Sunday 11/27/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga TODAY 11:00

Villarreal

v

Alaves

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		1/2	3	13/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VILLARREAL	RECENT FORM
H WA LH LH WA LA D​ Most recent​	3 - 2 0 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 0	A LH DA LH LA WH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villarreal have won five in a row at home

EXPERT VERDICT: Villarreal return from a Europa League kick in the teeth - they conceded late in a 1-1 draw at Zurich to leave qualification in the balance - but are looking unbeatable at the Madrigal in La Liga. Unbeaten at home this season and boasting the best defence in Spain’s top flight, they can take care of an Alaves side who are among the lowest scorers.

RECOMMENDATION: Villarreal
2

Italian Serie A TODAY 11:30

Palermo

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Lazio

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		9/2	3	8/13	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT PALERMO	RECENT FORM
H LA LH LA LH LA L​ Most recent​	0 - 3 0 - 4 2 - 2 5 - 1	H DA DH WH WA DH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Palmero have kept one clean sheet in 13 Serie A matches this season

EXPERT VERDICT: It’s been a shocking start to the season for Palermo, who only just survived relegation last season and sit in the bottom three this term. They are yet to collect a point at home this term and Lazio’s free-scoring side headed by a front three of Ciro Immobile, Felipe Anderson and Keita Balde Diao should ensure victory for the Romans.

RECOMMENDATION: Lazio
1

Premier League TODAY 12:00

Watford

v

Stoke

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		7/5	23/10	9/4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WATFORD	RECENT FORM
H DA WA DH WA LH W​ Most recent​	1 - 2 0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 1	A DH WA WH WA DH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stoke have drawn half of their away games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Watford are unbeaten in four home games, a run in which they have beaten Manchester United, Leicester and Hull while drawing 2-2 against Bournemouth but the Hornets may struggle to land another victory. Stoke have lost only once in their last seven league matches and haven’t conceded more than one goal in any of those fixtures.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

Dutch Eredivisie TODAY 13:30

Heerenveen

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Ajax

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SSMI		16/5	11/4	4/5	More markets

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

KEY STAT: There have been over 3.5 goals in eight of Ajax’s last 13

EXPERT VERDICT: Heerenveen, unbeaten at home, will get the utmost respect from Ajax, unbeaten away. Two of the Eredivisie’s top scorers this season know they’ve the tools to hurt the opponent and Ajax have to be buzzing after beating Panathinaikos to clinch qualification from arguably the toughest Europa League group.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
3

Italian Serie A TODAY 14:00

Genoa

v

Juventus

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		19/4	13/5	4/6	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT GENOA	RECENT FORM
H DA LH WA LH DA L​ Most recent​	0 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 1 1 - 3	H WH WH DA WH WA W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Juventus have won 12 of their last 14 league fixtures

EXPERT VERDICT: Genoa are one five teams in Serie A who started the weekend with an unbeaten home record but are likely to succumb to league leaders Juventus. Early-season Genoese optimism has dissipated after three defeats in their last five matches and they will struggle to match Juve, who are chasing a fourth successive victory in all competitions.

RECOMMENDATION: Juventus
1

Premier League TODAY 14:15

Arsenal

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Bournemouth

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		2/5	4	8	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
H WA WA WH DA DH D​ Most recent​	2 - 0 3 - 0	A DH WH DA LH LA W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bournemouth took one point away at the top six last term, scoring just two goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Bournemouth are known as an attractive, attacking outfit but that hasn’t been the case on the road this term with only Burnley scoring fewer away goals going into this weekend's matches. Arsenal have stuttered recently but remain one of the division’s class acts and the Gunners won both meetings 2-0 last season.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsenal to win 2-0
1


REFEREE: Mike Jones STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PURE LOCK
NFL | Nov 27, 2016
Patriots vs. Jets
Patriots-7½

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Crosby, Letang lift Penguins to SO victory
By The Sports Xchange

PITTSBURGH -- Kris Letang scored the only goal in the shootout after Sidney Crosby saved the Penguins by tying the game with 14 seconds left in regulation, and Pittsburgh escaped with a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Michael Cammalleri scored two goals, Keith Kinkaid stopped 46 shots and the Devils were in control most of the game until Crosby grabbed the puck out of a pile of players in front of the crease and lifted it into net with time winding down for his 15th goal in 16 games.
Evgeni Malkin assisted on all three Penguins goals as Pittsburgh improved to 15-0-1 following a loss over a 95-game span dating to Sullivan's first week on the job. Goaltender Matt Murray (27 saves) is 5-0 following a Penguins loss this season.
New Jersey, 5-4 overtime losers to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, lost again despite Cammalleri's ongoing scoring streak. He has four goals and eight points in three games since missing six because of his daughter's illness.

Canadiens 2, Red Wings 1 (OT)
DETROIT -- Alex Galchenyuk's goal 3:37 into overtime gave Montreal Canadiens a victory over Detroit.
Brendan Gallagher also scored for the Canadiens (16-4-2), who have the best record in the NHL. Carey Price stopped 32 shots.
Justin Abdelkader scored for Detroit and Petr Mrazek made 22 saves. Galchenyuk finished off a 2-on-1 by one-timing a pass from Alexander Radulov past Mrazek from the bottom of the left circle for the game winner. It was Galchenyuk's ninth goal.

Blues 4, Wild 3 (SO)
ST. LOUIS -- Jaden Schwartz had two third-period goals and David Perron scored the winner in the shootout to lead St. Louis over Minnesota.
Paul Stastny scored and Jake Allen made 28 saves as the Blues improved to 9-1-2 at home this season. They have a nine-game home points streak, their longest since Dec. 29, 2014-Feb. 3, 2015.
Mikko Koivu, Erik Haula and Charlie Coyle scored and Devan Dubnyk made 31 saves for the Wild, who lost their fourth straight game and fifth in the last six against the Blues.

Panthers 2, Blue Jackets 1 (SO)
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Aleksander Barkov scored the only goal in a shootout as Florida cooled off Columbus.
The Panthers' Jaromir Jagr, the oldest player in the league at 44, scored career goal No. 752 in the first period. Roberto Luongo (36 saves) was working on a shutout before Brandon Saad scored for the Blue Jackets with 7:10 left in the third period.
Columbus, which entered with the No. 1 power play in the NHL, went 0 for 2 with the man advantage. Despite the loss, Columbus went 8-2-3 this month, setting a franchise record for most November points (19).

