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Golfers to Bet - Sony Open

Tournament: Sony Open in Hawaii
Date: Thursday, January 14th
Venue: Waialae Country Club
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

The PGA Tour will be staying local on Thursday, when the golfers head to Waialae Country Club in Honolulu for the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Jordan Spieth finished at 30-under in last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He unfortunately will not be joining the rest of the golfers on the Tour in their short trip to Waialae Country Club on Thursday.

A number of the top golfers in the world will be missing in this event, but it should still be a blast to watch. This country club, like the one in Kapalua, has a truly gorgeous look. The 7,044-yard course is the host of the first full-field event of the calendar year and a number of golfers will be looking to make their marks here.

A few guys worth pointing out are Jimmy Walker and Russell Henley. Walker will be going for his third straight win at this event beginning Thursday. Henley, meanwhile, is the record-holder of the tournament’s best aggregate score. He shot a 256 back in 2013, which gave him a score of -24. The course record for a score to par is 28-under by John Huston in 1998.

With all of that out of the way, let’s now take a look at who could be winning this thing come Sunday.

Golfers to Watch

Jimmy Walker (14/1) - Jimmy Walker is coming off of a very good showing at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions a week ago. Walker finished at 15-under and t-10th place in that event. He now gets to play in what may be his favorite tournament of the season. Walker has won two years in a row at the Sony Open in Hawaii, finishing at 17-under in 2014 and 23-under in 2015. A three-peat may not be common, but Walker knows this course like the back of his hand and is really tough to pass up on with such favorable odds.

Kevin Kisner (20/1) - Kevin Kisner was excellent in Kapalua a week ago, finishing at 16-under on the tournament. That score was only good for ninth place, but Kisner should be in the running for a top finish on Sunday. He has played in five events this season and has finished in the top-10 in three of those tournaments. Kisner also happens to be the leader in points in the FedExCup Standings, so the 20/1 odds he is getting are pretty favorable.

Russell Henley (33/1) - Russell Henley was not in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and his last event was Nov. 19, when he finished t-6th with an 11-under at the RSM Classic. Henley does, however, hold the course record in aggregate score. He also happens to be the last person to win this event that isn’t named Jimmy Walker and his odds are insane at 33/1. Henley is an excellent sleeper here and is worth a unit or two for this weekend.

Keegan Bradley (45/1) - Keegan Bradley, like Henley, did not earn himself a spot in last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Bradley is, however, a serious name to watch this weekend. He finished t-8th with a 12-under at the OHL Classic on Nov. 12 and has been hitting the ball very well this season. Bradley is 8th in proximity to hole this season, coming within an average of 30’6’’ on the year. He is also hitting the ball 297.3 yards per drive, which is top-50 on the Tour. If Bradley can get the putter going this week then he has a great chance to emerge as the winner and at 45/1 he is a high-reward play.

