Sunday 11/20/16 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

 

[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga TODAY 11:00

Alaves

v

Espanyol

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		6/4	21/10	21/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALAVES	RECENT FORM
H WA LH DA LH LA W​ Most recent​	0 - 2 1 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 1	H LH DA DH DA WH D​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Espanyol are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Alaves

EXPERT VERDICT: Espanyol are unbeaten in five La Liga matches and they look good value to continue that trend with a win against Alaves. The hosts have found only Real Madrid too strong at the Mendizorroza this term but Espanyol could be a different proposition now their well-regarded summer purchases are beginning to find the feet.

RECOMMENDATION: Espanyol
1

Italian Serie A TODAY 11:30

Sampdoria

v

Sassuolo

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		21/20	12/5	11/4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SAMPDORIA	RECENT FORM
H DA DH WA LH WA D​ Most recent​	1 - 3 1 - 1 3 - 4 2 - 1	A DA DH LA LH DH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in the last five meetings

EXPERT VERDICT: Sampdoria have picked up ten of their 15 points in Genoa this season but they could find free-scoring Sassuolo their toughest challenge to date. The visitors started the weekend as the fourth highest scorers on the road this term and they are fancied to play their part in an exciting encounter. Sampdoria have notched in all but one of their matches this season and backing both teams to find the net looks a wealthy wager.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2

Dutch Eredivisie TODAY 13:30

Ajax

v

NEC Nijmegen

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SSMI		1/6	6	14	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT AJAX	RECENT FORM
A WA DA DH WH WA D​ Most recent​	2 - 2 2 - 2 4 - 1 4 - 1	H DA WH LH DA DH D​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Ajax have won six straight home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Ajax are long odds-on to beat Nijmegen and the Amsterdam outfit should oblige for anyone wishing to lump on. There’s not much juice in that price, however, and those wanting a bit more bang for their buck should chance the hosts to win 3-0. Ajax have found their shooting boots recently and could run out easy winners.

RECOMMENDATION: Ajax to win 3-0
1

French Ligue 1 TODAY 14:00

Guingamp

v

Bordeaux

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		8/5	11/5	15/8	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT GUINGAMP	RECENT FORM
A LH WA WA D*H WA D​ Most recent​	2 - 4 2 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 3	A LA DH DA WA DH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Only one of Guingamp’s home games have featured more than two goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Guingamp’s home form has been phenomenal this season but they are not certain to make it five wins from six matches when they host Bordeaux. Girondins have scored just once in three away games but they don’t lose many and could frustrate the hosts. Going under on goals looks a smart bet.

RECOMMENDATION: No goalscorer
1

Italian Serie A TODAY 14:00

Atalanta

v

Roma

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		3	5/2	19/20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ATALANTA	RECENT FORM
H WA DH WA WH WA W​ Most recent​	3 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 1 2 - 3	H DH WA WA DA WH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Atalanta have lost just twice at home this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Roma have been in flying form at home but their away form has paled in comparison and they might find Atalanta harder to crack than the odds suggest. The hosts have lost just twice on their own patch this season, and have picked up wins against both Napoli and Inter.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

German Bundesliga TODAY 14:30

Hoffenheim

v

Hamburg

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		4/7	3	5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HOFFENHEIM	RECENT FORM
A WH WA WA D*H WA D​ Most recent​	0 - 1 3 - 0 3 - 0 1 - 4	A LA DH LA WA LH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Hoffenheim are unbeaten in 13 games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: High-flying Hoffenheim are one of only five sides in Europe’s five major leagues who started the weekend still be unbeaten and they should make light work of ailing Hamburg. The visitors have claimed only two points, scored just four goals in the process and the former European champions look severely up against it.

RECOMMENDATION: Hoffenheim
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ford EcoBoost 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts

Wow, this is it!

We've all been going at it strong since February, and after Sunday we'll go into hibernation for a few weeks until the 2017 NASCAR Sprint Cup season begins. Before I get started on the Championship 4 and who should win Sunday's Ford Ecoboost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, let me first thank you for visiting weekly and checking out what I have to say about the race each week.

So let's get on with who is going to be our 2016 Sprint Cup champion, and with it, I use all objectivity and won't reveal my personal rooting interest until the very end. And it's not who I think is going to win.

Last week's race at Phoenix gave us the final two pieces of the Championship 4 with Joey Logano winning and 2015 champion Kyle Busch finishing second. They'll join six-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards who already clinched a birth by virtue of each winning a race during the Round of 8.

None of the four championship eligible drivers have a point lead or deficit for Sunday's race. They're all tied and the eventual champion simply has to finish better than the other three. While there's 36 other drivers competing for the race win, the last two seasons have seen the eventual champion win at Homestead with another eligible driver finishing second. Kevin Harvick held off Ryan Newman in 2014 and last season Busch led the final six laps to finish just ahead of Harvick.

Sunday's race will have so many great storylines for each of the Championship 4. We've got Busch trying to be the first repeat champion since Johnson in 2010 while Johnson is attempting to win his seventh championship which would tie him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most in NASCAR history. Edwards has been the series runner-up twice, the last time in 2011 when Tony Stewart won the race to beat him. And then there's Logano who looked to be on his way to a title last season, but was taught a tough lessen during the Chase by a veteran as a form of payback. He's paid his dues and certainly is worthy of being a champion.

All four of the drivers are worthy of being champions. This season there wasn't any one driver that dominated, or stood out above everyone else. Five drivers are tied for the series-lead with four wins and nine drivers won multiple races. The entire season was very balanced with not one driver really standing out, which made it an outstanding season overall, maybe one of the best ever because of so much parity.

Let's take a look at each of the driver's resume and what makes them a good candidate to win on Homestead's high banked, 1.5-mile paperclip shaped oval. It's the 11th race this season on a 1.5-mile track, but the layout is unlike any other on the circuit.

Jimmie Johnson (2/1 to win title at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook): He's already considered one of the best all-time drivers with his 79 career wins, but seven titles puts him in an entirely different category in an era that is much more competitive than any other in NASCAR history. He won four races this season, but it was a real struggle for the team going winless from Race 6 all the way to Race 30 when he broke through with a win at Charlotte, which was his second win on a 1.5 this season. The odd part about Johnson and Homestead is that he's never won there in 15 starts. Part of the reason was because the old Chase format had a point structure and he could coast through without having to win. But still, no wins on this type of track is alarming for someone of his caliber. He's finished ninth there the past three seasons.