Maple Leafs 4, Capitals 2
TORONTO -- Matt Martin, James van Riemsdyk, Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri scored as Toronto defeated Washington.
Mitch Marner added two assists for the Maple Leafs, who ended a three-game losing streak, including two in regulation.
Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and an assist and Marcus Johansson scored a goal for the Capitals, who had won their previous two games.
Frederik Andersen made 33 saves in the Toronto goal. Washington goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 33 shots.

Senators 2, Hurricanes 1
OTTAWA -- Kyle Turris scored with 3:32 left to give Ottawa a victory over Carolina for its ninth one-goal win of the season.
Craig Anderson made 32 saves and defenseman Dion Phaneuf also scored for the Senators, who won their third straight. The Senators are tied for the NHL lead in one-goal victories.
Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who lost their second game in a row after winning five straight. Cam Ward made 22 saves.

Ducks 3, Sharks 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf snapped an 18-game goal drought as the Ducks beat San Jose at sold-out SAP Center.
Goalie Jonathan Bernier turned back 21 of 23 shots to help the Ducks break a three-game losing streak and snap San Jose's three-game winning streak.
San Jose managed only five shots in the third period and lost the services of defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic to an undisclosed injury after the second period.

Kings 2, Blackhawks 1 (OT)
LOS ANGELES -- Jeff Carter scored the game-winning goal at 4:06 of overtime, lifting Los Angeles to a victory over Chicago at Staples Center.
Carter, who also had an assist, took a pass from Tyler Toffoli and delivered from the left circle, allowing the Kings to win their fifth in a row.
Goaltender Peter Budaj stopped 18 of 19 shots for the Kings.
Goalie Scott Darling recorded 27 saves for the Blackhawks, who were playing the second end of a back-to-back after a 3-2 victory Friday over the Anaheim Ducks. Chicago has lost three of its last four.

Canucks 3, Avalanche 2 (SO)
DENVER -- Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped all three Colorado attempts in the shootout, Marcus Granlund got the only goal and the Canucks beat the Avalanche.
Loui Eriksson and Alexandre Burrows scored in regulation for Vancouver and Markstrom finished with 32 saves. He stopped Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene to give the Canucks their fifth win in nine games.
Jarome Iginla and Mikhail Grigorenko scored for the Avalanche and Calvin Pickard had 29 saves.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (13-8) at Bruins (11-10)

Date: November 27, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was asked about the play of goalie Ben Bishop after Friday night's 5-3 home loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"We could have put Ben and (Andrei) Vasilevskiy in at the same time, and I don't think it would have made a difference," Cooper said. "The goaltending had nothing to do with it. We play 82 games, chalk one up to a stinker.

"We got taught a lesson tonight by a team that worked way harder than us. ... We were just rotten from start to finish."

In Boston, the Bruins were dropping a 2-1 decision to the Calgary Flames on Friday night, their third straight loss and their fifth in nine home games.

"We had chances, and again, frustration right now sets in when you're not scoring and guys are squeezing their sticks and sometimes the simple plays becomes tougher plays so we've got to try and get over that hump," said Bruins coach Claude Julien, whose team scored only two goals -- both by David Pastrnak -- in two nights.

On Sunday, two teams that should come out with something to prove, meet at TD Garden.

The Bruins scored a 4-3 shootout win at Tampa Bay on Nov. 3. Tuukka Rask, 10-5-1 with a 2.67 goals against average, a .901 save percentage and three shutouts (more than he has against any team) was in goal that night and will be again on Sunday.

Friday night, Boston had backup Anton Khudobin (0-3) in goal and fell to 0-6 when Rask doesn't play.

Vasilevsky made his first career start against the Bruins earlier this month, while Bishop is 4-4-3 with a 2.60 goals against average and .916 save percentage -- no shutouts -- against Boston.

"Our goalies have been our best players to start the season, so it's definitely not even close to being on (Bishop)," defenseman Jason Garrison said Friday. "We've got to play better in front of him."

While the Lighting are again playing without their star and captain, Steven Stamkos, out long-term, the Bruins have dealt with the absence of their captain and leader, Zdeno Chara for the last two games because of a lower body injury. He is considered doubtful for Sunday's third game in four days for the Bruins.

The Lightning have lost two of their last three games but are 5-2 in their last seven, more than staying alive without Stamkos. They are 7-4 this season on the road.

The Bruins, who barely missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons, have fallen to 11-10 and scored only four goals in the three straight losses -- two of them at home, where the Bruins just don't seem to have an advantage.

The losing streak came after what might have been the Bruins' best wire-to-wire game, last Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. Boston ran up a 38-12 shots advantage in that game.

Friday night, Boston had 17 straight shots over chunks of two periods, but veteran journeyman Chad Johnson continued his hot goaltending.

"We had many opportunities to score, too bad they didn't go in," Pastrnak said. "Try to stick with it."

Pastrnak has scored a goal in eight of his last 10 games, and has 12, six more than any teammate in 16 games this season.

"We have to put this together, and then we'll be fine," he said.

Brad Marchand, whose interference penalty both created and wiped out a goal Friday, left practice early Saturday after being hit in the leg by a shot.

Patrice Bergeron had two points for the Bruins and Tyler Johnson two goals for the Lightning in the first meeting.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (10-7) at Jets (9-12)

Date: November 27, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- It may have been obvious, but Chris Thorburn nailed it on the head when asked what was missing for the Winnipeg Jets on a disastrous five-game road trip on which they failed to pick up even a single point.

"Wins," said the burly Jets right winger. "That's probably the biggest thing. Wins."

Thorburn squad hopes to reverse this nasty trend Sunday afternoon at the MTS Centre but they'll have to do it against the team that handed them the fifth loss of the streak on Friday night - a 5-1 drubbing by the Nashville Predators.

The Predators are one of the hottest teams around with a record of 8-2-2 in November, during which they've scored more than 40 goals. They currently sit in the first wild card spot in the Western Division with 23 points.

"We are playing a little better than we were at the start (of the season)," said coach Peter Laviolette. "There were a lot of guys who were getting looks and chances in the beginning and they weren't dropping for us and I think that happens. But right now, I think our guys are doing a good job defensively and because of that, good things are happening offensively and we're getting out of our end. We are making good decisions through the neutral zone that allow us to play in the offensive zone."