Odds to win Sony Open -

Jimmy Walker 14/1
Kevin Kisner 21/1
Matt Kuchar 22/1
Adam Scott 23/1
Brandt Snedeker 24/1
Zach Johnson 25/1
Justin Thomas 26/1
Harris English 30/1
Kevin Na 35/1
Marc Leishman 35/1
Russell Henley 35/1
Chris Kirk 40/1
Daniel Berger 40/1
Graeme McDowell 40/1
Charles Howell III 45/1
Russell Knox 45/1
Danny Lee 50/1
Emiliano Grillo 50/1
Jason Dufner 60/1
Luke Donald 60/1
Padraig Harrington 60/1
Patton Kizzire 60/1
Ryan Palmer 60/1
Scott Piercy 60/1
Peter Malnati 65/1
Fabian Gomez 70/1
Tony Finau 70/1
Will Wilcox 70/1
William McGirt 70/1
Gary Woodland 75/1
Keegan Bradley 80/1
Webb Simpson 85/1
David Lingmerth 90/1
Francesco Molinari 90/1
Jerry Kelly 90/1
Johnson Wagner 100/1
Rory Sabbatini 100/1
Daniel Summerhays 110/1
Steven Bowditch 110/1
Brendon de Jonge 120/1
David Hearn 120/1
Harold Varner III 120/1
Boo Weekley 130/1
Chad Campbell 130/1
Shawn Stefani 130/1
Brendon Todd 140/1
Brian Harman 140/1
Cameron Smith 140/1
Graham Delaet 140/1
Steve Stricker 140/1
Alex Cejka 150/1
George McNeill 150/1
Hudson Swafford 150/1
Troy Merritt 150/1
Ben Martin 160/1
Camilo Villegas 160/1
Morgan Hoffmann 160/1
Ryo Ishikawa 160/1
Zac Blair 160/1
Chez Reavie 180/1
Jim Herman 180/1
John Senden 180/1
Mark Wilson 180/1
Roberto Castro 190/1
Colt Knost 200/1
Kyle Stanley 200/1
Seung-Yul Noh 200/1
Spencer Levin 200/1
Stewart Cink 220/1
Tim Clark 220/1
Ben Crane 230/1
Brett Stegmaier 230/1
Carl Pettersson 230/1
Chris Stroud 230/1
Derek Fathauer 230/1
J.J. Henry 230/1
James Hahn 230/1
Jamie Lovemark 230/1
Jeff Overton 230/1
John Huh 230/1
K.J. Choi 230/1
Kyle Reifers 230/1
Lucas Glover 230/1
Mark Hubbard 230/1
Michael Thompson 230/1
Pat Perez 230/1
Ricky Barnes 230/1
Scott Stallings 230/1
Sean O'Hair 230/1
Hao Tong Li 240/1
Hideto Tanihara 240/1
Nick Taylor 240/1
Steve Marino 240/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 240/1
Vijay Singh 240/1
Adam Hadwin 250/1
Carlos Ortiz 250/1
Davis Love III 250/1
Dawie Van Der Walt 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Jonas Blixt 250/1
Matt Every 250/1
Michael Kim 250/1
Sam Saunders 250/1
Si Woo Kim 250/1
Tom Hoge 250/1
Will MacKenzie 250/1
Brian Gay 300/1
Bronson Burgoon 300/1
Chad Collins 300/1
Daisuke Kataoka 300/1
Derek Ernst 300/1
Henrik Norlander 300/1
Hyung-Sung Kim 300/1
Jason Gore 300/1
Whee Kim 300/1
Yusaku Miyazato 300/1
D.H. Lee 350/1
Hiroshi Iwata 350/1
Scott Pinckney 350/1
Tim Wilkinson 350/1
Charlie Beljan 400/1
Erik Compton 450/1
Greg Owen 450/1
Miguel Tabuena 450/1
Steve Wheatcroft 450/1
Stuart Appleby 450/1
Sung Kang 450/1
Tyler Aldridge 450/1
Blake Adams 500/1
Fred Funk 500/1
Garrett Okamura 500/1
Miguel Angel Carballo 500/1
Parker McLachlin 500/1
Rob Oppenheim 500/1
Robert Allenby 500/1
Satoshi Kodaira 500/1
Shane Bertsch 500/1
Shawn Lu 500/1
Toshinori Muto 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: Sony Open in Hawaii
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Jimmy Walker, United States -- Walker will be trying to become the first player to win three consecutive titles at the Sony Open in Hawaii after blowing away the field by a tournament-record nine strokes last year. In 2014, he claimed a one-stroke victory over Chris Kirk. Walker is making his 10th appearance at Waialae, and he is 50-under-par in his past 12 rounds there, scoring in the 60s each time. The 36-year-old veteran, who has claimed all five of his PGA Tour victories since 2013, started the 2015-16 season by tying for 50th in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. In his past two events, he tied for eighth in the Hero World Challenge and tied for 10th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

2. Adam Scott, Australia -- Since he did not win last season on the PGA Tour, Scott did not qualify for the winners-only Hyundai Tournament of Champions, so he will start 2016 this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He junked his long putter late last year for a conventional model ahead of the anchoring ban that went into effect on Jan. 1. After the change, he had some good results, including solo second in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, fifth in the Australian Masters and a tie for second in the Australian Open. In Scott's six previous appearances in the Sony Open, he missed the cut twice but finished in the top 20 four times, his best result a tie for second in 2009, when he closed with a 64 and finished two shots behind Zach Johnson.

3. Kevin Kisner, United States -- With his solo ninth in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Kisner maintained his lead in the FedEx Cup standings through the first eight events of the 2015-16 PGA Tour season. He placed in the top 10 in each of his past three tournaments, finishing second in the WGC-HSBC Champions and claiming his first victory on the circuit in the RSM Classic to end the fall portion of the schedule. Kisner will tee it up for the fifth time in the Sony Open in Hawaii, and he has not yet figured out how to play the tight course at Waialae. He missed the cut in his first three appearances and finished 84th (next-to-last among those who made the cut) last year, bowing out when the secondary cut was made on Saturday.

4. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Kuchar usually opens his year in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, but since he did not win on the PGA Tour last year for the first time since 2011, he will play for the first time this year in the Sony Open in Hawaii. He did come close early last year when he tied for third in the Sony and tied for second a week later in the Humana Challenge, but his seven top-10 finishes actually represented a bit of a down season for him. Kuchar is making his 13th appearance in the Sony, and after missing the cut in six of his first eight starts at Waialae, he figured out how to play it, posting four consecutive results in the top 10 -- with the best last year.

5. Brandt Snedeker, United States -- Seemingly healthy after being slowed by injuries the last few seasons, Snedeker closed with 65-67 to finish solo third in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, although he did wind up nine strokes behind runaway winner Jordan Spieth. This week, he will be making his third start in the Sony Open in Hawaii, and he has not played well at Waialae, missing the cut in 2007 and 2008. Snedeker showed he was on the way back early last year on the West Coast swing, where he tied for 10th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and tied for 19th in the Farmers Insurance Open before winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for his seventh PGA Tour victory and first in nearly two years.

