Philadelphia. Eli Manning threw a costly red-zone interception in the fourth quarter but benefits from the presence of one of the game’s most productive receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., who has racked up double-digit targets in four consecutive games and has racked up over 100 yards in five straight. He’s caught a touchdown in each of the last three contests and has a favorable matchup against a vulnerable Dolphins secondary here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL TRENDS

NY GIANTS vs. MIAMI
NY Giants are 8-17 SU in their last 25 games on the road
NY Giants are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing NY Giants
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL TRENDS

GIANTS (5 - 7) at MIAMI (5 - 7) - 12/14/2015, 8:30 PM

Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) against AFC East division opponents since 1992.
MIAMI is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games against NFC East division opponents since 1992.
MIAMI is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 29-49 ATS (-24.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL TRENDS

NY Giants at Miami
New York: 19-7 ATS against AFC East division opponents
Miami: 2-10 ATS after allowing 375 or more total yards in 2 consecutive games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike O'Connor

MIAMI (+1.5) 25 NY Giants 21

The Giants blew a prime opportunity to seize control of the division last week against the Jets with a 20-10 lead in the 4th quarter but squandered it late with some questionable decision making. They have now lost their last three and four of their last five games but amazingly at 5-7 they are tied for the division lead. They’ll face a Dolphins team that was outplayed last week but were fortunate to squeak out a 15-13 win against a beat up Ravens team. With another week to get their new offensive coordinator (Zac Taylor) settled in, Miami will once again look to lean on the run as they did last week (137 rushing yards at 5.3 ypr).

With a renewed commitment to a run game that has worked when utilized (averaging 4.9 ypr against teams that allow 4.2 ypr) , the Dolphins should have some success against a Giants defense that is slightly better than average defending the run (allowing 106 yards at 4.0 ypr to teams that gain 110 yards at 4.2 ypr).

If Miami gets the run game going as they should, they’ll be able to take advantage of a terrible Giants pass defense that is allowing an average of 315 passing yards per game at 7.5 yps against teams that gain 244 yards at 6.5 yps (I have them rated just slightly better than the Saints for the #31 ranking).

On the other side New York has a banged up offensive line that should have problems with a talented Miami front. The Dolphins have been very hit or miss in their run defense, with 5 games where they have allowed over 150 rushing yards and 5 games where they have been pretty good, allowing less than 95 yards. Last week they held the Ravens to 94 yards at 3.6 ypr and they should be able to shut down a poor Giants run game that averages just 89 yards per game at 3.8 ypr.

I don’t have any situations that apply to this game but my model likes Miami quite a bit. New York has been bad from a yards-per-play perspective but they have gotten lucky in the turnover department (+10 differential for 3rd best in the league – including +7 in net fumbles) that has helped their cause. I like the Dolphins plus the short number.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (11-15) at Bruins (15-9)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Edmonton Oilers haven't lost since their latest meeting with the Boston Bruins and can match their longest win streak in the past 14 seasons in the next one.

To accomplish that feat by winning their sixth in a row, the Oilers will have to end a lengthy skid in Boston while earning just their second win in eight road games Monday night.

Edmonton refocused after Zdeno Chara's tying goal with 3:21 left in regulation Dec. 2 and came away with a 3-2 shootout victory. The Oilers (13-15-2) now head to Boston after sweeping a five-game homestand with a 7-5 victory over the New York Rangers on Friday.

Taylor Hall allowed his team to win after it blew a pair of two-goal leads by scoring with 1:34 to go, 12 seconds after the Rangers tied the game.

"We were used to giving up a lot of goals last year so maybe we're finally growing from it," forward Teddy Purcell said. "(Coach Todd McLellan) has come in and preached an even-keel attitude, not to get too high when you're scoring and not to change your plan when you get down.

"Tonight was another good example of us showing resiliency."

Hall had two goals and two assists, giving him nine points (five goals, four assists) in his last four games. Lauri Korpikoski finished off the scoring by completing his first career hat trick to give Edmonton 15 goals in its last three contests.

The Oilers, though, have totaled 10 non-shootout goals while going 1-5-1 in their past seven on the road. They went to a shootout with Pittsburgh to earn that lone win Nov. 28.

