Sunday 11/1/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

When not viewing the service plays.
Make sure to enjoy the rest of what the RX has to offer.

First time here at the RX.
Make sure to visit the Newbies Room
Click here to go there now

 

[joshuasmith45]

Does maddux do basketball?

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 13:30

Everton

v

Sunderland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		8/15	10/3	6	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
AWAWHDHLALHD*​ Most recent​	0 - 2 0 - 1 2 - 1 4 - 0	ALHLALHDALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Everton have failed to score in four of their last seven home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Everton have won only one of their last seven at home in the league, a run that began with a 2-0 defeat by Sunderland in May. The Wearsiders have failed to win in seven away league matches since but under Sam Allardyce’s watch they can at least frustrate the Toffees.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw-Everton double result
1


REFEREE: Andre Marriner STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 16:00

Southampton

v

Bournemouth

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		4/7	10/3	11/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHDADHW​ Most recent​	2 - 0 2 - 0 2 - 2 4 - 3	AD*ALHDALHLAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bournemouth have conceded ten goals in their last two league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Southampton’s south-coast derbies used to involve a visit from Portsmouth but now it’s Bournemouth’s turn to make the short journey to St Mary’s – and it could be a fruitless visit. The Cherries are getting picked off at will, losing their last two league games 5-1, and they’ve kept just one Premier League clean sheet all season.

RECOMMENDATION: Southampton
3


REFEREE: Craig Pawson STADIUM:

​

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 11:30

Fiorentina

v

Frosinone C

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		1/4	19/4	12	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT FIORENTINA	RECENT FORM
AWHWALHLHLAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	ADHWALHWALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Fiorentina have scored two goals or more in six of their last eight home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Frosinone have taken one point from a possible 15 on their Serie A travels and are likely to be easily dismissed by Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Fiorentina lost 2-1 to title-chasing Roma in their last Serie A home game but they won the previous seven – scoring 17 goals in the process.

RECOMMENDATION: Fiorentina to win 3-0
1

 

[superbeets]

Scottish Championship TODAY 12:30

Hibernian

v

Rangers

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		5/2	13/5	Evs	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HIBERNIAN	RECENT FORM
HWHDAWHWAWAW​ Most recent​	2 - 6 1 - 0 0 - 2 4 - 0	HLAWHWHWHWAW​ Most recent​

EXPERT VERDICT: Rangers have lost just once in all competitions this season, but Hibernian are also in a rich vein of form and this looks the Gers’ biggest test so far. Hibs have won seven and drawn one of their eight league outings and have scored in all but one of their games this term, so they should at least get on the scoresheet.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
3


REFEREE: John Beaton STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

German Bundesliga TODAY 14:30

Stuttgart

v

SV Darmstadt

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		4/6	3	4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STUTTGART	RECENT FORM
AWHLADHWALAW​ Most recent​	1 - 0 3 - 0	HWADHLAWHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Only Bayern have had more Bundesliga shots than Stuttgart this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Darmstadt have been coupon-busters on a number of occasions this season with draws at Dortmund and Schalke and a win at Leverkusen but the general feeling is the promoted club have been fairly lucky. Stuttgart have played much better than results have suggested this season and can land successive home triumphs.

RECOMMENDATION: Stuttgart
1

 

[superbeets]

French Ligue 1 TODAY 16:00

Monaco

v

Angers

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		4/6	5/2	5	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MONACO	RECENT FORM
ADHDHDHDHWAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HDAWHWAWHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Monaco are unbeaten in their last six away matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Promoted Angers have had a great start to life in Ligue 1 but may struggle to avoid defeat at home to improving Monaco. Staying in the battle for European qualification will be tough for high-flying Angers but – unbeaten in seven – are likely to get stronger as the season progresses.

RECOMMENDATION: Monaco
1

 

[moneyboyz]

Fletch of OTM Sports

 

[mcot1016]

Good Morning...

Im waiting on Leiner...

Jack Jones Pls...6-0 in ncaa yesterday

 

[moneyboyz]

Seabass anyone ?

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sharks (4-5) at Avalanche (3-6)

Date: November 01, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

The San Jose Sharks continue to slump after their hot start, and while Pete DeBoer lamented his club's five-on-five play after the latest setback, it's special teams that continues to sink the Sharks.

Special teams have also been a point of weakness for the Colorado Avalanche.

Both will look to clean up those units Sunday at the Pepsi Center.