Jets coach Paul Maurice was sufficiently displeased with his troops on Friday that he took the unusual step of benching his entire top line -- center Mark Scheifele, left winger Patrik Laine and right winger Blake Wheeler -- for most of the third period. Scheifele's slashing penalty 34 seconds into the third period with his team trailing 3-1 was the final straw.

Wheeler, who was named team captain in the off-season to replace the departed Andrew Ladd, took full responsibility for his play.

"When you're in the midst of a four-game losing streak, you look to your leaders to play out of it and that was not the game we needed from us," Wheeler said. "It starts with me. I'm the leader of this team. I need to be better. We are going through a tough time like this, so I think there was probably a bit of a message there (with the benching). Probably the penalty was not exactly what we were looking for in the beginning of the third period."

The Jets were as high as second in the Central Division a week-and-a-half ago but have since slipped out of the playoff picture.

Winnipeg won its previous two games at home -- an impressive 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 15 and a 3-2 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings two days earlier.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (7-10) at Oilers (12-8)

Date: November 27, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

The Arizona Coyotes haven't been to the playoffs in four straight seasons and their prospects of ending that streak don't appear promising as points appear hard to come by.

A safe bet is that they circle every date on the schedule against the Edmonton Oilers.

The Coyotes try to record a point in their 25th straight game against the Oilers when the teams meet for the first time at Rogers Place on Sunday afternoon in the back end of a home-and-home series.

Arizona (7-10-2) is 14th -- and last -- in the Western Conference with 16 points, and its defense was lit up for 39 goals while going 2-6-2 on the road.

But since dropping a 4-3 decision in regulation on Jan. 25, 2011, the Coyotes are 20-0-4 against the Oilers. Arizona's point streak is the longest by one team against a single opponent since the Oilers' 24-game run against the Vancouver Canucks from 1985-88.

"We have to outwork them," Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson said. "I think that's why we've been successful against them."

Arizona continued the streak with a 3-2 shootout victory Friday. Longtime captain Shane Doan tied the score midway through the third period and Radim Vrbata and Ekman-Larsson scored in the tiebreaker.

Oilers coach Todd McLellan praised Arizona for its approach to games.

"I don't know if a team ever has another team's number because every event is its own entity, but the Coyotes wait for teams to make mistakes and they capitalize," McLellan told the Edmonton Journal.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid recorded his first NHL hat trick earlier this month to start a scoring tear. With a goal against the Coyotes on Friday, McDavid has five goals and four assists in a four-game points streak, and leads the league with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists).

However, only 11 of those points (three goals, eight assists) have come at home. McDavid has failed to score a goal in five straight games in Edmonton, yet has six assists over that span.

"We need to get two (points) against divisional teams," said McDavid, whose team is 3-2-1 against Pacific foes this season.

McDavid is not the only Oiler to show up repeatedly in recent boxscores. Over the last four games, Leon Draisaitl (three goals, three assists) and Milan Lucic (one goal, five assists) each have six points, while Jordan Eberle (two goals, two assists), Oscar Klefbom (two goals, two assists) and rookie Jesse Puljujarvi (four assists) each have four points.

The Oilers need their offense to come through. Edmonton (12-8-2) is 5-4-0 at home, but 0-4-0 when scoring fewer than three goals per game.

The Oilers tweeted Saturday that Cam Talbot will start in goal. Talbot is 11-7-2 with a 2.47 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and three shutouts. He's given up nine goals while going 0-2-1 over his last three starts versus Arizona.

Doan's goal Friday was only his second of the season and pushed him closer to a milestone. Now in his 21st season -- all with the Coyotes franchise dating back their final campaign in Winnipeg -- Doan needs two goals to become the 93rd player in NHL history to reach 400.

Doan has nine goals in 37 career games in Edmonton, but none in his last six visits. He's also posted two multi-goal games, the last coming in 2010.

Mike Smith is 3-1-1 with a 2.96 GAA and .911 save percentage after Friday's win over the Oilers in which he denied McDavid and Eberle in the tiebreaker.

Playing at Rexall Place, the Oilers' former longtime home, Smith was 7-0-1 with a 1.93 GAA and .942 save percentage in nine games. His only shutout in northern Alberta came on March 12, when he turned aside 44 shots in the Coyotes 4-0 win.

"Now we have to go in there and play even better to win in Edmonton," Ekman-Larsson told the Arizona Republic.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (11-9) at Hurricanes (8-8)

Date: November 27, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Without time to make major adjustments, the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes go into their game on Sunday night knowing they have to stick the recent foundations they've built.

That could be the key when the teams collide at PNC Arena.

Both teams had games Saturday night, so whichever side makes the quickest recovery is bound to be in the best position.

"We have to use our speed and get some momentum," Panthers defenseman Jason Demers said. "We have to play tight and then wait for our chances."

The Hurricanes are coming off a 1-2 road trip in Canada. That trip ended with Saturday night's 2-1 loss at Ottawa.

The Hurricanes were 4-1 during a homestand before that, resulting in the first sustained success of the season.

"We're one of the fastest teams in the league when we (play the right way)," Carolina center Elias Lindholm said. "We need to keep building."

In the meantime, the Panthers were at home and ended up with a 2-1 shootout victory over Columbus. That means Florida was forced to play some extended minutes in advance of what's likely to be a grueling stretch and the Panthers decided against a morning skate the next morning.

Florida coach Gerard Gallant has been preaching the necessity to stick with the system that has at times served the Panthers well.

Sunday's game is only the second part of a back-to-back set this season for the Hurricanes, who'll have 14 more situations with games on consecutive days before the season concludes.

"You try to take bits and pieces from each game and try to learn from that," Hurricanes defensemen Justin Faulk said.

Carolina coach Bill Peters has stressed the importance of taking advantage of home games. The team managed to do that in the last homestand.

"We want to establish a good brand of hockey and a tough building to play in," Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner said. "We want to establish that identity."

The Panthers, who are beginning a season-long six-game road stretch, have been stressing the message about maintaining a certain style of play.

"We have to stick to our game plan," Panthers center Denis Malgin said.