Edmonton has fared even worse in Boston dating to the start of the 1997-98 season, going 0-8-1 with one tie. The Oilers have been outscored 20-5 in their past five games there and lost 5-2 in the latest Nov. 6, 2014.

However, they've won the past two matchups in the series in shootouts following 13 consecutive losses. Another victory would give Edmonton its first six-game winning streak since Oct. 22-Nov. 3, 2011.

The Bruins (16-9-3) have earned back-to-back 3-1 wins after opening a three-game homestand by beating Florida on Saturday. Ryan Spooner scored a pair of goals and Tuukka Rask came within 6:04 of a shutout while making 26 saves.

Rask has posted a 0.67 goals-against average in three consecutive wins.

"Tuukka's been like we're used to seeing," coach Claude Julien said. "He had a rough start to the season, but he's regained his game and he's been confident and certainly given us a chance to win every time he's been in the net."

Anders Nilsson stopped 38 shots and all three Boston shootout attempts while outdueling Rask in his only start against the Bruins. He has made seven straight starts but McLellan has indicated that Cam Talbot would see some action during a four-game trip, possibly Monday.

Mark Letestu and Matt Hendricks each had a goal and an assist in the latest meeting with the Bruins, but the third-line players have combined for two assists in four subsequent games. Hall has one assist in five career matchups.

Edmonton earned its last win in Boston on Nov. 7, 1996.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (13-13) at Blue Jackets (11-17)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Steven Stamkos is on the verge of his longest goal drought since he was a rookie, though the Tampa Bay Lightning star may face a favorable situation to end it Monday night.

The lowly Columbus Blue Jackets have yet to win a game with a backup goaltender and will be forced to start one while hosting the Lightning.

Stamkos' eight-game drought has matched his longest since Nov. 30-Dec 13, 2009. His last longer one was an 11-game slide from Dec. 2-26, 2008, as a rookie.

The superstar only managed two shots in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Washington in which Tampa Bay (14-13-3) held a 36-20 edge in that category - 15-1 in a third period in which Nikita Kucherov had the club's lone tally.

The Lightning have scored two or fewer goals in six of their last eight games.

"Guys are putting themselves in good spots," coach Jon Cooper said. "Stammer had some decent looks tonight."

Columbus (11-17-3) is without Sergei Bobrovsky, who is out at least three weeks with a lower-body injury. The Blue Jackets are 0-5-1 when backup Curtis McElhinney starts, and he finally picked up a point for his club in Saturday's 3-2 overtime home loss to the New York Islanders.

McElhinney has not posted a regulation win as a starter since Feb. 19. He is 2-10-2 with a 3.27 goals-against average in his last 14 starts with two shootout victories.

The current backup goalie is Joonas Korpisalo, who has never played an NHL game. McElhinney has allowed 10 goals in losing his last three starts against the Lightning.

Stamkos has not scored in his last five games against the Blue Jackets, though Tampa Bay has other issues.

The Lightning will likely play a second straight game without Tyler Johnson, who is out with an undisclosed injury and tied Stamkos for the team lead with 72 points a season ago. Left wing Ondrej Palat exited Saturday after playing five shifts in the first period in his second game back after missing 12 straight with an ankle injury.

"I'm speechless as to how this is going," Cooper said. "We can't find a way to get guys back."

This is the start of a three-game trip and a back-to-back set for Tampa Bay, which plays Toronto on Tuesday. Ben Bishop will start one game and the other will likely go to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was recalled from the minors Sunday.

Playing two straight against the Eastern Conference's last-place clubs should boost Tampa Bay, although Columbus played well Saturday and held a 30-19 edge in shots. Cam Atkinson and Brandon Saad scored.

"We're not gonna get down," coach John Tortorella said. "I know our record is what it is. I suggest that we shouldn't even look at it, we just have to try to keep on getting better each day."

The Blue Jackets' last four home games have gone to overtime, with only one going to a shootout.

"This is much better than the shootout," Tortorella said. "This at least has some sort of team dynamic in it."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (18-6) at Penguins (14-10)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

One might wonder how a team featuring three of the league's most prolific offensive players with four Art Ross trophies and 15 30-goal seasons between them could rank near the bottom of the NHL in scoring.

That fact perplexed Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford more than anyone.