San Jose (5-5-0) has dropped five of six while surrendering 23 goals after allowing only two while winning their first four contests. They lost 5-3 at Dallas on Saturday, falling to former Sharks Antti Niemi and Jason Demers. Niemi made 26 saves while Demers had a goal and an assist.

All three San Jose goals came in the second period, with two on the power play and a short-handed goal by Matt Nieto.

"We have to be better 5-on-5," DeBoer said. "They had three 5-on-5 goals tonight, we didn't have any. Our power play started to heat up, which is a good sign."

But even despite Saturday's performance, the Sharks are still plus-three in terms of even-strength goal differential. Meanwhile, they've given up seven power-play goals on 24 chances over the last seven games, and had gone six consecutive games without a power-play goal of their own before Saturday.

The Avalanche (3-6-1) still haven't won consecutive games, losing 3-2 at Carolina on Friday after Thursday's 2-1 win at Tampa Bay snapped a four-game skid.

They allowed three straight goals to the Hurricanes after Alex Tanguay's second-period goal opened the scoring.

"We just don't score enough goals," coach Patrick Roy said.

Colorado has nine goals in dropping five of the last six. It scored 15 while splitting its first four games.

Special teams have gone south in a hurry for the Avalanche, who have allowed six power-play goals on 16 chances over the last four games. Meanwhile, they're 0 for 14 on the advantage over the last three after starting the season 7 for 28.

"We've made some good strides," Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the team with 10 points, told its official website. "We've been playing really well 5-on-5. Obviously, we need to chip in on the special teams. Power play and PK need to be a little bit better, but it's going to be a good test for us."

Colorado is 1-3-1 at home and hasn't lost five of its first six there since 2011, while the Sharks are in danger of losing four straight on the road for the first time since Dec. 5-14, 2013.

Martin Jones is likely to be in net for San Jose after backup Alex Stalock got the nod Saturday. Jones only gave up two goals in his first four starts, but has given up 12 in his last four. He won both previous starts against the Avalanche in 2013-14.

The Sharks are seeking their fourth straight victory in the series after outscoring Colorado 13-4 over the last three.

Patrick Marleau, who hasn't scored in six straight games after recording three goals in his first four, has six goals and five assists in his last nine matchups with the Avalanche.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (5-5) at Hurricanes (5-6)

Date: November 01, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes stayed in a groove at the start of a home-heavy stretch of their schedule and will next face a former division rival that's heading in an opposite direction.

The Hurricanes seek to extend their win streak to four games Sunday while sending the Tampa Bay Lightning to a fifth consecutive defeat.

Carolina (5-6-0) beat Colorado 3-2 on Friday - its first in three home contests this season - in its return from a seven-game trip and will also get to play eight of its next nine on its own ice.

"We're getting closer," coach Bill Peters said. "We've got some traction now, a little bit of confidence. We've got both goaltenders going, and I think we're going in the right direction for sure."

The Hurricanes will try to use that home stretch to their advantage to secure their first four-game win streak since Nov. 1-7, 2014, their longest last season.

"(The win streak) continues to build our confidence," rookie defenseman Brett Pesce said. "Everyone's in a good mood. Everyone's flying out there. Everyone's happy and zipping the puck around. I think it's going to be good for (Sunday), and hopefully we can continue it."

Tampa Bay (5-5-2) in its midst of playing eight of 10 on the road and will close that out with a four-game trip that begins Sunday. The Lightning also didn't fare well in back-to-back home dates and were 3-1 losers to Boston on Saturday, giving them two goals over their last four games.

"We expect better from ourselves. Teams aren't just going to let us go out there and get two points," goaltender Ben Bishop said. "It's on us. This is maybe what we needed. We've got a game (Sunday) so that's a good thing so we can put this behind us. We have to wake up pretty quick."

Tampa Bay has often performed well in recent matchups with its former Southeast Division foe, taking nine of the past 11. The Lightning had won six straight in Carolina until a 4-2 loss Jan. 27.

Eric Staal scored just 22 seconds into that game, and Justin Faulk had a goal and an assist. Faulk put the Hurricanes ahead for good against the Avalanche on Friday with his fourth goal of the season.

"They're a very good team. They're the Eastern Conference champions so we're playing one of the best teams in the National Hockey League in our building," Peters said. "To me, it's an important game."

Nikita Kucherov, who scored Tampa Bay's lone goal Saturday, has four in five career games against the Hurricanes.