The bulk of Carolina's goalie workload had already fallen to Cam Ward, who has had a strong November. But backup Michael Leighton figures to make his first regular-season roster appearance at home for the Florida game.

Before the Hurricanes departed for their trip, backup goalie Eddie Lack sustained a concussion in practice, putting in motion the call-up of Leighton from Charlotte of the American Hockey League.

The Hurricanes played without winger Brock McGinn on Saturday night because of an upper-body injury, so his status could impact the lineup for the Florida game.

Sunday's game marks another return of Panthers winger Jussi Jokinen to Carolina, where he was once a key member of the Hurricanes. These are former Southeast Division rivals, but they're no longer in the same divisions after the latest realignment.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (13-7) at Rangers (15-6)

Date: November 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Sitting atop the Metropolitan Division and with one of the league's best records, it may be hard to find fault with the New York Rangers' play.

Recent results at Madison Square Garden seem to indicate otherwise.

The Rangers look to halt a three-game home losing streak as they meet the surging Ottawa Senators for the first time this season Sunday night.

New York won six of its last nine against Ottawa, but the three losses all came in Manhattan. That's where New York (15-6-1) got off to a hot start this season, winning eight of its first nine and outscoring the opposition 42-19.

However, the Rangers were outscored 13-6 in consecutive losses to the struggling Vancouver Canucks, the Florida Panthers and the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Ottawa comes into this contest in position for a season-high fourth straight victory.

A reason for those struggles could be traced to Michael Grabner, J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes all slumping simultaneously.

From Oct. 13 through Nov. 6, nine Rangers had at least seven points at Madison Square Garden. Miller led the way with 12 points (five goals, seven assists), followed by Hayes with 11 (five goals, six assists) and Grabner -- enjoying a career resurgence -- had eight, including six goals.

Over the last three home games, though, Miller and Grabner haven't had a point and Hayes recorded one assist.

In the Rangers' 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, Hayes scored and Miller drew an assist, but the star of the game was Henrik Lundqvist as he made 19 of his season-high 40 saves in the third period.

"Tonight we weren't great; our goaltender was," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal told the New York Daily News.

With a minimum of 35 career appearances, Lundqvist has a losing record against only one opponent. In 36 games against the Senators, Lundqvist is 15-17-3 with a 2.08 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout. When he faces them at home, though, "King Henrik" is 5-12-2 with a 2.32 GAA and .921 save percentage.

Lundqvist needs one win to tie Mike Vernon for 13th on the career victories list with 385.

Antti Raanta, who relieved Lundqvist in Wednesday's 6-1 home loss to Pittsburgh, gave up five goals and lost in his only appearance against the Senators in 2014 while with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ottawa (13-7-1) is coming off Saturday's 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Craig Anderson stopped 32 shots and Kyle Turris broke a 1-1 tie with 3:32 to play.

In eight career starts at Madison Square Garden, Anderson is 6-1-1 with a 1.59 GAA, a .951 save percentage and two shutouts. However, Anderson has been on the losing end in each of his last two games there, surrendering six goals.

Ottawa coach Guy Boucher did not immediately say if Anderson or Mike Condon would start in goal. Condon hasn't played since giving up a season-high five goals in a loss to the Nashville Predators on Nov. 17.

"That's why you've got flights," Boucher said. "It gives you a bit of time to reflect on what you want to do the next day."

Ottawa has surrendered the opening goal in 11 straight games, posting a 6-4-1 record.

"You don't want to get in the habit of playing from behind, but we're showing good mental toughness by not letting a goal affect the way we play," Anderson said.

The Senators also are 2-0-0 in the second games of back-to-back contests this season.

Surprisingly, the Senators' most productive scorer at Madison Square Garden is Chris Kelly with seven goals, including a pair of game-winners, and two assists in 11 games. Kelly, who returned to Ottawa as a free agent in July after five-plus seasons with the Boston Bruins, has a goal and two assists in 21 games but hasn't registered a point in 13 straight.

New York's Matt Puempel won't have to wait long for a chance to face his former team. Puempel, a first-round pick by Ottawa in 2011, was claimed off waivers by the Rangers on Monday, one day after ex-Senator Mike Zibanejad suffered a broken leg that's expected to sideline him for up to two months.

Puempel, who failed to earn a point in 13 games with Ottawa, scored in his first game with the Rangers on Friday -- and took a shot at his former organization.

"They let you play here. They let you play to your strengths," Puempel told the New York Post on Saturday. "They know there are going to be mistakes. They're not barking at you every time you come off the ice. It's beneficial."

The Rangers acquired Zibanejad in July for Derick Brassard and swapped picks in the 2018 NHL Draft. Zibanejad, a two-time 20-goal scorer at 23 years old, had five goals and 10 assists in 19 games.

Brassard is struggling with his new club, posting three goals, including one on the power play, and six assists in 21 games.

The 29-year-old Brassard averaged 21.3 goals and 33 assists in three full seasons with New York from 2013-16. He also provided a spark on the power play, leading the team with eight man-advantage goals last season and tying for the team lead with seven in 2013-14.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (10-12) at Flyers (9-10)

Date: November 27, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA -- When the Calgary Flames visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night, the game will feature teams heading in opposite directions.

The Flames (10-12-1) are riding the strong play of goaltender Chad Johnson and have won three of their last four games in the midst of a six-game trip.

"The guys are just doing a good job and I'm getting results," Johnson said Friday after making 35 saves in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. "When you get results, your game gets some attention. When you lose, people always find things to look at.

"But I've felt great all year. That's my game. Simple. In position. Try to make it look easy and not scramble too much there and give the team confidence and make the saves I'm supposed to."

Johnson is 5-1 with a 1.17 goals against average in his last six games and is 7-3-1 on the season.

"I just think he's been fantastic," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. "He's making the first save, which you need, and he's giving us great goaltending there, and then our guys are limiting those second chances, and it's a good combination right now."

The Flyers (9-10-3) have lost three of four and have played a loose defensive game in front of goaltender Steve Mason, who saw his record drop to 5-8-3 and his save percentage dwindle to .892 in Friday's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

Mason's save percentage is third-worst among NHL goalies with 12 or more starts.

"You know, we made a couple costly mistakes where guys were left alone out front and we have to clean those up because it cost us the game," Mason said after stopping 20 of 23 shots Friday. "It's definitely something we need to focus on a little bit."