The onus now falls on Mike Sullivan to get the most out of the struggling Penguins as he makes his debut against the visiting Washington Capitals on Monday night.

Mike Johnston lasted just 18 months before Rutherford informed him Saturday morning that he was out as coach after going 58-37-15 with a five-game loss to the New York Rangers in the first round of last season's playoffs.

Sullivan, who coached Boston for two seasons from 2003-06 spanning the lockout year, has been promoted to try and give the Penguins (15-10-3) a spark. He was 18-5-0 in his first season coaching the club's AHL affiliate, and Rutherford views his general unfamiliarity with the organization as an asset.

'I wanted somebody new to come in that the players aren't going to totally know,' Rutherford said. '(I think) that he can come in and mold what we're doing going forward.

'We're not far from the top of the division, but we're not far from the bottom either. It's bothered me, but I felt (a change) was necessary.'

Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel are Pittsburgh's top three scorers, but the club's 66 goals are well below what was expected with so many scoring threats.

Crosby, fifth all-time in points per game at 1.33, has six goals, 13 assists and a 7.6 shooting percentage that's far lower than his career worst of 10.7, set when he played only 22 games because of injury in 2011-12.

Malkin has 13 goals and 13 assists, but Kessel has two goals and no assists over his last seven. Malkin and Eric Fehr scored in Friday's 3-2 shootout loss to Los Angeles that dropped the Penguins to 2-2-3 in the past seven.

The Penguins are 0 for 9 on the power play over their last four and sit near the bottom of league with a 15.6 percent conversion rate.

"The challenge is to take a group of great players and become a great team," Sullivan told the team's official website. "We're going to establish an identity that's clear. We're going to play to that identity. We're going to try and have an unwavering focus so that we don't get distracted. We're going to try and play that way each and every night."

Pittsburgh's best stretch of the season is a six-game winning streak from Oct. 24-Nov. 6, which included a 3-1 victory at Washington on Oct. 28. The Capitals (20-6-2) won two nights later and haven't dropped back-to-back games all season.

They began a three-game road trip with a 4-1 loss to Florida on Thursday before bouncing back with Saturday's 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay. Jay Beagle scored and Evgeny Kuznetsov added a highlight-reel goal, but the story of the night was Braden Holtby's performance with Washington being outshot 36-20.

Holtby allowed fewer than three goals for the sixth straight start and improved his league-leading goals-against average to 1.90.

'You can't say enough about him,' said defenseman John Carlson, who assisted on Kuznetsov's goal. 'I feel like a broken record talking about him all the time, but he performs every single night. He's there for us.'

Holtby, though, is 3-6-0 with a 2.63 GAA in his career against the Penguins despite a 1.75 GAA in four appearances in Pittsburgh.

Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed fewer than three goals in five of his last six, but is 2-2-2 in that stretch. He's posted a 1.79 GAA his last 14 against the Capitals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (11-15) at Red Wings (15-8)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Detroit Red Wings have earned at least one point in 13 straight games. More than six years have passed since they failed to pick one up against their next opponent.

The Red Wings won in a shootout over Buffalo two weeks ago as part of their streak, and they'll once again host a Sabres team that's struggled on the road of late Monday night.

Detroit (16-8-6) is 8-0-5 in its last 13 after a 3-2 overtime loss at New Jersey on Friday. The Red Wings led 2-0 after two periods.

"Even though we still got the point, it's tough, being on the road and having a two-goal lead and not coming out on top," goaltender Jimmy Howard told the league's official website. "It's tough to swallow, but on the bright side we did get a point. When we continue to keep getting points, it's a good thing."

The Red Wings haven't earned a point in 14 consecutive games since doing so in 20 in a row March 9-April 17, 2006.

They appear to have an encouraging chance to extend their run against Buffalo (12-15-3). Detroit is 12-0-1 in the last 13 meetings after earning a 5-4 shootout win Dec. 1.

The Red Wings, though, also blew a two-goal lead in that game and let the Sabres take command in the third period. Justin Abdelkader got Detroit to overtime with a power-play goal with 6:29 remaining, and Brad Richards had the lone goal in the tiebreaker.

That defeat was the first of four straight on the road for Buffalo, and it suffered three consecutive regulation losses during the trip that ended Thursday with a 4-3 loss to Calgary.