Kyle Busch (13/5): The Las Vegan battled hard at Phoenix just to have the opportunity to defend his title this week. He led the series with 17 top-five finishes and was second-best with 1,378 laps led. He won four races on the season, two of which were on 1.5-mile layouts (Texas and Kansas). However, his last win was 15 races ago at Indianapolis. He's finished sixth or better in his last three starts on 1.5s. His Homestead win last season was his first 11 starts and elevated his average finish there to 21.1.

Carl Edwards (3/1): His 9.3 average finish position at Homestead is the best among the Championship 4 drivers. He won there is 2008 and 2010, but he hasn't had a top-10 in his last four. What makes him such a good candidate this week is because he's been outstanding in his last two starts on 1.5-mile tracks. He led 61 laps at Kansas last month and finished second and then two weeks ago won at Texas which halted a 23-race winless streak.

Joey Logano (3/1): His Phoenix win last week was his first there and third win of the season. His 25 top-10 finishes are second only to Harvick. Like Edwards, Logano ran extremely well in the last two races on 1.5s, finishing third at Kansas and runner-up at Texas where he led a race-high 178 laps. During the Chase, he has two wins and a 7.9 average finish through nine races. Last year he had a career-best fourth-place at Homestead.

Championship Prediction: I think Logano offers the best value at 3-to-1 odds just because of his consistency during the Chase. I personally want to see Johnson win his seventh title, and he's favored for a reason, but I just think Logano has the momentum.

As for who I think will win the race itself, I'm going with Martin Truex Jr. just because he's crushed 1.5-mile tracks this season winning twice (Charlotte and Chicago) and leading 883 laps between the 10 races at this distance. For his career, he's always been good at Homestead, even before his season of 1.5 domination since being affiliated with Joe Gibbs Racing. He's got a 10.1 average finish with a career-best runner-up in 2006. If there was one driver who we could agree on that was the most dominant, it would probably be Truex, who lead the most laps (1,809) on all tracks.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #78 Martin Truex Jr. (6/1)
2) #22 Joey Logano (7/1)
3) #19 Carl Edwards (8/1)
4) #18 Kyle Busch (7/1)
5) #48 Jimmie Johnson (7/1)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Oilers' McDavid records first hat trick in victory
By The Sports Xchange

DALLAS -- Connor McDavid registered his first career NHL hat trick to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
McDavid scored his first goals in 11 games as Edmonton snapped a five-game losing streak.
McDavid opened the scoring at 2:57 of the first period with the type of goal that usually ends a drought. He was trying to make a centering pass on the play when it went off Stars defenseman John Klingberg's stick and past goalender Kari Lehtonen.
Drake Caggiula made his NHL debut and recorded his first career point for the Oilers.

Sabres 2, Penguins 1 (SO)
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Cal O'Reilly scored in a shootout and Buffalo ended a nine-game losing streak -- and a 15-game slide with Sidney Crosby in the lineup -- against Pittsburgh.
The last time the Sabres defeated the Penguins with Crosby was Dec. 29, 2009. The Sabres have undergone an ownership change, shuffled the front office twice and changed coaches three times since.
Anders Nilsson made 46 saves and William Carrier scored his first NHL goal for the Sabres, who snapped a six-game winless streak.

Blackhawks 4, Canucks 3 (OT)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Marian Hossa scored with 55 seconds left in overtime as Chicago erased a 3-0 deficit in the third period to stun Vancouver.
The Blackhawks' Ryan Hartman tied the score at 15:46 of the third. Vinnie Hinostroza scored his first NHL goal and added an assist and Artemi Pararin also tallied for Chicago.
Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter, with his fourth goal in as many games, scored 1:24 apart late in the second period to give the Canucks a 3-0 lead.

Lightning 3, Flyers 0
PHILADELPHIA -- Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots for his second straight shutout as Tampa Bay received goals from Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin to defeat Philadelphia.
The Lighting won their fourth straight game while allowing only four goals in that span. Forced to play without captain Steven Stamkos (right knee surgery) for the next four months, Tampa Bay also learned before the game that Brian Boyle was out with an upper-body injury.
The Flyers lost in regulation for the first time in five games and saw their modest 2-0-1 streak snapped. They went 0 for 5 on the power play.

Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 1
MONTREAL -- Shea Weber and Alex Radulov each had two assists as Montreal snapped a three-game slide with its 12th consecutive victory over Toronto.
Carey Price made 31 saves for the Canadiens while Frederik Anderson stopped 27 shots for the Maple Leafs, which had won two straight games by a combined 12-3.
Paul Byron and Alex Galchenyuk scored for Montreal and William Nylander replied for Toronto.

Bruins 4, Jets 1
BOSTON -- Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Tim Schaller and Matt Beleskey scored as Boston shut down Winnipeg.
The Bruins' defense made life easy for goaltender Tuukka Rask, who made 11 saves as the Jets needed 50 minutes to reach double digits on the shot count. Winnipeg goaltender Michael Hutchinson stopped 34 of 38 Boston shots.
Adam Lowry scored for Winnipeg, which has lost two straight games by a combined 9-3.

Panthers 4, Senators 1
OTTAWA -- Florida received outstanding goaltending from Roberto Luongo and a boost from their previously slumping first line to defeat Ottawa.
Jaromir Jagr, Jussi Jokinen, Jonathan Marchessault and center Derek MacKenzie scored for the Panthers. Top-line center Aleksander Barkov chipped in with two assists.
Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau had the only goal against Luongo, who made 39 saves.
Craig Anderson made 19 stops for the Senators.

Kings 4, Devils 2
LOS ANGELES -- Tanner Pearson scored the key go-ahead goal and Peter Budaj made 21 saves as Los Angeles defeated New Jersey.
Jeff Carter, Alec Martinez and Jake Muzzin also scored for the Kings, who are 7-2-0 at home.
John Moore and Nick Lappin scored for the Devils, who lost their second straight after a season-high five game winning streak and have produced only six goals in its first three games of a five-game road trip. Cory Schneider made 23 saves.

Coyotes 3, Sharks 2 (OT)
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Mike Smith made 43 saves in his game since missing a month with a lower-body injury as Arizona defeated San Jose.
The Coyotes' Martin Hanzal got the game winner by tipping in a shot from the left side by Alex Goligoski at 1:16 of overtime.
Joe Pavelski and Tommy Wingels scored for the Sharks, who wrapped up a six-game road trip and a season-opening stretch in which they played 12 of 18 away from home.