With Bishop starting the first of back-to-back games, it's unclear if he'll be in net again for the 11th time in the Lightning's 12 contests. Current backup Kristers Gudlevskis has made the only other start Oct. 24 in Chicago, and Tampa Bay might get its regular backup netminder, Andrei Vasilevskiy, back from vascular surgery for its road trip.

Carolina forward Elias Lindholm is doubtful because of a lower-body injury but Peters indicated that ailment might not keep him out for the long term. The Hurricanes will have plenty of time for Lindholm and their remaining players to rest after this game.

They won't play against until Friday against Dallas.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (7-3) at Canadiens (10-2)

Date: November 01, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Montreal Canadiens experienced a two-game hiccup, but found themselves adding to their NHL-best win total once again with another high-scoring performance.

They'll have to fight off the Winnipeg Jets, one of the league's best road teams thus far, in order to carry on with another winning streak Sunday night.

Montreal (10-2-0) had its season-opening nine-game winning streak snapped with 5-1 and 4-3 losses at Vancouver and Edmonton, but got back on track with a 6-2 win in Calgary on Friday. The Canadiens are averaging 3.8 goals per game, trailing only Boston (3.9), with 22 over their last five contests - a span in which they've scored six times on 14 power-play chances.

They became the first club to 10 wins Friday, and Dale Weise recorded his first career hat trick to push his season goal total to six. He's already four shy of his career high set last season, and he has 30 shots after averaging 1.2 per game last season.

"We needed a win, and a lot of guys chipped in. It was amazing," Weise told the team's official website. "That's what we need going to forward to be successful. That's why we won nine in a row to start the year, with contributions from everybody."

Carey Price was given a breather after giving up all nine goals in the back-to-back losses, and rookie Mike Condon filled in nicely with 30 saves. Despite those two tough games, Price still owns a .936 save percentage - better than the .933 mark that he won the Hart Trophy with last season.

He's had more breathing room this season after the Canadiens ranked 20th with 2.6 goals per game in 2014-15.

Price is 5-1-0 with a 1.17 goals-against average and three shutouts in his last six starts against Winnipeg.

The Jets (7-3-1) have won three of four and started off in better fashion for at least one game in Saturday's 3-2 win at Columbus. All three of their goals came in the first period after they had been outscored 7-6 in the first 20 minutes of their previous 10 games. Winnipeg had given up the first goal eight times in those contests, but has been able to win a league-high five of those.

"It does seem like we've had some slow starts lately,' said Bryan Little, who had a goal and an assist along with Blake Wheeler. "That's something we talked about before the game. Coming out hard and kind of setting the tone for the game."

Winnipeg is 4-1-0 on the road, scoring five power-play goals on 15 opportunities. Montreal has outscored opponents 15-4 in winning all four at home, where it plays seven of its next eight after an early road-heavy schedule.

The Canadiens also began last season with four consecutive home wins but haven't opened 5-0-0 there since a 6-0-0 start in 1979-80.

Ondrej Pavelec stopped 19 shots Saturday for the Jets, potentially setting backup Michael Hutchinson up for his fifth start. Hutchinson, who has never faced the Canadiens, is 4-0-0 with a 1.75 GAA this season.

Montreal had won nine of 10 in the series before dropping two of three.

Little has only two points in his last 14 against the Canadiens.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (3-7) at Islanders (6-2)

Date: November 01, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

A pair of points left on the table and illness spreading through the locker room have left the New York Islanders a bit vulnerable.

The Islanders may need to avoid any further damage without captain John Tavares on Sunday night against the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

The Islanders (6-2-3) followed a 6-1-0 stretch with losses in overtime and a shootout, and sickness has recently slowed them - most recently affecting their best player.

Tavares missed his first game in nearly two years Saturday with an unspecified illness, getting evaluated by team doctors and sent home before New York's 3-2 shootout loss at New Jersey.

It was the Islanders' third sickness-related scratch this week after goaltender Jaroslav Halak and Ryan Strome missed Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina.

Halak and Strome both played Saturday, and coach Jack Capuano said the team would know more on Tavares Saturday night or Sunday morning.

"Certain guys are a little under the weather, but hopefully they'll find out exactly what it is," Capuano told the NHL's official website. "Hopefully it's nothing at all, and they'll take a few days to get better."

Tavares is the club's leading scorer with five goals and six assists, and it would be a big boost for Buffalo (4-7-0) if he is scratched from Sunday's contests.

Tavares has 10 goals and 10 assists in 19 career games against the Sabres, including a pair of goals and three assists while logging at least one point in each of the last four.