The Sabres stopped that skid with a 2-1 overtime win over Los Angeles on Saturday, and the return to Detroit marks their only road contest in a five-game stretch.

Ryan O'Reilly scored the winner against the Kings and has three goals and seven assists in a seven-game point streak.

"It's being put on his shoulders right now and he's doing the job," forward Jamie McGinn told the team's official website. "I've been watching him for four or five years now and I've seen it every day now."

O'Reilly has just three assists in his last eight games against Detroit with one in the shootout loss. Evander Kane scored two goals in that contest to give him a five-game point streak versus the Red Wings, but he doesn't have a point in his last four games.

Abdelkader recorded two goals and an assist Dec. 1 and has five and one in six contests this month. He has two goals and five assists in a five-game point streak against Buffalo.

Tomas Tatar has six goals and one assist in his last five matchups with Detroit, while Gustav Nyquist has recorded two goals and six assists in his past four.

The Red Wings are 16-0-1 in their last 17 at home in this series, winning eight in a row.

The Sabres have converted at a 34.8-percent clip on the power play in their last seven games and went 2 for 5 against the Wings. Detroit has given up seven goals in its last 21 short-handed situations, but it's also 6 for 21 with the man advantage in the past six.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (17-8) at Senators (12-10)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

A major reason for the Los Angeles Kings' slip from the NHL's elite last season was their inability to win on the road.

That hasn't been much of an issue during their resurgence.

Los Angeles continues its road-heavy stretch looking to push its point streak to 10 on Monday night against the Ottawa Senators.

The Kings' 15-18-8 mark away from home in 2014-15 contributed to them becoming the first defending Stanley Cup champion since Carolina in 2006-07 to miss the playoffs.

Los Angeles (19-8-2), though, has surged to a comfortable lead atop the Pacific Division this season, in part because of an 8-3-2 record on the road. It earned at least a point in a fifth consecutive road game with a 2-1 overtime loss to Buffalo on Saturday, its fourth stop on a six-game trip.

That also snapped a six-game overall winning streak for the Kings, who are in the midst of playing 10 of 11 on the road. They'll next play at Staples Center against San Jose on Dec. 22, then embark on a four-game trip following the holiday break.

Los Angeles couldn't get much going offensively one night after a 3-2 shootout win over Pittsburgh. Marian Gaborik scored on the club's first shot nearly five minutes into the first period, and the Kings wound up with just 21 on net after having at least 40 in each of the previous two.

Jhonas Enroth made 28 saves as Jonathan Quick got the night off for the Kings, 7-0-2 in their last nine overall.

'We had opportunities to finish to win it,' coach Darryl Sutter said. "Other than that, that's what a backup's job is - come in and get your points. Nothing around it. Backup goalie, your fifth, sixth, seventh defenseman, fourth line - they've got to win you these games (in back-to-backs)."

Mike Hoffman scored to give the Senators a 1-0 victory Feb. 26, ending the Kings' four-game winning streak in the series. Ottawa (15-10-5) enters this matchup following Saturday's 3-1 loss to Montreal that concluded a 1-3-0 road trip.

The Senators scored one goal in each defeat, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau getting his second goal of the trip against the Canadiens. They spent most of the first period on the defensive, though, as Montreal put 27 shots on net and scored twice.

Craig Anderson was pulled early in the second after allowing three goals on 31 shots. Chris Driedger stopped all 11 he faced, then was sent down to the AHL on Sunday to make room for Andrew Hammond after he completed an conditioning assignment.

"Considering the situation and the body language that I was giving off and the frame of mind we all were in, I think it was the right play to get a jump start by changing the goalie," Anderson said.

Anderson has started 14 straight, going 1-5-2 with a 2.59 goals-against average in that stretch. He's 1-7-4 with a 3.82 GAA in his career against the Kings, and it's uncertain if he'll get the nod in this contest.