Blues 3, Predators 1
ST. LOUIS -- Jake Allen stopped 30 shots, improving to 6-0-2 in his last eight home starts, as St. Louis defeated Nashville.
Kyle Brodziak and Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and give the Blues a three-game winning streak, equaling their longest of the season when they won their first three contests.
The Predators' James Neal his career-high and franchise record-tying string of consecutive games with at least one goal halted at six.

Avalanche 3, Wild 2
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Nathan MacKinnon, who struggled offensively for the first six weeks of the season, scored midway through the third period to complete a furious comeback at Colorado defeated Minnesota.
Trailing 2-0 in the third period, the Avalanche got goals from Mikko Rantanen and Carl Soderberg to tie the score before MacKinnon's game-winner -- his fourth of the season -- completed the comeback. It was the second time in two weeks that Colorado defeated the Wild.
Minnesota got goals from Charlie Coyle and Tyler Graovac while Devan Dubnyk had 31 saves.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jackets (9-4) at Capitals (11-4)

Date: November 20, 2016 12:30 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The short-handed Washington Capitals look for revenge Sunday afternoon against a Columbus Blue Jackets squad in uncharted territory.

The Blue Jackets beat Washington 2-1 in overtime at Columbus on Tuesday, part of a club-record seven-game home winning streak that has propelled the team to its best start in franchise history. Columbus' 9-4-2 record is the high-water mark for the franchise through 15 games.

"If we want an opportunity to compete in this league in February and March and April, your home record needs to stand in there," Columbus coach John Tortorella said after his team's home win Friday over the Rangers. "It has to continue."

The Blue Jackets hit the road to face another solid home team in Washington, who is 6-2-0 at the Verizon Center this season and in the middle of a season-long, five-game homestand.

But the Capitals will be missing several key pieces. Center Lars Eller (upper body injury) and winger T.J. Oshie (upper body injury), will be out against the Blue Jackets, with Oshie classified as week-to-week by the team. Both players were injured in the Capitals' 1-0 triumph over Detroit on Friday.

"There's a lot of holes that he creates with him not in the lineup," Washington coach Barry Trotz said of Oshie after the team's Saturday skate. "But it's a next man up mentality. Someone gets an opportunity and you go from there."

The Capitals recalled forward Paul Carey from AHL Hershey on Saturday. Winger Andre Burakovsky, who also left Friday's game with an upper body injury, practiced Saturday and will be a game-time decision.

"It's important that the team doesn't look at it and say, 'We are missing two guys.' We're just going to keep going and do our job," said Burakovsky, who added he was hoping to play Sunday.

Braden Holtby is the likely candidate between the pipes for the Capitals after sitting out against the Blue Jackets earlier in the week, and the netminder is coming off arguably his best performance of the season, picking up his first shutout of the year and 24th of his career Friday.

Thanks to a schedule quirk, Columbus is playing only its third Metropolitan Division game of the season. They are 5-0-0 against division leaders this season, having beaten Anaheim twice, Montreal, Chicago and the New York Rangers. Sunday's game, against another contender, kicks off a stretch of five games in seven days.

"It's always good to be beat good teams," center William Karlsson said after beating the Rangers. "It's a confidence booster."

Defenseman Seth Jones returned to practice for the Blue Jackets on Saturday. He was placed on injured reserve Nov. 7 with a hairline fracture in his foot. Left winger Matt Calvert, who scored the game-winning goal Friday despite taking a puck to the face that resulted in 36 stitches, travelled to Washington, but is dealing with swelling around his eye, Tortorella said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (9-9) at Hurricanes (6-6)

Date: November 20, 2016 5:00 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes end a five-game homestand Sunday against a team that put them in a bad mood at the start of the season.

Across the past month, the Hurricanes figure they've become a different team since the season-opening loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

"It's a good redemption game for us," Hurricanes center Jordan Staal said. "I think we've learned a lot since that game. We've done a good job of finding ways to win as of late."

When the Jets visit, the game will mark the return to Raleigh for coach Paul Maurice, who had two different stints as coach of the Hurricanes.

Maurice's team won the Oct. 13 season opener with a 5-4 overtime decision at home, rallying from a three-goal deficit in the final 15 minutes in the third period.

"We all remember what happened in game one (of the season) and we can use that as motivation," Carolina goaltender Cam Ward said.

The outcome turned into a bad memory, though there were positive aspects to a degree for the Hurricanes.

"A lot of it went the way we wanted," Carolina coach Bill Peters said of last month's opener. "We've got to clean up some details. ... We're a much different team now, a better team. We should have a little bit of revenge on our mind."

Trying to tack on to a three-game winning streak is also part of Sunday's motivation for the Hurricanes, who've defeated Washington, San Jose and Montreal.

"We've been beating the top teams in the league and we're feeling comfortable with our team," center Victor Rask said.

This is a chance for the Hurricanes to extend momentum.

"Getting that last win here on the homestand is very, very important," defenseman Ron Hainsey said. "Sunday's game is one we have to be ready for right off the hop."

Ward will be in the net again, with Peters saying he's keeping the lineup that has produced.

"I just feel like I'm in a rhythm. Just comfortable and confident with what I'm doing," Ward said. "We're building some momentum here at home and it's important that we respond."

This will be the Jets' third stop on a five-game road trip. The lost their second game in a row by dropping a 4-1 decision to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.

With a quick turnaround from the game in Boston, Maurice said the plan is to split the goaltending duties, meaning it would be Connor Hellbuyck's turn Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Jets are anxious to see improved results on power plays. The Jets were 0-for-4 on Saturday night.

"We've put a lot of pucks at the net," Maurice said. "We're working on other pieces of it."

Sunday's game will be the fifth in eight days for the Jets.

"We've had a pretty hard schedule," said right winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who has had a strong November. "For me, it's a learning phase. It's exciting to play this much, this is what you want. I feel good out there right now and hopefully I can keep building this."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview and Prediction: Florida Panthers (9-8-1) at New York Rangers (13-5-0)
By Kyle Compeau
Sunday, November 20, 2016 at 7:00 pm (Madison Square Garden)
The Line: New York Rangers -190 / Florida Panthers +155 --- Over/Under:

The Florida Panthers continue their road trip after a win against the Ottawa Senators last night as they head into MSG to take on the New York Rangers on Sunday.