The Flyers had 78 shots (to 39 for the Rangers) in their loss on Friday but are looking for more offense from captain Claude Giroux, who was 16-for-24 in faceoffs on Friday but has gone eight games without a goal.

Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau grew up right outside of Philadelphia in southern New Jersey, but will miss the Flames' only trip to Philadelphia because of a broken finger.

Former Flyer Kris Versteeg, day-to-day with a groin injury, might also miss the game.

The Flames are 7-0-1 when leading after two periods.

The Flyers have had 40 or more shots in a game five times this season and are 3-2 in those games, with two wins coming in a shootout and one in overtime.

Flames forward Mark Jankowski was called up from Stockton of the American Hockey League on Friday but has not yet made his NHL debut.

Flyers rookie forward Travis Konecny scored points with his teammates when he fought Rangers forward Brandon Pirri after teammate Brandon Manning was checked hard into the boards.

"Yeah, we talked about team toughness and making sure we're sticking up for each other," Konecny said of his first NHL fight. "When a guy gets hit like that, I was the one in position to do something about it and I did what I had to."

Manning did not finish Friday's game and is questionable for Sunday night's game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - November

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

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

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

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
11/1 12 66.5 57 UNDER
11/2 3 16.5 16 UNDER
11/3 12 65.5 65 UNDER
11/4 3 16 24 OVER
11/5 13 69 70 OVER
11/6 6 32 33 OVER
11/7 3 15 14 UNDER
11/8 10 55.5 60 OVER
11/9 3 15.5 11 UNDER
11/10 10 54.5 54 UNDER
11/11 6 31.5 30 UNDER
11/12 11 56.5 61 OVER
11/13 6 32 28 UNDER
11/14 1 5.5 4 UNDER
11/15 13 70.5 63 UNDER
11/16 2 10.5 11 OVER
11/17 10 53.5 52 UNDER
11/18 5 26 22 UNDER
11/19 11 57 53 UNDER
11/20 5 26 24 UNDER
11/21 7 37 36 UNDER
11/22 5 26.5 25 UNDER
11/23 12 64.5 68 OVER
11/24 2 10.5 7 UNDER
11/25 11 58.5 61 OVER
11/26 9 - - -
11/27 6 - - -
11/28 2 - - -
11/29 12 - - -
11/30 3 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Sunday’s games

Bruins won three of last four games with Tampa Bay; road team won last five series games. Lightning won 6-3/4-1 in their last two visits to Boston. Three of last four series games stayed under total. Tampa Bay won five of its last seven games; under is 4-1-1 in their last six games on road. Bruins lost last three games, were outscored 9-4; under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games.

Nashville won its last three games with Winnipeg by combined score of 13-4; Predators won 4-2/4-1 in last two visits here. Over is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Nashville won seven of its last nine games, but is 2-8 on road. Four of their last six games went over total. Winnipeg lost its last five games (all on road) by a combined 20-6; Jets won their last three home games. Under is 6-2-1 in their last nine games.

Arizona won nine of last ten games with Edmonton; over is 3-1 in last four series games in this building. Coyotes won three of last four visits to Edmonton. Arizona lost five of its last seven games; four of their last five games went OT/SO. Under is 4-0-3 in their last seven games. Oilers won three of last four games, is 5-3 at home. Edmonton’s last seven home games stayed under total.

Florida won its last six games with Carolina; they won last three visits here by combined score of 8-1. Under is 6-3-1 in last ten series games. Panthers are 4-2 in last six games, winning three of last four on road; under is 2-0-1 in their last three games. Hurricanes won five of their last seven games, winning their last four at home by a combined score of 12-4. Under is 4-0-1 in last five Carolina games.

Rangers won six of last nine games with Ottawa; under is 8-2 in last ten series games. Teams split last four series games played here. Senators won their last three road games, all by one goal, two in OT/SO; they’re 6-3 in last nine games overall. Under is 7-2-1 in last ten series games. Rangers lost last three home games by combined 14-6; they’re 5-3 in last eight games overall. Over is 4-2 in New York’s last six games.

Flames won three of last four games with Philly; under is 7-2 in last nine series games. Calgary won three of last five games in this building. Flames won five of last seven games; they’re 4-1 in last five road games. Under is 5-1-2 in Calgary’s last eight games. Flyers lost seven of last ten games; they lost three of last four home games. Three of last four Philly games stayed under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Westbrook posts 44th career triple-double
By The Sports Xchange

OKLAHOMA -- Russell Westbrook posted his seventh triple-double of the season in leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 106-88 victory over the Detroit Pistons Saturday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook posted 17 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds to earn consecutive triple-doubles on back-to-back nights. It was also his 44th career triple-double, which ties him with Cleveland's LeBron James. However, it took Westbrook 395 fewer games.
The Thunder had five players score in double figures. Anthony Morrow came off the Thunder bench to lead the charge. He poured in a season-high 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting. Steven Adams added 16 points and nine rebounds. Victor Oladipo scored 18 on only 10 shots as Oklahoma City improved to 10-8.
Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 21 points on 8 of 18 shooting. Ish Smith, who once played for the Thunder, posted 14 points and three assists.

Warriors 115, Timberwolves 102
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry poured in 17 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter as Golden State broke open a close game en route to a victory over Minnesota.
In a game pitting two teams that also played the night before, the Warriors held the Timberwolves to a total of 40 points in the middle two periods, erasing an early deficit and paving the way to an 11th consecutive victory.
The Golden State win came without Draymond Green, who sprained his left ankle in Friday's road win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Spurs 112, Wizards 100
WASHINGTON -- Teams playing for extended stretches on the road typically are enthusiastic about returning home. It's more than understandable if San Antonio doesn't share that sentiment.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 points as the Spurs won their ninth straight game overall and improved to 10-0 on the road this season with a victory over Washington.
Tony Parker had 20 points and Kawhi Leonard scored 19 for the Spurs, who shot 53.3 percent from the field, outscored Washington 23-10 from the free-throw line and led by 19 points in the second half.