Quick likely will be back in goal Monday. He's 7-0-1 with a 1.57 GAA in his last eight and has posted a 2.01 GAA while winning five of seven career starts against the Senators.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - December

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
12/1 10 53.5 51 UNDER
12/2 4 22.5 18 UNDER
12/3 8 41.5 37 UNDER
12/4 7 36 33 UNDER
12/5 10 52 54 OVER
12/6 7 36 37 OVER
12/7 3 16 15 UNDER
12/8 9 48.5 55 OVER
12/9 4 21.5 20 UNDER
12/10 7 37 44 OVER
12/11 7 36 37 OVER
12/12 10 52 47 UNDER
12/13 3 15 12 UNDER
12/14 5 - - -
12/15 11 - - -
12/16 2 - - -
12/17 11 - - -
12/18 6 - - -
12/19 10 - - -
12/20 6 - - -
12/21 8 - - -
12/22 10 - - -
12/23 No games scheduled - - -
12/24 No games scheduled - - -
12/25 No games scheduled - - -
12/26 9 - - -
12/27 9 - - -
12/28 6 - - -
12/29 10 - - -
12/30 5 - - -
12/31 9 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Edmonton won last five games, three in OT/SO. Bruins won seven of last ten games.
-- Washington won eight of its last ten games.
-- Red Wings won their last four home games.
-- Los Angeles won six of its last seven games.

Cold teams
-- Lightning lost four of their last seven games. Columbus lost six of its last seven.
-- Penguins lost five of last seven games, fired their coach this weekend.
-- Buffalo lost three of its last four games.
-- Senators lost three of their last four games.

Series records
-- Edmonton won last two games with Boston, after losing previous eight in series.
-- Blue Jackets lost three of last four games with Tampa Bay.
-- Penguins won seven of last ten games with Washington.
-- Sabres lost nine of last ten games with Detroit.
-- Kings won seven of their last nine games with Ottawa.

Totals
-- Five of last six Boston games stayed under; last three Edmonton games went over.
-- Four of last five Tampa Bay games stayed under total.
-- Six of last seven Pittsburgh-Washington games stayed under.
-- Five of last six Buffalo games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Ottawa games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (16-9) at Pacers (13-9)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Toronto may still be in for a far more difficult rematch than its season-opening win over Indiana, though it would have been much more obvious about two weeks ago.

The Pacers have been struggling with four losses in their last five games following a 12-2 stretch and look to start turning things around Monday night against the streaking Raptors in the opener of their three-game homestand.

Indiana's 106-99 loss at Toronto on Oct. 28 kicked off an 0-3 start to the season before Paul George heated up and sparked a tear that put the Pacers one-half game behind first-place Cleveland in the Central Division.

Things have since taken a downturn with Saturday's 118-96 loss at Detroit dropping Indiana (13-9) two back and into third in the Central.

George, who averaged 29.6 points during the surge, has been erratic during the five-game slump. He's still averaged a respectable 25.6 in that span, but that figure has been inflated by a pair of games in which he scored a career-high 48 and 33 points - both coming in losses to Utah and Golden State.

The star forward's inconsistency hasn't fully damaged Indiana's offense, which has still averaged 109.0 points in the last five games. That mark exceeds the Pacers' season average of 103.5, which is among the league's leaders.

They managed to shoot 50 percent against the Pistons, including 57.5 in the first half, despite going 3 of 16 from 3-point range. It's their defense that's been the main culprit, giving up an average of 115.4 points in the last five.

The Pistons, coming off a win at Philadelphia the night before, shot nearly 45 percent from 3-point range alone, going 13 of 29, and outrebounded the Pacers 46-33.

"Tonight was a disappointing effort on the defensive end," coach Frank Vogel said. "They played last night, too, so that's no excuse."

George Hill led the Pacers with 14 points, while George was two off his season low with 13 on 4-of-16 shooting and missed all four of his attempts from beyond the arc.

George and Indiana's offense will definitely be tested by the Atlantic-leading Raptors (15-9), who have won four straight with tight defense and also played well in the two losses preceding the streak.

Since falling 106-105 to Denver on Dec. 3 and pushing the league-leading Warriors down to the wire in a 112-109 defeat two days later, Toronto has beaten the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio, Milwaukee and the 76ers by allowing an average of 86.5 points.

Although the Pacers have started clicking since losing to the Raptors, they shot a season-worst 37.2 percent that night despite five players scoring in double figures and George flirting with a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

They also allowed Jonas Valunciunas - who has since been lost to a broken hand - Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to combine for 69 points and were outworked on the glass 50-40 in their fifth straight loss in the series.