6. Zach Johnson, United States -- Coming off a disappointing tie for 21st in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which he opened with a 2-over-par 75, Johnson will try to bounce back at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He won at Waialae in 2009, closing with 65-66-65 to beat Adam Scott and David Tomas by two strokes, and his straight and steady style would seem to be perfect for the narrow fairways and smallish greens. However, he has finished in the top 10 only once in his past five appearances in Honolulu, when he tied for eighth two years ago. Johnson, who won the Open Championship at St. Andrews last July, is No. 12 in the World Golf Rankings but has some work to do to make the U.S. Olympic team.

7. Padraig Harrington, Ireland -- Harrington, who won the Honda Classic last year in a playoff over eventual Rookie of the Year Daniel Berger for his first PGA Tour victory since the 2008 PGA Championship, got the new year off to a strong start with a tie for sixth in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions -- which he was playing for the first time. He has made the short flight across the Hawaiian islands to Oahu for the Sony Open in Hawaii, in which he also will be making his first appearance. Harrington still has plenty of work to do in the next few months to qualify for the Masters, as he sits at No. 120 in the World Golf Rankings and needs to climb into the top 50 to earn a spot at Augusta National in April.

8. Russell Henley, United States -- After winning five times in his first four seasons as a pro, three victories on the Web.com Tour and two on the PGA Tour, Henley was winless last season. He will start 2016 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, which he won three years ago for his first victory on the big tour. He posted three 7-under-par 63s and a 67 in round three at Waialae to finish three strokes ahead of Tim Clark. Henley tied for 51st as defending champion but bounced back to tie for 17th last year. After struggling a bit in 2014-15, he got the new season off to a good start by finishing 10th in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and tying for sixth in the RSM Classic.

9. Luke Donald, England -- The former No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings said he nearly quit golf last year before meeting with a psychologist and later telling himself to simply "grow up and not be a baby." He hasn't won since the 2013 Dunlop Phoenix, and his last victories on the PGA Tour and the European Tour came in 2012. Donald, down to No. 78 in the World Golf Rankings, hopes to start a comeback when he tees it up in the Sony Open in Hawaii for the ninth time. His only top-10 finish at Waialae was a tie for second in 2007, when he held the lead after opening with 63-67, but he played the weekend in 69-69 and finished one shot behind Paul Goydos.

10. Robert Allenby, Australia -- Allenby is back at the Sony Open in Hawaii following a bizarre incident after he shot 71-71--142 to miss the cut by three strokes last year at Waialae. He woke up in the middle of the night in a park, bloodied and beaten, and had his credit cards and cell phone stolen. His account later was disputed by those who found him, but he said he was only repeating what others told him because he could not remember what happened. A Honolulu man was sentenced to five years in prison for putting thousands of dollars of items on Allenby's credit card. The Aussie is playing at Waialae for the 15th time, and his best result was solo second in 2010, one stroke behind Ryan Palmer.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sony Open Preview + Picks
Matt Fargo

While we are just in our second tournament of 2016, we are actually in the 10th tournament of the season with the wrap around schedule. Last week, Jordan Spieth dusted the field at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions as he shot 30 under par, one off the tournament record as he won by eight shots over Patrick Reed. He finished 17th or better in every performance stat showing his absolute dominance with his all around game. The tour remains on the island for the second leg of the Hawaii swing with the Sony Open from Waialae Golf Course in Honolulu.

Waialae Country Club is a 7,044-yard, par 70 track that was opened in 1927 as a way to get more tourism to Hawaii and has hosted the Hawaii Open since its inception in 1965. While the course is short in length, it get its toughness from very narrow fairways and winds that can be troublesome. The wind was not an issue last year though as Jimmy Walker coasted to a nine-shot victory over Scott Piercy as his -23 was one away from tying the tournament record set by Russell Henley in 2013. It was the second straight Sony Open title for Walker.

You won't see many big names and you will see some rookies, nine in total, who will all be out trying to do what Henley did - win in their first start on tour. Of the 32 champions from last season who played last week, 22 are making the trip from Kapalua, all for various reasons. The biggest being the west coast swing starts next week and flying back after this event gives little time for prep for the CareerBuilder Challenge which involves three courses. Seven of the top 30 players in this week's world rankings are in play this week.

Despite being played in Hawaii, participation in the Sony Open has been sporadic by many players and even more rare has been success here by those who make the annual trip. Only six players in this year's field have played here and made the cut over the last five years - John Senden, Jeff Overton, Chris Kirk, David Hearn, Charles Howell III and Pat Perez. Kirk and Howell III have the best results of the bunch as Kirk has a pair of top fives while Howell III has a pair of top threes. Matt Kuchar did not start here in 2012 but his last four starts here have resulted in a T8, two T5's and a T3.