Hornets 107, Knicks 102
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker scored 28 points, and Jeremy Lamb had 18 points and 17 rebounds, and Charlotte snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over New York at the Spectrum Center.
The Hornets bounced back to get a split of a weekend back-to-back after the Knicks prevailed 113-111 in overtime in New York on Friday night.
The Hornets let a 21-point first-quarter lead slip away completely, but then assumed control again in the final six minutes after the teams were tied 87-87 with 6:10 remaining. The Hornets went on an 8-0 run at that point and never let the Knicks closer than three again in the final 11 seconds.

Grizzlies 110, Heat 107
MIAMI -- Marc Gasol scored 28 points to lead Memphis to a victory over Miami.
Mike Conley finished with 21 points, including 11 in the fourth period as the Grizzlies avenged a nine-point loss against Miami Friday at Memphis in the teams' first of the back-to-back set.
Conley's two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining gave the Grizzlies their final margin.
Josh Richardson's game-tying 3-point attempt with 1.3 seconds left bounced off the rim.
Conley hit two late 3-pointers, the second giving the Grizzlies a 108-101 lead with 1:25 remaining.
Dion Waiters scored six unanswered points to cut Memphis' lead to one. Waiters' layup with 18.4 seconds left put the Heat within 108-107.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (12-2) at 76ers (4-12)

Date: November 27, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers put up a surprisingly good fight when they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this month.

The Sixers can only hope to do the same when the defending NBA champions return to town on Sunday afternoon.

As of Friday, the Cavaliers were planning a side trip Saturday to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State-Michigan football game before continuing on to Philadelphia.

Cleveland will along a 12-2 record, best in the Eastern Conference, including a three-game winning streak.

The Sixers, while not quite as feeble as in recent years, are 4-12 and have dropped two in a row.

Philadelphia nonetheless pushed Cleveland to the limit on Nov. 5, losing 102-101. Cleveland guard J.R. Smith stripped Gerald Henderson of the ball on a drive to the basket in the closing seconds, a play on which the 76ers argued for a foul, to no avail.

It was one of the few times the Cavs have been challenged this season.

The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to make more than 20 3-pointers in back-to-back games when they drubbed Dallas 128-90 on Friday night.

Cleveland made 20-for-43 shots from downtown, after going 21-for-36 from behind the arc in Wednesday's 137-125 victory over Portland.

"We were making 11, 12 or 13 3s (per game), but I thought that we could shoot better," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue told ESPN.com. "The last couple games the guys have been shooting really well."

Kevin Love drilled 15 of 21 3-pointers in those two games. He scored 40 points against Portland, 34 of those in the first quarter. That's the highest total in a first quarter in league history and three shy of the record for any quarter.

Earlier this season, Love was passing up 3-pointers in favor of trying to draw contact and get to the foul line, but after reviewing film with assistant coach Phil Handy, he decided it was better to fire away.

"So many guys close out to me so hard, but having my size, I'm able to get the ball off quick if I just catch and shoot," Love told ESPN.com. "I think I saw that and I've been able to do that. That's only going to open up more for everybody. Feels good right now."

The Cavaliers are led, as always, by LeBron James, who is averaging 23.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 9.5 assists.

James had a triple-double against Portland, and rang up 19 points and 11 assists against Dallas.

Kyrie Irving is scoring at a 23.8 point-per-game clip, while Love is averaging 22.1 points and 10.7 rebounds.

James finished with 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds in the earlier game against Philadelphia, and Love had 20 points and 11 boards.

Irving, however, managed only eight points on 3-for-17 shooting.

The Sixers rested prize rookie center Joel Embiid on Friday, when they lost 105-89 to Chicago, the fifth game he has missed this season. Embiid, who underwent two foot surgeries and missed two seasons, is being limited to 24 minutes.

Neither coach Brett Brown nor a team spokesman could say on Friday whether Embiid, who scored 22 points against Cleveland in the earlier game, would play Sunday against the Cavs or Monday in Toronto.

The Sixers have been without top overall pick Ben Simmons (foot) and veteran big man Nerlens Noel (knee) all season.

Cleveland forward Channing Frye will not be with the team Sunday, as his father, Tommy, died on Thanksgiving.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (6-10) at Suns (5-12)

Date: November 27, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will put their improved defense on display Sunday afternoon when they seek to avenge an earlier high-scoring loss to the Denver Nuggets in a duel of struggling Western Conference teams.

The Suns are coming off a 98-85 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, a game in which they blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.

Despite the loss, the Suns held a second consecutive opponent below 100 points after having allowed 14 of the first 15 to reach the figure.

In the process, the Suns have gone from the bottom of the NBA rankings in points allowed to the fourth worst at 111.7 per game.

"The mindset we have to play with and understand how to win in this league, a lot of it is defensive," Suns coach Earl Watson explained to the media last week. "There are great offensive teams, but the defense carries you throughout the season."

The Phoenix defense failed to show up for the earlier meeting with the Nuggets in Denver. The Suns allowed the Nuggets to shoot 48.4 percent from the field and 47.1 percent (8 of 17) on 3-pointers in a 120-104 loss on Nov. 16.

The Suns were led in that game by reserve Wilson Chandler, who made half of his 22 shots from the field and two of his three 3-pointers on a 28-point night.

Chandler has since been promoted to the starting lineup as the Nuggets have had a hard time finding healthy bodies. They suited up only 10 players in Friday's 132-129 overtime loss at home to Oklahoma City.

Chandler was even better against the Thunder than the Suns, posting a season-high 30 points. Jameer Nelson also had season highs for points (21) and assists (13) in the loss.

Among the players missing for the Nuggets on Friday were Will Barton and Mike Miller, both of whom were excused from the team for personal reasons.

It is unclear how long they will be out, as is the case with Danilo Gallinari, who is questionable for Sunday's game with a strained thigh.

The Suns also had a player away for personal reasons when Tyson Chandler missed eight of nine games after the death of his mother.

The league's sixth-leading rebounder returned for Friday's home loss to Minnesota but was limited to 11 minutes off the bench, during which he contributed six points and seven rebounds.

Chandler and Len combined for 12 points and nine rebounds out of the center position in the earlier matchup with the Nuggets.

Like the Suns (5-12), the Nuggets (6-10) let one get away Friday night when they squandered a late 13-point lead in regulation en route to their overtime loss to the Thunder.

"I thought we played well enough offensively for sure to win the game," Nelson noted to reporters afterward. "We just couldn't get stops when we needed them."

The Nuggets-Suns matchup pits two of the NBA's rising stars, University of Kentucky products Jamal Murray and Devin Booker.