The Panthers shook off an ugly loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs mid week and responded with a big time victory on the road against the Senators last night and continue their road swing against the New York Rangers on Sunday. Florida got back to basics against the Senators and had Roberto Luongo back in the crease who plays with so much poise and confidence that resonates with the rest of his team and while they are in a back to back I anticipate he will get the start again here after backup James Reimer was lit up against the Leafs. Florida are pretty heavy underdogs here and rightfully so as they have been inconsistent while the Rangers are 13-5 and 8-2 at home this season.

New York will be out to continue their strong start to the season as they are cutting down opponents on a nightly basis and are looking like a Cup contender in the early going and against the Cats in this one they should be able to take advantage of Florida’s tired legs here. New York has been considered a league power house for the better part of a decade and while they have yet to snap their Stanley Cup drought that dates back to 1994 they are a model franchise and continue to have competitive teams on a yearly basis and this season appears to be no different.

The Panthers are 4-0 in their last four games in the back end of a double header and 2-7 in their last nine road games while the Rangers are 6-1 in their last seven road games and 5-1 in their last six against the Atlantic. The Panthers will be focusing on their defensive play here as most teams do in a back to back and the Rangers have a stingy unit as is which should keep this game under the number.

KYLE'S PICK
Under

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (7-11) at Red Wings (8-9)

Date: November 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

DETROIT -- A pair of struggling teams coming off one-goal losses meet Sunday when the Detroit Red Wings host the Calgary Flames at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings (8-9-1) lost 1-0 to the Capitals in Washington on Friday night while the Flames (7-11-1) dropped a 3-2 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night in Calgary.

Detroit is 2-7-1 in its past 10 games.

"I think it's only human to get a little frustrated," Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg told www.mlive.com. "I think it's easy to get frustrated when you're doing good things, when you correct mistakes, you're playing better and you don't get points. But we've got to see the positive in it, too, and stay with it. Eventually we will get our wins."

Detroit seemed to play well enough to win in its last two games, but has nothing to show for it.

The Red Wings lost 4-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday on Nikita Kucherov's goal with 1:10 left. On Friday, Washington's Jay Beagle scored the only goal of the game with 5:11 to play.

"These are the ones you want to win, or least get to overtime and get a point and have a chance for the two," Zetterberg said after Friday night's game. "Leaving here with nothing is hard but we've got to try to see the positive in what we did better than before and keep going from there."

The 10-game slide coincides with the absence of left winger Thomas Vanek, who missed the past 11 games with a hip strain.

He is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday.

"I think a lot of the guys will feel some of the weight come off their shoulders with him back in the lineup," goalie Jimmy Howard said. "He's really good around the net, he's really good at deflections, little re-directions."

Before Vanek was injured, he led the team with four goals and eight points in seven games. Detroit was 3-7-1 without him, only averaged 1.64 goals per game, were shut out three times and only 5-for-40 on the power play.

"He's a big player for us," Justin Abdelkader said. "Obviously, he got off to that great start. It was tough to see him go down with injury. He'll come in and bring a veteran presence. He's really strong on the puck and he's got a great shot."

Center Darren Helm, one of Vanek's linemates, is out 6-to-8 weeks after suffering a dislocated shoulder against Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

The Flames have injury issues of their own.

Star forward Johnny Gaudreau will also miss 6-to-8 weeks because of a broken finger on his right hand suffered in the 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

A slash by Eric Staal caused the injury and Calgary said that Gaudreau was slashed 11 times in the game without a penalty call.

"There are tactics with good players, but when you chop a guy in the hand there's a rule that says you can't do that," Flames general manager Brad Treliving told the Calgary Herald. "We're not naive -- do we whack guys, too? Probably. But the frustration comes when that turns into a player being out for an extended period of time."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (9-9) at Ducks (9-6)

Date: November 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks seek sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division, and keep the injury-depleted Los Angeles Kings from securing a share of the top spot, when the cross-town rivals meet Sunday at the Honda Center.

The Ducks, who have won five of their past seven games, took over first place Thursday night with a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. But the Edmonton Oilers moved into a tie for first by beating the Dallas Stars on the road Saturday night. So going into Sunday's game, the Ducks and Oilers lead the Kings by two points.

Enhancing the intensity of Sunday's game is the fact that Anaheim won 12 of the previous 16 against Los Angeles, including a 4-0 rout at the Staples Center in the teams' first meeting this season Nov. 1.

"It's probably one of the best rivalries I've ever played in," Ducks center Ryan Kesler told NHL.com. "It's always a fun game to play. Every game is hard-fought."

Kesler figures to play a pivotal role. The 13-year veteran, who scored seven of his team-high eight goals this month, needs one more to establish a personal record for November. Regarded as one the NHL's best defensive forwards, Kesler also will be expected to stifle the Kings' top two centers, Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter.

"His value gets increased if it's a Kopitar or a Carter," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said about Kesler to the Los Angeles Times. "As a coach, you feel comfortable playing him against those players. In big games, 'Kes' has a way to step up to the next level. He always seems to have a little bit more to give you."

Like Anaheim, the Kings take a two-game winning streak into Sunday's game. Unlike the Ducks, however, Los Angeles has been playing without key contributors. Right winger Marian Gaborik has yet to appear for the Kings after breaking his foot while competing for Team Europe in the World Cup of Hockey. Kopitar, the Kings' captain, missed the past four games with a wrist injury and remains day-to-day.

With Kopitar out, Carter has become Los Angeles' biggest offensive threat. Carter leads the team with seven goals and 14 points, including five goals and nine points in his past eight games.

"Jeff has carried the team on his back," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter told LAKingsinsider.com after Saturday's 4-2 victory against New Jersey. "Every time he was on the ice, he either had the puck or was making sure we were going to get the puck back. He's shown a lot of leadership and has been a really, really good player for us."

But the Kings' biggest loss has been in the nets. Jonathan Quick, a finalist for last season's Vezina Trophy, has not played since injuring his groin Oct. 12 in the season opener against the San Jose Sharks. Quick's backup, Jeff Zatkoff, missed 11 games because of his own groin injury. Zatkoff made his first start in 3 1/2 weeks Nov. 11 in Ottawa but pulled himself after two periods.

In their place, Peter Budaj has provided stability. The 34-year-old veteran has played in 17 consecutive games (15 starts) and amassed nine wins while compiling a 2.11 goals-against average.

Until this year, Budaj had not played a full NHL season since 2013-14, when he appeared in 24 games for the Montreal Canadiens. He spent the past two seasons in the AHL and played only one NHL game for the Kings last season.