DeRozan scored 25 and Luis Scola added 22 in Sunday's 96-76 win over league-worst Philadelphia, which shot 33.3 percent and scored a season low for a Toronto opponent.

DeRozan has been outstanding during the streak, shooting 31 of 60 from the field and 34 of 37 from the free throw line while averaging 24.0 points per game.

"He's just taking what the game is giving him. He's not forcing anything," coach Dwane Casey said. "When you do that, good things happen for you."

The Raptors have won two straight and four of six at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (14-10) at Pistons (14-11)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Doc Rivers harps on his best players to continue shooting in big moments no matter the struggles they might be enduring at the time, something that has helped the Los Angeles Clippers' offense stay consistent.

What's improved drastically over the last 2 1/2 weeks is their defensive efficiency, and suddenly they've begun to click.

The Detroit Pistons believe they're just tapping into their potential, and they'll look to snap a nine-game losing streak in the series as the Clippers conclude their five-game trip Monday night.

Blake Griffin had some early misses in the fourth-quarter Saturday as Brooklyn trimmed an 18-point deficit down to two, but he hit a pair of big jumpers in the final minute as Los Angeles (14-10) held on for a 105-100 victory.

The Clippers improved to 3-1 on their trip as Griffin and J.J. Redick finished with 21 points apiece. Chris Paul had 15 and 14 assists.

"We're going to our sets down the stretch," Paul said. "Me and Blake worked our two-man game to perfection and that's something we've got to keep working on. It's trust, too. Two guys on you, you give it up and trust that another guy is going to make the right play."

Los Angeles is playing better on the other end of the floor, too. It allowed 103.7 points per game during a 7-8 start, but is giving up an average of 96.0 during its current 7-2 run.

Opponents are shooting 41.7 percent in that stretch and have scored fewer than 100 points five times. The Clippers have been nearly identical offensively, scoring 102.7 points per game through their first 15 and 102.0 over the last nine.

"Our defense has really improved, and if we keep on this track, we're going to be where we think we should be," Rivers said. "Our offense is good and our offense hasn't scratched anywhere where we should go. I know we're in the top three or four but to me, we're a way better offensive team than we've played. But if we keep playing defense, it will make us a better offensive team."

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy hasn't had much to complain about lately. Detroit has won six of eight, and it would have been seven had it not been for Matt Barnes' halfcourt heave that gave Memphis a win Wednesday.

Reggie Jackson had 21 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 20 against Indiana in Saturday's 118-96 victory, the second straight for the Pistons (14-11), who were playing their seventh game in nine days.

'I think that was the first game we've had this year where everyone played well,' Van Gundy said. 'We've played some good games, but (Saturday) was really about the whole team. That's not something I've been able to say before this season.'

The Pistons didn't have many of those games through a six-year playoff drought, a stretch during which they haven't finished better than last season's 32-50 mark. Jackson believes they're on the right track now, though.

"I think we're still trying to figure it out, still have a long way to go, but we're piecing it together day by day," Jackson said. "Just figuring each other out and getting more continuity with each other and finding ways to help get each other easy shots."

Detroit has lost all nine meetings since last beating the Clippers on Nov. 12, 2010.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (12-11) at Nets (7-16)

Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic attributed some woes to a long road trip and now head to a place where they have never won.

The Magic have dropped all six previous trips to Brooklyn as they get set for Monday night's matchup with a Nets team that has struggled to make 3-pointers all season.

Orlando (12-11) matched the second-worst loss in team history with a 111-76 home defeat to Cleveland on Friday. The Magic shot 38.9 percent in their lowest-scoring effort of the season.

"It happens but it (stinks)," guard Victor Oladipo said. "We just gotta regroup, move on, can't do nothing about it now."

The Magic returned home after a 3-2 trip in which they lost two of the final three games. They have allowed opponents to shoot 46.2 percent in the past four, with the best performance an 85-74 win over Denver last Tuesday in which the Nuggets shot 33.3.

"We were a bit out of it mentally," coach Scott Skiles said. "As you know from being on the road, this is our fourth game in a row now that we haven't been real sharp. We were able to win one of the games but more because Denver played worse than we did, not because we played particularly well."