Phoenix's Booker, who turned 20 on Oct. 30, logged 1,078 NBA points as a teenager, the sixth most in league history behind LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard.

Denver's Murray, meanwhile, is the active scoring leader among teens, averaging 10.6 points per game as a 19-year-old. The Suns' Marquese Chriss, also 19, ranks third on that list at 6.2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (6-8) at Magic (6-10)

Date: November 27, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The NBA season reached something of a calendar milestone on Thursday with Thanksgiving coming and going.

Most teams have played about 15 games to this point and statistics and standings are beginning to settle in as identities get formed. The grind of the season will separate teams and the Playoff races begin to take shape.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the NBA season gets set fully on its course.

The Orlando Magic (6-10) know that. At least their veterans do.

Forward Jeff Green senses his team needs a little urgency in the final game of a three-game homestand, on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks, before taking its first long trip of the season.

"We have to correct things now," Green said after Wednesday's loss. "We can continue to say it's still early, but we have to come to a point where we have to fix it now in order for us to be there in the end.

"We have to go back to the drawing board, but Friday we have to fix it. For me, that's a must win. And we must win Sunday."

The Magic did not quite fix things Friday against the Washington Wizards. They came out flat on both ends and fell 94-91 at home, needing a 19-point comeback to make it a game.

Perhaps November is not the time to take too much of a focus on the standings. The Magic are only 1.5 games out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference.

But offensive struggles have given the Magic plenty of pause and concern for the rest of their season. They are struggling to score even 90 points per game.

The games keep coming. And they all count the same when it comes to the year-end Playoff races. And that could make Sunday's game against the Bucks all the more important.

The Bucks (6-8) are still in the thick of the early Playoff race too. And they have dealt with their own inconsistent play.

Milwaukee has started to hit its groove this season. Even coming off a 105-99 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday, the Bucks feel confident about their play and their chances.

"I thought we had this game today," swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "They just made tough shots down the stretch. They made some threes. If we played the game again, they could miss those shots. As a team, we saw a lot of good things.

"Now we move forward to Orlando. I'm not putting pressure on my teammates, but if we go with the same mentality and the same focus we had tonight, we can get that game."

Antetokounmpo recorded his first triple double of the season against the Magic on Monday. His play was crucial to the Bucks coming back in that game and racing ahead at the end for the close win.

Having defeated the Magic earlier in the week in Milwaukee, Sunday represents an opportunity to score a decisive victory over a team they might compete with in the standings when March and April roll around.

The Magic and Bucks have split their season series each of the last three seasons. Both rebuilding teams are trying to find their fit in the early Eastern Conference race. And Sunday represents a chance for one to get the leg up on the other before things begin to get serious.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (14-3) at Pacers (8-9)

Date: November 27, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Los Angeles Clippers will make their only visit to Indianapolis on Sunday night to take on the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana (8-9) will be without Paul George, who is battling ankle and back injuries. The Pacers were able to dominate the Nets on Friday night without their star, but the Clippers present a completely different challenge.

"Tonight is what I feel we can become," coach Nate McMillan of the Pacers said after Friday's win. "I told the guys we can't go back. We can't keep going back and forth. We've got to build off of this and establish our identity."

With injuries to Paul George and C.J. Miles, the Pacers have turned to Glenn Robison III, and he has responded. He scored a career-high 20 points against the Nets.

"Coach told me to always be ready, and to be confident," Robison said.

McMillan added: "He's really stepped up for us. Offensively, I'm not worried about him. I'm very confident with him on the floor."

The Pacers have had a lot more success at home this season, winning seven of their 11 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Three of those four losses, however, were without Paul George in the lineup.

The Clippers (14-3) are off to a great start this season, but dropped their last game in Detroit, 108-97. It was their first road loss of the season.

"They came to play," coach Doc Rivers of the Clippers said. "They were ready to play. I thought we just kind of showed up."

The Clippers haven't lost two straight this season and hope to avoid that again on Sunday.

One reason for the Clippers success is their ability to get to the foul line. Through 17 games, they are taking and making more free throws than any team in the NBA.

"Free throws are a huge part of the game," forward Paul Pierce told the Orange County Register. "If you have a guy that can get to the line or get to the basket down the stretch, that's a dangerous player."

The Pacers have had some issues containing point guards this season, and Chris Paul is one of the best in the business.

Paul is averaging 19.3 points in the Clippers' wins, and only 10.7 points in their three losses. He scored 26 in his only game against the Pacers last season, including 11 points in the 4th-quarter.

The Clippers are averaging 110.1 points per game, third best in the NBA, while the Pacers are giving up the sixth most points in the league (107.2)

Indiana hopes its their recent players-only meeting will jumpstart a nice run.

"I wanted to get the guys together and wanted to get them to just start seeing the game differently," Paul George told the Indianapolis Star. "There's no reason why we can't communicate on the offensive end."

Last season, the Pacers and Clippers split their two-game series, with both teams winning on the road. The Clippers have won their last two games in Indiana.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (6-11) at Mavericks (2-13)

Date: November 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

DALLAS -- The good news for the struggling Dallas Mavericks is they are 22-3 at home all-time against the New Orleans Pelicans. The bad news is the Pelicans are finally playing better basketball and All-Star power forward Anthony Davis is playing at an MVP-level.

If the Mavericks (2-13) are going to snap an eight-game losing skid, they're going to have to find a way to slow down the 6-foot-11 Davis, who is averaging 33.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in leading the Pelicans (6-11) to a 4-1 record in their last five games.

Dallas is in a skid the franchise hasn't seen since 1999 when Dirk Nowitzki was a wide-eyed rookie. They're coming off consecutive demoralizing losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, who led by 31 points in the third quarter, and to Cleveland Cavaliers, who were up by 40. Dallas was outscored by 57 points combined in the first halves of those two games.

While the Mavericks have been bit hard by the injury bug to key veterans, the mounting losses are becoming tough to stomach.

"It's embarrassing, man," Dallas point guard Deron Williams said. "We've had some embarrassing losses. We're pissed off. But we've got to get pissed off and do something about it."

At least the Mavs are getting healthier. Nowitzki is finally back after missing eight games with soreness in his Achilles' tendon. Williams returned in Friday's loss at Cleveland after missing all but 10 minutes of the previous eight games. He logged 15 minutes against the Cavaliers and had four points and five assists.