The Sabres likely won't avoid seeing Halak, who will seek his sixth straight win over them if he is able to go. Halak has a 1.00 goals-against average and .952 save percentage against Buffalo during a streak that dates to April 3, 2010.

The Sabres, who are 1-3-1 in their last five against New York, are 1-3-0 on the road this season after posting a NHL-worst 9-23-3 away mark in 2014-15. Buffalo, though, enters its first game at Barclays Center playing better of late.

The Sabres have won two of three after a 4-3 overtime victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday and a 3-1 win over the Flyers on Friday. They've scored 13 goals in their last four games after finishing with the same amount through their first seven.

The penalty kill has also found some rhythm of late. After allowing two goals on three chances in a 7-2 loss against Montreal on Oct. 23, the Sabres have killed off eight of their last nine penalties.

"I think we're working more as a unit," defenseman Josh Gorges told the team's official website. "The penalty kill, it's a tough job but you need all four guys that are on the ice - including the goalie - to work at the same pace and move the same way and make the same reads."

The Sabres may be without a key player again as center Tyler Ennis has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury. He sat out practice Saturday and will be evaluated after pregame warmups. Ennis has three goals and two assists in nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (5-1) at Ducks (1-7)

Date: November 01, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators had arguably their finest performance a little over a week ago against the struggling Anaheim Ducks.

The Predators will try for a repeat when they visit Anaheim on Sunday night as they aim to secure the best 11-game start in franchise history.

Nashville (7-1-2) recorded its most lopsided victory this season with a 5-1 rout of Anaheim on Oct. 22. The Predators waited until the second period to start their scoring then poured it on with four consecutive goals before the Ducks (1-7-2) responded.

"I thought we were good from start to finish tonight. It was a really good effort. They came out strong in the first period, and we had to be ready to play with them. After that, we seemed to get better as the game went on," coach Peter Laviolette said.

Ryan Ellis and Colin Wilson each had a goal and two assists in only Nashville's second win in the last 10 games in the series. The Predators have followed with two losses in their last three games but have earned a point in each.

They lost 4-3 in overtime Saturday against red-hot Los Angeles in the second of four consecutive road contests, failing to build on Ellis' tying goal in the third period. James Neal also tallied his seventh goal in seven games.

Nashville has one win in its last five trips to Anaheim, going 1-2-2 with a shootout loss Jan. 4 and a 4-2 defeat March 15.

If they can earn a win Sunday, the Predators would top their 17 points in 11 games from 2005-06 when they began 8-2-1.

Nashville is also seeking to keep an opponent scoreless in the first period for the 11th consecutive game. That would put it one shy of tying the NHL's longest season-opening streak by the 1974-75 Los Angeles Kings.

The Ducks have been blanked in all but two opening periods this season and have endured five shutouts in their first 10 games. Hampus Lindholm helped them avoid another blanking Thursday against St. Louis, but Anaheim finished 0-4-1 on its road trip with a 2-1 defeat.

The Ducks gave up the tiebreaking goal when Blues defenseman Colton Parayko's shot went off the boards and deflected in off netminder Frederik Andersen's left skate.

"We do need a break and we're not getting them right now and that's what usually happens when a dark cloud's over you," coach Bruce Boudreau said.

The Ducks won the final game before that trip, 4-1 over Minnesota on Oct. 18, after dropping their first three on home ice. They'll open a three-game homestand Sunday.

Anaheim captain Ryan Getzalf, who had one assist in eight games, will likely sit out again while continuing to recover from an appendectomy. Top-line players Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler also remain without a goal and are combined minus-10.

Neal had one assist in the most recent matchup with Anaheim and has totaled three points (one goal, two assists) in his last three. Mike Ribeiro has eight goals and 12 assists in his past 16 while Wilson has four goals and two assists in his last five.

The Ducks haven't lost six straight since an 0-6-1 slide in November 2011.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Carolina won last three games, allowing five goals.
-- Montreal won nine of first eleven games. Jets won three of last four games.
-- Nashville won seven of its last ten games.

Cold teams
-- Sharks, Avalanche both lost five of their last six games.
-- Lightning lost last four games, scoring two goals.
-- Sabres lost three of their last four road games. Islanders lost last two games overall, both 3-2 (SO/OT).
-- Anaheim lost its last five games, outscored 15-5.