Walker is the favorite at +1,350 followed by Brandt Snedeker at +1,500 who is making just his second ever start here and his first start since 2008 which resulted in a T69, his best of the two. Adam Scott, Kevin Kisner and Matt Kuchar are next at +2,000 followed by Zach Johnson at +2,500 and Justin Thomas at +2,600. After that it is a logjam with 10 players sitting with odds between +3,000 and +4,500. Course history is always important and Waialae Country Club has ranked within the top three easiest par 70 courses the last three years. Look for more extremely low scores this week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Coyotes pick up D Connauton
By The Sports Xchange

The Arizona Coyotes claimed defenseman Kevin Connauton off waivers Wednesday from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Connauton has eight points (one goal, seven assists) and 21 penalty minutes in 27 games this season with the Blue Jackets. In 2014-15, the Edmonton, Alberta, native registered 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 62 games split between the Dallas Stars and the Blue Jackets.
Connauton, 25, has collected 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) and 72 penalty minutes in 187 career NHL games. He was originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round of the 2009 NHL draft.

---The Winnipeg Jets placed center Mark Scheifele on retroactive injured reserve to Jan. 7 with a lower-body injury, the team announced.
Scheifele, 22, aggravated a lower body injury last week. He was activated Jan. 3 after being on IR since Dec. 26 with a concussion. He has 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 37 games this season.
The Jets also recalled forward Matt Halischuk from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

---San Jose Sharks forward Dainius Zubrus was placed on injured reserve because of a lower-back injury, general manager Doug Wilson announced.
Forward Raffi Torres was added to the Sharks' active roster and was assigned to the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment. He has been rehabbing a knee injury and serving a 41-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Anaheim's Jakob Silfverberg.

---The Edmonton Oilers recalled forward Zack Kassian from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.
Kassian, 24, has appeared in four games with Bakersfield this season, registering one goal and six penalty minutes. The Windsor, Ontario, native has appeared in 198 career NHL games, accumulating 66 points (35 goals, 31 assists) and 307 penalty minutes.

---The Washington Capitals will hold a ceremony to honor Alex Ovechkin for reaching 500 goals before Thursday night's game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Ovechkin reached 500 goals faster that all but four players in NHL history with his second-period goal in Sunday's game against Ottawa. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, president Dick Patrick and general manager Brian MacLellan will join Ovechkin's parents, Mikhail and Tatyana, and fiancee Nastya Shubskaya, for the ceremony.
Ovechkin scored his 500th career goal in his 801st NHL game, trailing Wayne Gretzky (575 games), Mario Lemieux (605), Mike Bossy (647) and Brett Hull (693).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (22-14) at Islanders (20-15)

Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

First place in the Metropolitan Division looks like a pipe dream for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders at the moment.

That shouldn't lessen the intensity of the archrivals fighting it out for second place.

The teams meet Thursday night for the second time this season, again in Brooklyn, with matching point totals as they jockey for position in the playoff race.

The Rangers (23-14-5) have shown signs of coming out of their prolonged funk of late, going 2-0-1 in the last three after a 5-11-2 stretch. Rebounding from a heartbreaking overtime loss to division-leading Washington, they rallied for a 2-1 home victory over Boston on Monday.

Jesper Fast scored on a deflection in front with 1:42 to play after Derick Brassard had tied the game in the first minute of the third period, and Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves.

'The way we came back today, we played a really solid game and turned it up in the third, which is really a good sign that we have that determination and won't give up,' Lundqvist said.

It was the first time the Rangers overcame a deficit at the start of the third period and won in regulation. They were 0-11-2 coming in.

'The last four or five games we've started playing like ourselves,' said Brassard, who has two goals and an assist in his last three games. 'Even if we are down in the score, we see those signs that we can come back. It shows a lot of character. The difference in the third period tonight was our will, and we found a way to win the game.'

They weren't able to do so in their first game at Barclays Center on Dec. 2, coming out on the wrong end of an intense and tightly played 2-1 shootout loss. Viktor Stalberg answered John Tavares' power-play goal in the second period, but Kyle Okposo's goal in the first round was the only one of the tiebreaker.

The Islanders (23-15-5) pulled even with the Rangers going into this matchup with a 5-2 home victory over Columbus on Tuesday, avoiding a third straight loss. Brock Nelson had three goals and an assist and Thomas Greiss made 18 saves for the Islanders, 5-7-0 in their last 12.

The Islanders are 19-2-0 when they score at least three goals, including shootouts, and 16-3-2 when they score first.

'We came out flying and put them on their heels,' said center Ryan Strome, who ended a 16-game goal drought. 'It's always a hard game against Columbus. We have to come out against the Rangers the same way.'

The Islanders have been inconsistent at home of late, alternating losses and wins in the last six games. They've totaled 20 goals in their past four victories at Barclays while scoring one in each of the last three defeats.

'We'll enjoy this one tonight. I'm sure everyone will be ready for the Rangers,' forward Cal Clutterbuck said.

Catching the Capitals, who are a staggering 16 points up on both teams, looks unlikely at this point. Though still barely halfway through the season, the Rangers and Islanders appear set up for a season-long battle for the second and third automatic playoff spots and home-ice advantage for a potential first-round matchup.

"The Islanders just came off a big win. They're one of the best four-line teams in the league, and they're a big challenge for us and we're gonna have to be ready for them," coach Alain Vigneault said.

Lundqvist, who will start Thursday, has lost four straight starts against the Islanders with a 3.73 goals-against average.