 

[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 - - -
11/21 7 - - -
11/22 5 - - -
11/23 12 - - -
11/24 2 - - -
11/25 11 - - -
11/26 9 - - -
11/27 6 - - -
11/28 2 - - -
11/29 12 - - -
11/30 3 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Sunday’s games

Washington won four of last six games with Columbus; over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. Blue Jackets lost 4-1/2-1 in last two visits here. Columbus won seven of its last nine games, but lost three of last four on road; four of its last five went over the total. Caps are 7-3 in last ten games, winning four of last five at home; over is 3-2 in their last five home games.

Winnipeg is 5-3 in its last eight games with Carolina; Jets won three of last four games in this building. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Winnipeg lost three of last four road games; they’re 5-3 in last eight overall. Four of Jets’ last five games stayed under. Hurricanes won last three games by combined score of 9-3; over is 3-1-2 in their last six home games.

Rangers won eight of last nine games with Florida (over 6-3); Panthers lost last four visits to Manhattan by combined score of 16-9. Florida won three of last four games with two of those wins in OT; over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Florida split its last six road games. New York won eight of its last ten games with six of last eight going over total; they won four of last five home tilts.

Red Wings won four of last six games with Calgary; under is 6-4 in last ten series games. Flames split their last four visits here. Calgary lost seven of last ten games, 2-3 in last five on road; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight. Detroit lost last three games by combined score of 10-3; they lost five of last six home games. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six home games.

Anaheim won seven of last nine games with their local rival Kings, who lost three of last four visits to Orange County. Under is 2-0-1 in last three series games. Los Angeles lost four of last six games, but won last four at home by combined score of 16-6; under is 6-2-2 in their last ten games.* Ducks won five of their last seven games- they’ve won last four home games, pushed last three totals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Horford returns, rescues Celtics
By The Sports Xchange

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Al Horford scored on a putback with 1.3 seconds remaining in his return to action, giving the Boston Celtics a 94-92 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at The Palace.
Horford had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for Boston. He also sealed the victory by blocking an Aron Baynes shot just before the final buzzer.
Horford missed the previous nine games while recovering from a concussion.
Another member of the Celtics starting frontcourt also returned after being out for an extended period. Jae Crowder, who sat out eight games with a left ankle sprain, had nine points and four assists.

76ers 120, Suns 105
PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid scored a career-high 26 points, Nik Stauskas added a season-high 21 points and Philadelphia led from start to finish.
Hollis Thompson contributed 14 points, while Ersan Ilyasova and Gerald Henderson had 11 each for the Sixers.
Embiid was questionable to even play with a sprained left ankle that was suffered in Thursday's embarrassing loss at Minnesota. But after going through a pregame routine, the Sixers announced that Embiid would indeed start and be limited to 24 minutes.

Rockets 111, Jazz 102
HOUSTON -- James Harden produced a double-double and the Houston bench helped carry the load in a victory over Utah.
While Harden finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds, the contributions of Nene (16 points, six rebounds) and Eric Gordon (20 points, seven rebounds, six assists) off the bench proved vital. The Houston bench produced 44 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.
Rodney Hood and Trey Lyles combined for 46 points for Utah, which dropped its third consecutive game following a 4-1 swing through the Eastern Conference.

Pelicans 121, Hornets 116, OT
NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis scored 38 points, including a basket that forced overtime and eight points in the extra period, as New Orleans defeated Charlotte.
The Pelicans, who defeated Portland 113-101 on Friday, have won consecutive games for the first time this season.
Langston Galloway had 23 points, including 8 3-pointers, five of which sparked a New Orleans comeback in the fourth quarter. Jrue Holiday had 22 points and Tim Frazier scored 17.

Magic 95, Mavericks 87
ORLANDO -- Orlando got a boost from Jeff Green and Evan Fournier and reserve D.J. Augstin provided a spark off the bench in a win over Dallas.
Green put an exclamation point on what was an otherwise ugly game, jumping from beyond the edge of the paint to dunk over Andrew Bogut and give the Magic an eight-point lead late in the fourth quarter.
Evan Fournier hit a 3-pointer to restore the lead to seven points with less than two minutes to play, holding off one final rally. Augustin scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (9-3) at Knicks (5-7)

Date: November 20, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

Kristaps Porzingis has become a matchup problem in just his second season with the New York Knicks.

The 7-3 Porzingis is listed as a power forward, but with his ability to hit mid to long-range jumpers, score on tip-ins and dunks and run the floor like a gazelle, he has created headaches for opposing coaches and their players.

The Atlanta Hawks (9-3) will attempt to slow down Porzingis and the Knicks (5-7) Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

Porzingis is averaging 20.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. He's shooting 49 percent from the field, including 40 percent from 3-point range. In a 105-102 win over Detroit on Wednesday, Porzingis scored a career-high 35 points.

Porzingis, who finished second to Karl-Anthony Towns for Rookie of the Year last season, is earning praise from coaches around the league.

"He's (Porzingis) definitely going to be one of the best players in the league very soon," Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks told the New York Post. "He can score (from) so many spots on the floor. For a guy who's 7-3, puts it on the floor, left, right, mid-range game, step back 3s, gets lobs, offensive rebounds.

"He's a great player now. He's definitely on his way to being an All-Star. It's pretty remarkable to improve so quickly," he said. "He's got point-guard moves. He's even got a crossover (dribble)."

On Friday, Porzingis announced he will donate $500 for each of his blocked shots for the rest of the season to the RENS, a New York-area, not-for-profit youth basketball program. He's averaging 1.2 blocks.

The Hawks are one of the early season surprises. Led by power forward Paul Millsap (17.3 ppg, 8 rpg), Atlanta is second in the Eastern Conference and leads the league in turnovers forced (17.6 per game) and ranks second in field-goal percentage (48.0), assists (26.2) and steals (10.2).

Dwight Howard has resurrected his career in Atlanta after several pedestrian seasons with the Houston Rockets and one year with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old center is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (.606) and third in rebounding (12.9).

The Hawks could be without guard Thabo Sefolosha, who has missed the last two games with a knee sprain. The pesky Sefolosha is third in the league in steals (2.60). Former Knick Tim Hardaway Jr. should get most of those minutes if Sefolosha is a no-go.

Center Tiago Splitter's return from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has forced him to miss the start of the season is uncertain.