"We're getting healthier gradually," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters following Friday's 128-90 loss at Cleveland. "But we have too many things we have to fix. And we've got to fix them in a short period of time."

The Pelicans had their four-game winning streak snapped Friday at Portland, but they come to Dallas still riding the momentum of a string of strong play for the first time since opening the season with seven consecutive losses.

The spark came from the return of guard Jrue Holiday, who had left the team to care for his wife, Lauren Holiday, a former U.S. national soccer team member, following the birth of their child and surgery to remove a tumor in her brain. Holiday has averaged 16.2 points and 6.6 assists in five games, while also giving New Orleans such needed floor leadership.

During the last five games, the Pelicans' offense has come alive, ranking seventh in the league in offensive rating 110.3), while also getting the job done on the defensive end, ranking sixth in defensive rating (99.0).

"Any time you win or any time you have a winning streak, you're kind of in a groove and you're feeling good as a team," Holiday said, according to ESPN.com. "It always feels great. Obviously, with where we are in the standings, in the Western Conference, it feels good just be included back in it."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (10-6) at Trail Blazers (9-9)

Date: November 27, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers love to shoot 3-point shots, but they are not in the same league as the Houston Rockets in that regard.

The Rockets warmed up for Sunday's Moda Center matchup by attempting an NBA-record 50 shots from beyond the arc in a 117-104 victory at Sacramento on Friday night.

Houston (10-6) made 21 treys against the Kings, including 14 in the first half. The Rockets came within two of matching the NBA mark of 23 makes they share with Orlando.

"I don't mind it, but I'd like to get the record for the most makes, not just the most attempts," first-year Houston coach Mike D'Antoni told the media.

"If that's what they're giving us, that's what we'll take. We had good looks, and if a guy has a good look, then he's free to shoot it."

James Harden was only 3 of 11 on 3-point shots but had a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Rockets, who attempt an NBA-high 36 treys per game.

Houston has made at least 10 3-pointers in its last 15 games, one shy of the NBA record.

"This is the style of play we've built around James, and we have shooters," said forward Ryan Anderson, who was 3 for 7 from 3-point range and scored 13 points.

"The great part about it is, it didn't seem like we took 50 (3-point shots). They were in rhythm, they were good looks, and those are shots we normally take."

Portland (9-9) shoots an average of a little more than 30 3-pointers a game, sixth-most in the league. The Blazers were 12 for 32 from beyond the stripe in a 119-104 victory over New Orleans on Friday night.

However, the story of that one was the Trail Blazers' dominance inside against the Pelicans. Portland won the battle in total rebounds (52-34), offensive rebounds (12-2), points in the paint (64-34) and second-chance points (23-2).

Although they entered Friday night ranked last in the NBA in rebound percentage, the Blazers have outboarded their opponent in four of the last five games.

"We've done a better job on the boards over those games," Stotts told the media after the New Orleans game. "We were harping on the rebounding, and it has really improved. It was a big factor for us tonight."

The Blazers also entered Friday ranked last in the NBA in defensive efficiency (109.7 rating) and opponents' scoring (113.4). Stotts was pleased with his team's defense through most of the final three quarters against the Pelicans.

"Offensively, we were pretty good most of the night," Stotts said.0 "Defensively, we were good after about two minutes into the second quarter. We've had some struggles, and we needed to get back on track. We did that tonight."

Forward Ed Davis would like to see a larger sample size in evaluating the Blazers' defense.

"I'm not going to judge it on one game," Davis said. "I'm glad we got this win, but we had some lapses (in which) we could have done better.

"It's just one game, man. I'm not going to say after one game, problem solved -- you know?"

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (10-6) at Lakers (8-9)

Date: November 27, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Injuries are stunting the growth of the young Los Angeles Lakers.

With second-year starting point guard D'Angelo Russell missing the last three games and out for the next two weeks, and forward Julius Randle and shooting guard Nick Young sitting out Friday's 24-point romp by the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers stumbled to losses in four of their last five games.

"Hopefully, we can get them back as soon as possible," said backup point guard Jose Calderon, who has filled in for Russell. "We need everybody. On this team, one of the things I think we have is we have a lot of guys who can really play. We play like 10 guys on some nights. We're going to get back to that and it's going to help. Let's not get too caught up in the last couple of games."

The Lakers (8-9) try to rebound Sunday when they host the Atlanta Hawks. It will be their second and final meeting of the regular season. The Lakers posted a 123-116 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta on Nov. 2.

A hip pointer kept Randle out of the last two games. A sore toe on the left foot of Young forced him to be scratched from Friday's contest against the Warriors. Although Lakers coach Luke Walton was hopeful both could play Sunday, Randle was unable to finish practice Saturday after experiencing pain in his hip.

The outlook is more optimistic for Young, who hurt himself in Tuesday's victory over the Oklahoma City, a triumph in which the colorful performer hit a game-winning 3-pointer.

A leaky defense is hampering the Lakers almost as much as the injuries. They are giving up 111.9 points per game, which is 28th in the NBA. Opponents are shooting 48.7 percent, ranking the Lakers last in the league.

"It's funny. I think we've gotten better at some things. We're just not doing it consistently enough," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "Sometimes, our defense looks great; other times we've really struggled. There is growth that I see, but there is also slippage."

The Hawks (10-6), leaders of the Southeast Division, have fallen on a slippery slope recently, dropping four of their last five contests after a 9-2 start. Atlanta was handed a 95-68 beatdown Friday by the host Utah Jazz, the third time the Hawks suffered a double-digit setback during their rough stretch.

"It's frustrating to have all this talent and all these good players and be a mediocre team," said Hawks guard and former Laker Kent Bazemore, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's tough. It sucks to be a competitor and have your face bashed in on a nightly basis, two of the last three games. It burns."

Ex-Laker Dwight Howard returns for the first time in a Hawks' uniform. Howard, who was third in the NBA in rebounding at 12.9 boards per game heading into Saturday's games, signed with his hometown team during the offseason after spending the last three campaigns with the Houston Rockets.

Howard averages 14.1 points. Paul Millsap leads the Hawks in scoring at 16.6 points, while guard Dennis Schroeder averages 14.3.