Jaroslav Halak, expected back in goal for the Islanders, has given up two or fewer goals in four of his last five matchups with the Rangers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (0-0) at Capitals (30-7)

Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Less than a week after Alex Ovechkin joined the 500-goal club, Daniel Sedin could make some history of his own against him.

Looking for an 11th consecutive home victory, Ovechkin and the league-leading Washington Capitals try to prevent Sedin from becoming the Vancouver Canucks' all-time leading goal scorer Thursday night.

The Capitals have been idle since Sunday, when Ovechkin scored twice in a 7-1 rout of Ottawa to become the 43rd player to reach 500. He's scored five of his NHL-leading 26 goals in the last three games for Washington (32-7-3), which has won four in a row and outscored opponents 56-28 during a 13-1-1 stretch.

'I think when one person has success, it reflects on everybody,' coach Barry Trotz said. "It was a moment that was great for the team to share.'

In the midst of their longest home winning streak since a club-record 13-game run Jan. 5-March 6, 2010, the Capitals scored a season-high seven goals for the fourth time Sunday.

"We have a really good mentality," said forward Nicklas Backstrom, who has three goals and six assists during a six-game point streak. "We work hard every night. We try not to take nights off."

One of Ovechkin's 501 goals was the difference in a 3-2 victory at Vancouver (17-16-10) on Oct. 22. Sedin had an assist and has six along with five goals during a six-game point streak against Washington.

Sedin scored two of his team-leading 19 goals Monday, including one in overtime of a 3-2 victory over Florida to tie Markus Naslund's franchise record of 346.

"(Naslund) was an idol growing up," Sedin told the NHL's official website about his fellow Swede. "He meant so much to (me and twin brother Henrik) coming into this league.

"He's a better goal-scorer than me, no question about that. It's more about how many games I played. He will always be the No. 1 in the goal department."

In the midst of a 6-2-2 stretch, the Canucks begin a six-game eastern road swing looking to record a point in their fourth consecutive contest. They face another big challenge against the NHL's top team after beating the hottest, having snapped the Panthers' 12-game winning streak.

"We're moving on from the last game," Henrik Sedin said. "What's most important is that we won and our focus is on our next game (Thursday) in Washington."

The Capitals have converted 44.0 percent of their power-play chances in the last eight home games. The Canucks have the Western Conference's worst penalty kill on the road since the beginning of November (71.8 percent).

Vancouver is expected to start goalie Ryan Miller, who has missed the last eight games with muscle issues. Miller posted a 4.22 goals-against average while going 1-2-0 in his last four starts - all on the road. He stopped 32 shots against Washington earlier this season.

Though it's unlikely forward Brandon Sutter (sports hernia) and defenseman Luca Sbisa (hand) will play Thursday, both could return at some point on the trip. Sbisa hasn't played since Dec. 1 and Sutter since Nov. 10.

It also remains uncertain when veteran forward Mike Richards will make his Capitals debut after the club signed him last week. Richards hasn't played since last season with Los Angeles, which bought out the remaining five years of his contract after his arrest at a Canadian border in June on charges of possession of a controlled substance.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (27-13) at Canadiens (21-17)

Date: January 14, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks sat 13 points out of the Central Division lead 2 1/2 weeks ago prior to a run that has them on the verge of reaching the top.

It's been quite the opposite situation for the Montreal Canadiens lately.

Chicago seeks a ninth victory in a row when it begins a road-heavy stretch against slumping Montreal in the first of two meetings in four days Thursday night.

The Blackhawks (28-13-4) lost 4-0 at Central-leading Dallas on Dec. 22 as their deficit in the division reached double digits, and they came out of the holiday break with a 2-1 home loss to Carolina five days later to drop even further back.

They've taken advantage of Dallas' current rough patch, though, and can tie for the Central lead with a win over the Canadiens (23-17-3). Chicago's 3-2 win over Nashville on Tuesday completed a perfect four-game homestand and matched their longest winning streak since a franchise-record 11-game run Feb. 22-March 6, 2013.

Coach Joel Quenneville received a contract extension through 2019-20 earlier in the day, then matched Al Arbour for second in career victories with 782.

"We went (into Dallas) before Christmas there, (and) had to win to even think of closing the gap," Quenneville said. "They beat us, and (it was like), 'OK, that's a distant thought.'

"Things change quickly in our division, in our league and in our game. All of the sudden, we've put ourselves in a much better spot. You're thinking playoff spot, (and) now you're thinking first place."

Marian Hossa celebrated his 37th birthday by assisting on both of Andrew Shaw's goals, and Corey Crawford made 41 saves. The Montreal native has won his last five starts with a 1.58 goals-against average.

'Everyone's playing well together as a team,' Crawford said. 'Making the right plays. We're not making too many mistakes out there in all three zones. I think our team is very well-rounded right now.'

Crawford is 3-0-2 with a 1.38 GAA in his career against his hometown team, and the Blackhawks have won the last three meetings with Montreal. Chicago is beginning a stretch of playing nine of 11 on the road, with one of the rare home games coming Sunday against the Canadiens.