Series records
-- Sharks won their last three games with Colorado
-- Lightning won four of last six games with Carolina.
-- Canadiens won seven of last nine games with Winnipeg.
-- Islanders won four of last five games with Buffalo.
-- Ducks won eight of last ten games with Nashville.

Totals
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Colorado games.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Tampa Bay-Carolina games.
-- Last five Montreal games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Sabre-Islander games stayed under.
-- Last eight Nashville-Anaheim games went over total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (2-1) at Hornets (0-2)

Date: November 01, 2015 2:00 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks managed to get by the Charlotte Hornets without Kyle Korver this week. They could have their 3-point specialist back on the floor while trying to complete a sweep of their home-and-home set with the Hornets on Sunday in Charlotte.

Still recovering from offseason ankle and elbow surgeries, Korver won't be overloaded with consistently heavy minutes to start the season. At least early on, Korver also could sit either end of back-to-back contests.

He scored 15 points and went 6 of 8 from the field in 32 minutes of Thursday's 112-101 win at New York, then watched as the Hawks (2-1) hung on for a 97-94 home victory over Charlotte a night later.

"I feel like I'll be in a good place here pretty soon," Korver, who shot an NBA-best 49.2 percent from 3-point range in 2014-15, told the Hawks' official website last week.

Korver, 4 for 10 from beyond the arc in two games, has made 49.1 percent of his long-distance attempts in 34 games against Charlotte (0-2).

Without him Friday, fourth-year swingman and North Carolina native Kent Bazemore had a game-high 19 points and went 4 of 5 from long range. Bazemore, who totaled five points while starting the first two games and pulled down nine rebounds Friday, seems the early favorite to replace DeMarre Carroll after the talented small forward signed with Toronto.

"Baze had a great summer," Korver said. "He really worked on his game. He's got a high ceiling. He's got a lot of tools to work with. He's very long. He's got a high motor. He's really coming into his own."

Each starter scored in double figures Friday as the Hawks held their second straight opponent to 40.9 percent shooting and forced at least 20 turnovers in back-to-back games.

"There are some positives to take from this game," coach Mike Budenholzer said.

Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams and Al Jefferson each posted double-doubles in points and rebounds for the Hornets, who last dropped their first three games in 2010.

"We've got to play with more purpose," said Charlotte coach Steve Clifford, whose team nearly overcame a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets have shot 40.1 percent in their first two games, and after committing nine turnovers in Wednesday's 104-94 loss at Miami, had 20 that Atlanta turned into 26 points.

"If you're going to turn the ball over and the other team is going to score (21) fast-break points, you're going to lose," Clifford said. "Those have to be corrected.

"(The Hawks) are really good defensively and they protect the paint."

Charlotte's Kemba Walker scored 13 points Friday, but is averaging 18.7 in the last three home games against Atlanta.

The Hawks had won six consecutive road games against the Hornets before dropping both meetings at Charlotte last season.

"We'll go back, look at the film and try to get ready for them on Sunday," Williams said. "(The Hawks have) got to play us the same way, too. Correct the things we did wrong."

Atlanta big man Mike Muscala could miss a third straight contest with a sprained right ankle.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (1-1) at Celtics (1-1)

Date: November 01, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

San Antonio is still figuring out how to best use LaMarcus Aldridge, but two games into his first season with the Spurs, it's becoming clear that his level of inclusion in the offense isn't going to be as drastic as it was in Portland.

The power forward's third game with his new team comes Sunday in Boston as the Spurs begin a three-game East Coast swing.

Aldridge's 20.3 field-goal attempts per game over the previous two seasons trailed only Carmelo Anthony's 20.9, ahead of even the 20.0 of both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Tony Parker led the Spurs in that time with 12.8, and that's around the level of Aldridge's 23 shots through two games.

He's averaging 10.5 points in an offense that's thus far centered around Kawhi Leonard's 24.0 points and 19.0 shots per game, and Aldridge expects things to settle in shortly.

"Each game gets better," said Aldridge, who has averaged 22.7 points and 13.0 rebounds in three straight double-doubles against the Celtics. "I think it's a process for all of us - you know, how to use me. For me to find my spots, I have to be aggressive. Right now, I think I'm just getting the offensive boards, and that's fine for now."

The Spurs (1-1) recovered from Wednesday's season-opening loss in Oklahoma City with Friday's 102-75 home win over Brooklyn. Both Aldridge and Leonard had double-doubles in under 30 minutes, though it was a slow start with the Nets grabbing a 47-42 halftime lead before San Antonio broke out in a 34-point third quarter.