Atlanta is coming off a 100-96 loss to Charlotte on Friday in which they squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Charlotte took control of the game after Howard was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul with 5:38 remaining and the Hawks leading 89-86. He landed a hard elbow to the jaw of Cody Zeller as the two were battling for rebound position. From there, the Hornets scored nine straight points.

"That was a momentum shift right there," Millsap said. "It just completely turned the game around. They took that and fueled it to the fire, the crowd gets into it and they're at home. What can you say?"

Howard insisted the foul was not intentional. "That's basketball," he said.

Atlanta plays six of its next seven games on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (7-7) at Nets (4-8)

Date: November 20, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- In the last week, the Brooklyn Nets have faced two elite point guards in the Western Conference.

Their meetings with Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City and Chris Paul in Los Angeles did not go well.

On Sunday, the Nets return home and face another top point guard when they host Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Nets return from their five-game trip with a 4-8 record and a three-game losing streak, partially because they could not stop Paul and Westbrook.

On Monday, Paul had 21 points and nine assists in Brooklyn's 127-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. A night later, second-year point guard D'Angelo Russell shredded Brooklyn's defense by scoring 32 points in a 125-118 loss.

"We stopped moving the ball offensively and stopped making the extra pass, and that fueled their transition," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Defensively, we've slipped in these past three games."

The road trip ended Friday when Westbrook torched the Nets for 30 points in a 125-104 loss. If Westbrook's performance was not frustrating enough, the Nets were within three points and then gave up a 12-1 run while Westbrook was relaxing on the bench and enjoying his latest triple-double.

It was a continuation of a trend against opposing point guards for the Nets. Brooklyn has allowed an opposing point guard to get at least 20 points in six games and has lost each time.

If those were not bad enough for Net fans, Lillard is a sore spot from 2012. The Trail Blazers used their sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft to get him and the pick was obtained from the Nets for Gerald Wallace, who eventually was traded to the Boston Celtics along with three first-round picks in the ill-fated Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce deal.

Lillard is averaging a career-high 28.7 points per game while also shooting a career-best 45.5 percent. He scored 27 points Friday but shot 8 of 24 from the field in a 113-101 loss at New Orleans as Portland dropped its third straight.

"I feel like soon it's going to go in that direction," Lillard told reporters. "We just have to stay true to it, stay true to what we do."

During its slide, Portland has lost by an average of 18 points per game. Lillard is shooting 34.9 percent (22-of-63) while Portland's defense has allowed 117 points and been outscored by 36 points in the last three opening quarters.

"It's a long year, we're not in panic mode," Portland forward Ed Davis said. "I mean it is an 82-game season. We just finished with game 14. We are still working on things.

"We obviously are not playing the best basketball right now, but we are still .500. It's not like we are on an eight-game losing streak, but we are on a three-game losing streak. We just need to take it one day at a time, stay together and see what happens."

One thing that will not happen Sunday is Jeremy Lin returning from a strained left hamstring. Lin was injured in the first half of a 105-100 win over the Detroit Pistons Nov. 2 and the Nets are 3-4 without him.

Lin was re-evaluated Thursday and the Nets did not have a further timetable. He accompanied the Nets on the trip and did some running and shooting after not participating in Friday's morning shootaround.

"Just progressing as planned. He's on target. I'm not going to give exact dates but he's progressing on schedule. Atkinson told reporters Friday. "I'm going to listen to the performance team. We're going to be smart about this, take a long term approach."

Without Lin, the Nets have tried different things at point guard. Rookie Isaiah Whitehead started the first two games before getting a concussion, Sean Kilpatrick shot 14-of-49 while starting the next four and Randy Foye played 15 minutes as the starter Friday.

However, the starting point guard matters little if the Nets are unable to rebound effectively. Brooklyn was outrebounded 46-30 Friday and while it is around the middle of the pack with 44.2 rebounds per game, the Nets had a minus-30 rebounding differential in their last three games.

"We've got to do a better job protecting the rim. I thought they were getting to the rim, and we didn't protect it like we should, and we need to do a better job," Atkinson said.

Portland has won five of the last six games with the Nets and six of its last nine road games in the series. Lillard has scored at least 30 points in his last three games against the Nets while Brook Lopez has scored at least 20 points in his last five games against Portland.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indiana Pacers (6-7) at Oklahoma City Thunder (8-5)
By Randy Chambers
Sunday, November 20, 2016 at 7:00 pm (Chesapeake Energy Arena)
The Line: Oklahoma City Thunder -- Over/Under:
TV: FSIN/FSOK

The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder meet Sunday night in NBA action at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Indiana Pacers look for some sort of consistency after splitting their last 10 games. The Indiana Pacers are averaging 105.5 points on 46.4 percent shooting and allowing 107.5 points on 45.3 percent shooting. Paul George is averaging 21 points and 7.1 rebounds while Myles Turner is averaging 15 points and seven rebounds. Jeff Teague is the third double-digit scorer and C.J. Miles is grabbing 2.8 rebounds. The Indiana Pacers are shooting 35.1 percent from beyond the arc and 77.5 percent from the free throw line. The Indiana Pacers are allowing 34.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 41.7 rebounds per game. The Indiana Pacers are 0-5 SU on the road this season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder look for another big victory after splitting their last 10 games. The Oklahoma City Thunder are averaging 104.8 points on 44.9 percent shooting and allowing 102.9 points on 44.4 percent shooting. Russell Westbrook is averaging 31.7 points and 9.6 assists while Victor Oladipo is averaging 17.1 points and four rebounds. Enes Kanter is the third double-digit scorer and Steven Adams is grabbing 8.2 rebounds. The Oklahoma City Thunder are shooting 33.8 percent from beyond the arc and 74.2 percent from the free throw line. The Oklahoma City Thunder are allowing 33.2 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 46.4 rebounds per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder have won six of their last nine home games.

The Pacers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games and 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 Sunday games. The Thunder are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 vs. NBA Central and 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win. The Pacers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Oklahoma City and the over is 21-6 in the last 27 meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (7-7) at Nuggets (4-8)

Date: November 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Denver Nuggets found something that works when Kenneth Faried was put into the starting lineup.

Unfortunately, the results are mixed.

Faried has been a beast since the move, averaging 12 rebounds in four games, but Denver continues to struggle for wins. The Nuggets have lost three of their last four, including two at home while searching for consistency.

They get another chance Sunday when the Utah Jazz are in town. The Jazz are coming off a 111-102 loss to Houston on Saturday.