Even a split of those meetings likely would give Montreal a bit of a boost. It held an 11-point lead in the Atlantic on Dec. 2 but has since gone 4-13-0, falling to third behind Florida and Detroit.

Coach Michel Therrien said that Carey Price, the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner who hasn't played since Nov. 25, would not return until after the All-Star break because of a lower-body injury.

Rookie Mike Condon has done his best to fill in but is 3-8-0 with a 2.64 GAA in 11 starts and two relief appearances during Montreal's slump. He won his previous three starts before making 29 saves in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

'He played awesome,' forward Max Pacioretty said. 'We have to be better in front of him. He shut the door. A lot of big saves."

The Canadiens have dealt with a bit of a distraction this week after Alex Galchenyuk's girlfriend was arrested early Sunday morning for a domestic violence-related incident involving Galchenyuk, who chose not to file a complaint.

Fellow Montreal forward Devante Smith-Pelly also was at the apartment. The two met with general manager Marc Bergevin and Therrien on Tuesday, but teammates said the matter was being handled internally and each participated in practice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (19-18) at Blues (22-14)

Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes probably don't have much of a chance to win the Metropolitan, but a recent surge has pushed them closer to one of the division's automatic playoff berths.

The St. Louis Blues continue to rack up points as they chase the top spot in the Central.

Carolina goes for a season-high fourth straight win Thursday night when it visits a St. Louis team that has earned a point in its last five games.

The Hurricanes (19-18-7) trail first-place Washington by 22 points in the Metropolitan, but they've taken advantage of some struggles from both New York teams to pull within six points of second and third place.

Carolina moved one point back of Pittsburgh with a 3-2 win on Jeff Skinner's power-play goal in overtime Tuesday, improving to 11-5-3 in its last 19.

"We've been staring at the standings all year," said center Eric Staal, who had a goal and an assist to give him four points during the win streak. "We talked about (how) we scraped and clawed ... (and) now you've got to climb, you've got to beat teams in front of you."

Center Elias Lindholm assisted on all three goals after registering an assist in a 4-3 overtime win over Columbus on Saturday and scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jackets on Friday that started the win streak.

Carolina hasn't taken four in a row since Nov. 1-7, 2014.

"I think we have (believed we could make the playoffs) all year," Staal told the Hurricanes' official website. "I don't think that's changed. Other people might not, but I think the guys in our room have been committed to what we're trying to accomplish here.

" ... I like the vibe and feeling that we have. We have to grow that confidence and keep winning these close games. That will put us in the right spot."

St. Louis (25-14-7) had been in a bunch of close games - four straight decided after regulation - before scoring the final four goals in a 5-2 win over visiting New Jersey on Tuesday.

The Blues are 2-0-3 in their last five and sit in third place in the Central, three points behind surging Chicago and five back of Dallas.

Center Patrik Berglund scored twice against the Devils in his sixth game back after missing the first 40 with a shoulder injury, and Brian Elliott made 22 saves in his second straight win starting in place of an injured Jake Allen.

Berglund had one goal and one assist in his first five games.

"You're always worried for a player coming back from such a long-term injury, when does he hit the wall, but I think he hit the wall earlier than we thought and now he's punched through it," coach Ken Hitchcock told the Blues' official website. "He seems more energized than he's ever been, which is a good sign for us."

St. Louis won both meetings last season in shootouts and has dominated Carolina at home since the franchise moved from Hartford, going 8-2-1 with a tie.

That trend could continue as the Hurricanes enter with three losses in their last four on the road, while the Blues have gone 5-1-1 in their last seven on home ice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (17-17) at Jets (19-21)

Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

In lieu of victories in the standings, the Nashville Predators are settling for moral ones. They're well aware that needs to change.

The Predators attempt to snap their longest slide of the season by avenging the defeat that started it when they visit the last-place Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Nashville (19-17-7) is tied with Colorado for the Western Conference's second wild-card spot, one point ahead of Vancouver.

The Predators have done nothing to improve their tenuous position, losing four in a row for the first time since dropping six straight to end last season.

They're 1-6-1 in their last eight road games, losing the first three of this four-game trip after falling 3-2 to Chicago on Tuesday. Nashville found some solace in its failed attempt to overcome a three-goal deficit, outshooting the Blackhawks 33-12 over the last two periods.

"I like the fact that our team didn't quit," coach Peter Laviolette told the Predators' official website. "We have to try to build off of that. I know we have a tough game (Thursday) and I think our guys will be ready to play again.

"We have to win hockey games, and it's been frustrating because I feel like we've had that conversation too many times, so many times."

Pekka Rinne surely shares that frustration on the road. He's 1-8-2 with a 3.29 goals-against average in his last 11 starts away from home after making 20 saves Tuesday.

He had just 14 in a 4-1 loss to Winnipeg (19-21-3) on Jan. 5 after stopping 20 shots in a 7-0 win Nov. 14.

James Neal had a goal and an assist in that matchup, and he leads the Predators with 15 goals. The right wing, however, hasn't found the net in the last 17 road games and seven straight overall.