"That group has played together," Popovich said. "We did a different rotation tonight than we did in Oklahoma City just to have a little more familiarization out there. It worked out pretty well."

The Spurs have won the last seven meetings by an average of 12.1 points and 33 of 41 dating to 1993. The most recent meeting was a 101-89 final in San Antonio on March 20 with Leonard scoring 22 points. They've also won six straight against the Eastern Conference by an average of 15.8 points.

Boston (1-1) is completing a season-opening three-game homestand, and coach Brad Stevens is looking for offensive improvement after his team shot 37.6 percent in Friday's 113-103 loss to Toronto.

"We had a lot of misses. Some of them were good looks, some of them weren't," Stevens said. "We have to move the ball better and continue to probe for better shots."

Marcus Smart has gotten off to a slow start (5 of 19), as has backcourt mate Avery Bradley (6 of 17), Evan Turner (4 for 16) and newcomer David Lee (4 of 13), but Bradley said it's just taking time to develop an identity. None of their top-three scorers so far - Isaiah Thomas, Amir Johnson and Jae Crowder - began last season with the team.

"We're all trying to figure each other out still with the groups that we're playing with," Bradley told the team's official website. "I feel like we will continue to get better, but the main thing is just slowing down and playing free."

The bench has at least been productive with sixth-man Thomas averaging 26.0 points on 48.6 percent shooting, while newcomer Johnson is at 13.0 on 64.3 percent. Boston's reserves have accounted for 59.5 percent of its scoring, but that's not terribly difficult to do with the starting five averaging a league-low 43.5 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (0-2) at Raptors (2-0)

Date: November 01, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors boasted one of the NBA's best offenses in 2014-15, but early signs indicate they could be even better this season.

They'll try to continue their hot start Sunday night against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks, who have been dismal defensively.

Toronto, seeking its first 3-0 start since 2008-09, has averaged 109.5 points through its first two games after finishing fourth with 104.0 last season. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 in Friday's 113-103 win at Boston, while DeMarre Carroll and Terrence Ross added 21 apiece.

Ross, who was a reserve for the second straight game after starting 123 over the past two seasons, scored 13 in the fourth quarter.

"Coming off the bench helps me because you see what the team needs to work on," he said. "It helps you focus on what you can do. I actually like it a little better."

Carroll was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and has two steals in each of his first two games as a Raptor.

Milwaukee was expected to take another step forward after a surprising sixth-place finish last season, but has stumbled out of the gates and is in danger of its first 0-3 start since dropping its first five games in 1976-77. This is the longest streak in NBA history of consecutive seasons without starting 0-3.

The Bucks limited opponents to 97.4 points per game in 2014-15 to rank eighth in the NBA, but have given up 240 points to New York and Washington. They let the Wizards shoot 51.5 percent - including a 12-for-21 mark from 3-point range - in Friday's 118-113 home loss.

"We won't beat anybody giving up 120 points," said Greg Monroe, who scored 22 for the second straight contest. "We have to be better at defense. That's it."

Milwaukee surrendered 39 points in the second quarter and 36 in the fourth, conceding 14 to Bradley Beal and 11 to Ramon Sessions over the final 12 minutes. The Bucks led by 10 entering the final period.

"We have to take more pride in defense," coach Jason Kidd said. "We're trying to outscore people and it's affecting our defense. We're not getting stops when we have to, but it goes back to guarding the ball. We're not guarding the ball."

Despite their early struggles, they may be able to capitalize on turnovers Sunday. Toronto has committed 43 turnovers leading to 44 points for opponents after its 12.9 turnovers per game last season were the NBA's third-fewest. Milwaukee scored 20 points off 21 Washington turnovers Friday.

The Raptors' defense has also impressed, holding Indiana and Boston to 37.4 percent shooting, though both clubs ranked in the league's bottom 10 in that category a season ago. Milwaukee finished seventh in shooting at 45.9 percent last season.

The Bucks shot 51.2 percent against the Wizards and enjoyed a strong season debut by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 23 of his 27 points in the first half. He was suspended for the opener due to a flagrant foul assessed in Game 6 of last season's first-round playoff series against Chicago.

John Henson is listed as out after missing Friday's game due to a sore Achilles, while O.J. Mayo (strained hamstring) and Jabari Parker (knee surgery) remain sidelined.

Milwaukee ended a six-game losing streak in the series with an 82-75 victory at Toronto on Feb. 2.