The Nuggets, who are 1-4 at home this season, need to start establishing a home dominance if they want to take a serious run at the playoffs. Two of their losses at Pepsi Center came in overtime, including Friday night's 113-111 setback to Toronto.

Denver had chances to put that one away but faltered down the stretch in the fourth quarter and again in overtime.

"It's encouraging to a point but these are games we have to win," Nuggers coach Michael Malone said. "Yes, we are undermanned and have some injuries but no excuses. We had enough bodies on the floor to get the job done."

The Nuggets (4-8) are thin in the backcourt because of injuries to Gary Harris (foot) and Will Barton (ankle). Harris is a few weeks away and Barton's return is still unknown.

Malone has started his two point guards the last two games and brought rookie Jamal Murray first off the bench. He used forward Wilson Chandler at shooting guard in spots Friday.

The Jazz (7-7) are dealing with their own injuries. Forward Boris Diaw missed Saturday's game in Houston, center Derrick Favors is nursing a knee contusion and Gordon Hayward is still dealing with the effects of a broken finger suffered in the preseason.

Like Denver, the Jazz are not using injuries as a crutch.

"We can't make any excuses because guys go down in the NBA," Hayward told The Salt Lake Tribune. "That's kind of how it works. So we have to be professionals and figure it out in practice, figure it out in the games. That's just something we have to do."

Utah's offense has struggled since scoring 100 points in back-to-back road games against New York and Philadelphia two weeks ago. The Jazz managed just 77 points in a home loss to Chicago on Thursday before falling to the Rockets on Saturday.

It was their third straight loss and dropped them to .500 after a 6-2 start. The offense did find some spark in the loss, but it wasn't enough against the James Harden-led Rockets.

Hayward struggled from the field Saturday, going 4-for-13. Rodney Hood led Utah with 25 and Trey Lyles had 21

The Jazz hope to get well in Denver.

"I think we're doing well at moving the ball and finding open shots," guard Dante Exum told The Salt Lake Tribune. "It just comes down to hitting the shots that we get. The group is still getting connected. We're just going to get better every game and continue to work on the shots. They'll fall."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (8-4) at Kings (4-9)

Date: November 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

With his team's season already in a dangerous downhill spiral, coach Dave Joerger is ready to make changes designed to get the Sacramento Kings steadily flying again.

He'll see if they have any effect Sunday when Sacramento welcomes the Toronto Raptors, one of the few teams they've beaten this season.

A new starting lineup is expected on the floor for the Kings at Golden 1 Center. Joerger pointed to the switch Friday after the Kings (4-9) lost their fourth straight contest, a 121-115 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers that wasn't all that close. Sacramento trailed by as many as 26 points in the first half and 20 early in the fourth quarter.

"I've seen enough." Joerger said after it was over. "We're going to small."

The Kings' small lineup, featuring Ty Lawson and Darren Collision on the court at the same time as dual two point guards, nearly stole a win against the Clippers. They spurred a 29-11 blitz in the final quarter that put Sacramento only two down with two minutes to left.

Forwards DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay and Matt Barnes and guard Aaron Afflalo also were out on the floor as part of the small lineups the Kings used to make their run.

"DeMarcus is going to play center," Joerger said. "I don't know who else will play with him. It just gives us more zip, more life, more experience. That's not a detriment to anyone else of what they've done."

It does appear to be a reaction to the slow starts that have plagued the Kings during their longest losing streak since a five-game skid in March. The Kings allowed 40 points in the opening 12 minutes against Los Angeles, their worst defensive quarter of the season, and were down 16-6 almost immediately in a 110-105 loss Wednesday against San Antonio.

"I don't think we're coming out with urgency," Cousins said after the loss to the Clippers. "Once again, we're waiting until the last minute to play with energy, a sense of urgency. ... If we don't play with urgency and energy at the beginning of the game, it won't matter what lineup we put out there."

The Kings have used Cousins, Gay, Lawson, Afflalo and Kosta Koufos in the starting lineup in 11 of their 13 games, including in all four victories. But the presence of Cousins and Koufos in the middle has crowded the key and kept Lawson and Collison from having a lot of success driving the ball and kicking out.

Koufos didn't play in the second half against the Clippers, and Lawson and Collison played with a faster pace.

Toronto (7-5) also would prefer to get moving quickly and give its guards a chance to score. DeMar DeRozan, the NBA's leading scorer at 33 points per game, and Kyle Lowry (18.8 points, 7.3 assists) usually get Toronto's offense started with drives to the key, and the Raptors are 5-2 when they combine for at least 50 points.

DeRozan tallied 30 in Toronto's 113-111 overtime victory in Denver on Friday, the 10th time in 12 contests he scored at least that many.

"I've had a lot of help," DeRozan told reporters after the win. "People have looked for me within the offense. Tonight it was JV (center Jonas Valanciunas) setting screens for me. When the defense packed it in on him, he got me the ball for shots."

The Kings haven't won since beating the Raptors 96-91 in Toronto on Nov. 6, and have defeated them three straight times. Gay had 23 against his former team in the first meeting. DeRozan scored only 23 in that one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (8-5) at Lakers (7-6)

Date: November 20, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Fighting back from a double-digit deficit to make a final score respectable against an elite Western Conference team might have been seen as a moral victory for the Los Angeles Lakers in recent seasons.

Especially when their loss totals were 61 and 65.

This year, the young Lakers are not accepting losing a close game or making a score more respectable.

Los Angeles is in the beginning stages of a difficult stretch of its schedule that might give a clearer idea about how it stacks up and it continues Sunday night when it hosts the Chicago Bulls.

Los Angeles has won seven of its first 13 games with notable wins over the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers had a chance at another noteworthy win Friday but ultimately could not stop the San Antonio Spurs from making enough big shots in a 116-107 loss.

Los Angeles was tied with the Spurs early in the third quarter and fell behind by as many as 15 before making the final margin closer.

"Last year, we would have been out of this game if we were down by that much," Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson said. "We're out here to compete every night now. We're not OK with any loss."

Friday was the first of a hellacious week for the Lakers. After facing Chicago, Los Angeles hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder, plays a home-and-home with Golden State and hosts Atlanta before playing 12 of its next 15 games on the road.

Regardless of their feelings, the Lakers may play Sunday without second-year guard D'Angelo Russell. Russell missed Friday's game with a sore left knee and coach Luke Walton does not expect it to be a long-term problem.