Filip Forsberg has two goals in three games after scoring at Chicago. He didn't factor in the scoring against the Jets last week after getting six points over his previous seven meetings.

The Jets, occupants of the Central Division's basement, have lost three in a row for the first time since a season-high six-game slide Nov. 5-16.

Like the Predators, frustration is mounting for Winnipeg.

"I just don't think that there's enough of an investment from everyone to get to where we need to go," right wing Blake Wheeler said. "How do we get that? That's the million-dollar question. How do we get 20-plus individuals buying into the same thing and spilling everything they have every night into it? Hopefully we'll figure it out by (Thursday)."

The Jets' attempt to snap the skid may require overcoming an absence by Tyler Myers. The defenseman got a game misconduct for cross-checking Tommy Wingels in the third period of Tuesday's 4-1 loss to San Jose.

The incident could draw the attention of the NHL's player safety department, leading to a suspension.

"I think it's a joke if I get a phone call from the league," Myers said.

Winnipeg's offense has been inconsistent during a 4-6-1 stretch, getting held to two goals or one in each of those defeats while scoring four times in three victories.

Drew Stafford had two goals at Nashville last week, tying him with Bryan Little for the team lead at 14. Stafford hasn't scored in three games since but has two assists, and Little has gone eight in a row without a goal while registering six assists.

Of Stafford's 24 points, 18 have come at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (21-14) at Coyotes (22-16)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

A subpar special teams performance sent the Detroit Red Wings to their first loss on their longest road trip of the season.

To finish that trek on a successful note, the Red Wings will have to end the Arizona Coyotes' season-best win streak Thursday night.

Detroit (22-14-7) gave up a pair of power-play goals and went 0 for 2 on the man advantage Monday in a 4-2 defeat to Los Angeles, dropping to 4-1-0 on its six-game trip. The Red Wings got their previous three wins while scoring a combined five goals.

"We got to make sure we get more pucks to the net. We got to simplify a little bit," coach Jeff Blashill said. "It's hard to score in the league. We're not scoring enough goals overall so we got to make sure we're getting more pucks to the net."

The Red Wings gave up two goals in the previous three games on their season-high win streak and killed off all seven penalties.

The Coyotes (22-16-4) have gone 6 for 11 on the man advantage over their four consecutive victories and were 3 for 4 in a 4-3 overtime victory against Edmonton on Tuesday. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the winning goal on a power play, and Max Domi had the other two in the third period to complete his first career hat trick.

"We're a confident group right now. We're playing really well," forward Anthony Duclair said. "When we play as a team, we can beat anybody in this league. I think it's just a matter of believing in ourselves. We've got some great leadership in this locker room that's been doing a great job so far. We're just going to continue on like that."

Arizona, 10-2-2 in its last 14 home games, will seek to avenge a 5-1 drubbing to the Red Wings on Dec. 3 while earning a fourth consecutive win on its own ice.

Justin Abdelkader scored the first of Detroit's three goals in the opening period of that victory, and the Red Wings outshot the Coyotes 44-27. Detroit is 2-0-1 in its last three in the series and won 3-1 in its latest trip to Arizona on Feb. 7 after losing in three of the previous four visits.

Petr Mrazek was in net for that victory - his only appearance against the Coyotes - and is expected to start this game. He has a 1.25 goals-against average in four consecutive wins.

The Coyotes will likely counter with rookie Louis Domingue, who has a 1.47 GAA in four consecutive victories. Domingue, called up from the minors Dec. 11, has never faced Detroit.

"At the end of the day, I knew I could play here," Domingue told the team's official website. "I took a big step in my game, my confidence level. I practiced better and I'm trying to elevate that every day."

Red Wings defenseman Alexey Marchenko is expected to be a healthy scratch after scoring his first goal of the season in Los Angeles, and forward Drew Miller is expected to remain out for an extended period because of a torn left meniscus.

Detroit's penalty kill has operated at 84.6 percent in its 28 games with Miller and 68.8 percent without him.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (19-18) at Avalanche (21-20)

Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Poor offense is back hurting the New Jersey Devils, and bad defense is plaguing the Colorado Avalanche again.

Those problems have dropped both clubs just outside the playoff picture but could result in one having a breakout performance Thursday night in Denver.

Yet, it was the Avalanche (21-20-3) who won a low-scoring affair in New Jersey on Dec. 1, winning 2-1 behind goals by Matt Duchene and Tyson Barrie. Colorado is 8-0-1 in the past nine matchups after winning the last five - all by one goal.

Cory Schneider has been victimized by the Devils' anemic offense during that skid, losing all five meetings despite a 1.75 goals-against average, and it's been a similar story lately. He has a 1.68 GAA in his last six starts but won only three of them.

Struggling to score is nothing new for the Devils (21-18-5), second to last in the league with 2.20 goals per game. Even on a three-game win streak that carried them through the new year, they scored just three goals in each victory.

Since that run, New Jersey has totaled six goals in five games while going 1-4-0 - clearly missing Mike Cammalleri's presence. The Devils' points leader has sat out six straight games with an upper-body injury and won't return until Saturday in Arizona at the earliest.