Orlando is one of two teams yet to win in Brooklyn, along with Sacramento. That list was at three before the Nets (7-16) fell 105-100 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

Brooklyn trailed by 14 entering the fourth quarter before a 37-point period was fueled by a lineup that included Andrea Bargnani, who scored all 11 of his points over the final 7:21.

"We're struggling offensively to get some flow sometimes and trying to get the right combinations in the game that can score and also defend a little bit and also rebound a little bit," coach Lionel Hollins said.

The Nets made five of 19 3-pointers and are one of the worst in the league at 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Magic defend the 3-pointer well, limiting opponents to 33.2 percent.

Of greater concern to Orlando are some shooting issues for its best players. Evan Fournier has made 32.1 percent in his last four games, a stretch in which Tobias Harris is at 36.4 percent and Oladipo 41.1. The Magic are at a loss for how to remedy it.

"The options are always the same, change the lineup again," Skiles said.

The Nets are hoping Brook Lopez bounces back after two games in which the club's top scorer has totaled 21 points. He's a big reason why they average 46.8 points in the paint, among the league's best marks.

Lopez is averaging 8.2 rebounds for his best mark in the last six seasons. He'll be facing a tough matchup in Nikola Vucevic, who has double-doubles in his past three road games.

"I'm just trying to put myself in a better position," Lopez said. "Coach is on me a lot about putting myself around the basket, being there wherever I can to have an opportunity to get those boards."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (1-24) at Bulls (13-8)

Date: December 14, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Although the Chicago Bulls have been dealing with inconsistency, the next game offers some wiggle room as they try to extend their home dominance over the NBA's worst team.

The Philadelphia 76ers have won only once at United Center since the start of 2009, and while their winless road start pales in comparison to some of the worst in league history, they'll try to avoid falling to 0-15 on Monday night.

The Bulls (13-8) had lost three in a row before bouncing back with home victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans. With their offense plodding along and the starters shooting poorly, Chicago got a huge lift from its reserves in Saturday's 98-94 victory over the Pelicans. The Bulls were down six entering the fourth, but Aaron Brooks scored 15 of his 17 in the quarter to lead a bench that contributed 52 points.

"That second group's movement, pace - that's how we want to play," said coach Fred Hoiberg, who engineered a fast-paced offense at Iowa State before joining the Bulls.

Doug McDermott scored 12 points while Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic each added 10 to help pick up the slack for the team's struggling trio of stars.

Pau Gasol (18) and Jimmy Butler (15) put up points, but Derrick Rose had nine - although his 15-footer with 11.5 seconds left provided the final margin - and the three shot a combined 14 of 41. Seven of Butler's points and six of Gasol's came on free throws.

"They were having fun out there," Hoiberg said of his reserves. "It was just such a grind-out, slow-motion-type of a game, and we finally got a little energy injected out there. They were moving. It was fun to watch."

The bench players could see extended minutes against the 76ers (1-24), who have lost six in a row and 10 of 11 visits to Chicago. During their current six-game overall slide, the Sixers managed to lose by 51 last Monday against a San Antonio team that rested Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

In the first meeting at Philadelphia on Nov. 9, McDermott and Mirotic actually started and played well while logging over 28 minutes apiece. Mirotic shot 6 of 11 with a team-high 20 points and McDermott was 7 for 15 with a career-best 18 in a 111-88 victory.

The 76ers' season of woe continued with a 96-76 loss at Toronto on Sunday in which they shot 33.3 percent and fell apart after pulling within six midway through the fourth.

"We still played good defense, but we had trouble scoring near the end of the game," said rookie Jahlil Okafor, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Philadelphia had at least 20 turnovers for the seventh time, and it proved rather costly as the Raptors scored 28 points off the 22 miscues. The Sixers lead the NBA with 542 points allowed off turnovers - 72 more than second-worst Houston. From the Rockets down to 10th-place Portland, the difference is 52.

Although they fell to 0-14 on the road in the opener of a three-game trip that concludes Wednesday in Atlanta, the 76ers have quite a long way to go before being mentioned with the likes of the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, who set the record at 0-29.

Still, another loss would make them only the 16th team to lose at least 15 straight road games to begin a season. The most recent was Washington, which opened 0-25 in 2010-11. The only other team to do it in the last 15 years? The Bulls (0-18) in '01-02.