"It makes it really hard," Lakers forward Julius Randle said. "(Russell) gets us in our stuff, obviously can really score the ball. He's a great leader for us."

Russell did not practice Saturday and received treatment on the knee. He will be re-evaluated Sunday and is listed as questionable.

"His knee has been bothering him (but) he's been playing through it," Walton said. "It started hurting more, so they decided last night when he got to the arena to shut him down."

Russell leads the Lakers with 16.8 points per game, slightly ahead of veteran Lou Williams. Williams scored 24 Friday and has helped the Los Angeles reserves lead the league in scoring at 51 points.

Chicago had its four-game winning streak stopped by imploding in the fourth quarter of a 102-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night. The Bulls led by 19 in the second quarter but allowed 30 points in the fourth and made one basket in the final 6 1/2 minutes.

Dwyane Wade scored 28 points but shot 9-of-20, including 1-of-5 in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler added 22 but was even more inefficient by shooting 5-of-18.

"It was a good night for us, we just didn't come out with the win," Wade said. "It's the NBA, leads are whatever. I'd rather have a 19-point lead in the second half. I'm not all about the 20-point leads in the first half, especially on the road. A team is going to come back and the game is going to turn in their favor.

Saturday was even more frustrating for Chicago as coach Fred Hoiberg was ejected in the waning seconds after Taj Gibson got called for a technical foul. That came shortly after Butler was called for a questionable foul on Blake Griffin as the shot clock was winding down, resulting in a four-point deficit from the foul shots.

Chicago also lost for the first time when taking a lead into the fourth quarter and the collapse cost the Bulls their first 3-0 start to their annual "circus trip" since 1995.

Chicago has swept the season series with the Lakers in two of the last three seasons. Last season, Butler scored 26 in the Bulls' 114-91 win at Los Angeles on Jan. 28.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Sunday’s games

Atlanta won six of its last seven games; they’re 3-2 on road (2-3 vs spread). Hawks’ last three games stayed under total. Knicks won/covered last three home games; three of their last four games went over the total. Hawks lost last two games with New York, after winning five of previous six meetings; Atlanta won three of last five visits to Manhattan. Eight of last nine series games went over.

Trailblazers lost last three games, by 25-17-12 points; they’re 3-4 on road, losing last three. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. Nets are coming off a 1-4 road trip; they’re 3-2 at home (4-1 vs spread). Five of last six Brooklyn games went over the total. Portland won five of last six games with Brooklyn; teams split last four meetings played here. Under is 6-4 in last ten series games.

Oklahoma City is 6-3 at home (6-3 vs spread, 5-3 as favorite); four of their last five home games went over total. Indiana is 0-5 on road (0-5 vs spread) with three losses by 17+ points and a loss at Philly. Last four Indiana games stayed under total. Thunder won five of last eight games with Oklahoma City; Pacers lost four of last five visits here (1-4 vs spread). Over is 6-3 in last nine series games.

Jazz lost last three games, by 6-8-9 points; they won/covered five of their last seven road games. Over is 7-2 in Utah road games this year. Nuggets lost five of last six games, are 1-4 at home, 2-3 vs spread. Over is 5-2 in Denver’s last seven games. Utah won its last five games with Denver (4-1 vs spread); eight of last nine series games went under total. Jazz won three of their last four visits to Denver.

Kings lost their last four games, are 2-4 at home, but 5-1 vs spread (3-0 as home underdogs). Last three Sacramento games went over total. Toronto won four of last six games, is 4-1 on road (4-1 vs spread). Last six Raptor games went over the total. Sacramento won its last three games with Toronto, all of which stayed under the total. Raptors lost three of last four visits here.

Chicago won five of last six games with the Lakers; last three series games went over the total. Bulls won three of last five against the Lakers here- they lost tough game with the Clippers here last nite. Bulls won/covered four of last five games; they’re 4-4 on road, winning last three (3-3 as road dogs). Under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Lakers are 4-2 at home; six of their last seven games went over total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yale Bulldogs (2-0) at Virginia Cavaliers (2-0)

Date: November 20, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

After failing to make a 3-pointer in a game for the first time since 2011, Virginia head coach Tony Bennett wasn't too concerned with his team's shooting performance after the Cavaliers dispatched of St. Francis Brooklyn 72-32 on Tuesday night.

In fact, Bennett's mood was very positive, mostly due to Virginia's stellar frontcourt play and a balanced scoring attack that saw six players score at least eight points.

"I think we are going to have to continue to be balanced," Bennett said. "I think this is more of a balanced scoring team, and I like that. It is nice to have guys that when you need a bucket can go get one."

No. 8 Virginia will be looking for their 22nd straight win at John Paul Jones Arena Sunday afternoon against Yale.

Like the Cavaliers, the Bulldogs have begun the 2016-17 campaign 2-0 and have had some impressive offensive numbers to show for it. After knocking off a talented Washington team on the road 98-90 to start the season, Yale proceeded to hang 89 points on Lehigh in an overtime win Thursday night.

The two teams will clash with different styles of play as Yale will look to speed up a Virginia team that currently leads the country in scoring defense at just 41 points per game.

"I think this team understands that we are going to have to be so good defensively," Bennett said. "That is going to be our ticket. We said that is mandatory for us and we know what we have to do."

The Cavaliers will have to deal with Yale forward Sam Downey, who is leading the Bulldogs with an average of 19.5 points per game while playing 39 minutes. Downey and his fellow frontcourt mates will have to deal with a deep Virginia team that boasts five players currently fighting for two spots underneath.

Memphis transfer Austin Nichols saw his first game action with the Cavaliers on Tuesday after being suspended for Virginia's opener against UNC Greensboro. Nichols put in 11 points in just 16 minutes and showed why he is widely considered as one of the best big men in the country.

A Downey/Nichols matchup could be one to keep an eye on as the Bulldogs play their first of two straight games against an ACC opponent (Pittsburgh on Nov. 22).

Virginia currently boasts six players who are averaging at least eight points per game through the first two games. Guard Marial Shayok leads the Cavaliers at 11.5 points per game.

Much like Bennett and Virginia, Yale head coach James Jones knows the key to his team's success is balance.

"The best part of our team through the first two games is that we've gotten contributions from everybody in both games," Jones said. "When you get contributions like that especially off of the bench, it makes your team that much better."

Virginia will be the first ACC team Yale has played since the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament where the Bulldogs fell 71-64 to Duke.