No New Jersey player averages more shots than Cammalleri (2.6), and the club has only mustered 20.6 per game in the last five to drop its league-worst average to 24.5.

The Devils went 17:07 without a shot between the second and third periods Tuesday and were outscored 4-0 over the final 40 minutes in a 5-2 loss at St. Louis.

"When the game was tight in the third period, we have to have a little bit more resolve to get ourselves back in there," coach John Hynes said.

New Jersey has dropped to ninth in the Eastern Conference after being tied for the sixth-most points earlier this month, just as Colorado has done in the West following a pair of blowout losses.

The Avalanche fell behind by four goals in the second period of Sunday's 6-3 defeat in Chicago, then was outshot 38-21 in Tuesday's 4-0 home loss to Tampa Bay.

'Obviously, it was not a good performance by our team," coach Patrick Roy said. "We were not good at all.'

Roy's club remains among the NHL's worst defensively, surrendering an average of 2.89 goals and a West-high 31.3 shots per game.

Colorado had been on a 9-2-2 run before the ugly losses to the Blackhawks and Lightning.

"The reason why we won some games is because we played well defensively, and we got away from that," Roy told the NHL's official website.

Roy did feel Semyon Varlamov "had a good game" Tuesday despite allowing four goals on 38 shots. He was pulled in the second period Sunday. With backup Reto Berra (ankle) still out, Varlamov has started seven consecutive games but has a 3.70 GAA.

It was Berra who won last month in New Jersey, but Varlamov has won his last four starts against the Devils while allowing five goals.

New Jersey hasn't scored a power-play goal in seven straight against the Avalanche and doesn't have one in its last five games overall. Colorado has let opponents score on 25 percent of its chances over the past 14 games.

That penalty-killing unit will soon get a boost from the return of defenseman Erik Johnson, who has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury but returned to practice Tuesday.

New Jersey will be without forward Bobby Farnham, who was suspended for four games for an interference penalty against the Blues.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (14-23) at Sharks (20-18)

Date: January 14, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Nobody can deny the success Todd McLellan had in seven seasons as coach of the San Jose Sharks.

Unfortunately for him, the majority of it came in the regular season.

McLellan returns to San Jose for the first time as coach of the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night hoping his team can end a six-game road skid.

The Sharks were a playoff team in each of McLellan's first six seasons, won three Pacific Division titles and advanced to the Western Conference finals twice. McLellan compiled a 311-163-66 mark with San Jose, but his 30-32 postseason record was disappointing for a franchise that always had Stanley Cup aspirations.

After the Sharks finished with 89 points last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002-03, McLellan and the team agreed to mutually part ways.

However, he wasn't out of work long as he was hired in May by an Oilers team that hasn't been to the playoffs since reaching the Cup finals in 2006.

McLellan already has a win against his old team, 4-3 in overtime Dec. 9.

"I think the first time back is a little bit different but we've got work to do," he told the Oilers' official website. "We're playing a team that's on fire right now. They're playing really well. Like most nights, we'll have our work cut out for us."

The victory over the Sharks was part of a six-game win streak for the Oilers, but they've gone 3-8-2 since to sink to the bottom of the conference.

Edmonton's struggles continued with a 4-3 overtime loss at Arizona on Tuesday, dropping to 0-4-2 in the past six road games.

"It's just tough to swallow because when you think we play well and the result is obviously not what you want, it's frustrating,' forward Jordan Eberle said.

Eberle has been a bright spot with two goals and seven points in five games.

Anders Nilsson hasn't been nearly as helpful. He lost his fourth straight start Tuesday with a 4.29 goals-against average in that span.

Cam Talbot has been much better lately, posting a 1.78 GAA in his last five starts.

The Oilers (17-23-4) are expected to get forward Nail Yakupov back after he missed 22 games with an ankle injury. Yakupov has two goals and 12 points in 22 games.

Even with a league-low six wins on home ice, the Sharks (21-18-2) are third in the Pacific and would be a playoff team if the season ended today. Still, San Jose's 6-12-0 home record is one of the biggest curiosities in the first half and has just about offset its 15-6-2 road mark which ranks among the NHL's best.

That road success continued with wins over Calgary and Winnipeg on back-to-back nights. The Sharks held on for a 5-4 victory over the Flames on Monday before scoring one power-play goal and another short-handed in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Jets, their third in a four-night span.

"It's two different records almost," Alex Stalock, who made 21 saves Tuesday, told the team's official website. "We've got to figure out the (record) at home. But we like the way we've been playing the past four games. We really do."

Brent Burns has been excellent those four games and beyond that with six goals and six assists during a career-high eight-game point streak. He ranks second among all defensemen with 40 points.

The Sharks are 10-1-2 in their last 13 home games against the Oilers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - January

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
1/1 2 10.5 9 UNDER
1/2 12 61.5 63 OVER
1/3 4 21 22 OVER
1/4 5 27 17 UNDER
1/5 8 43.5 46 OVER
1/6 5 26.5 23 UNDER
1/7 7 38.5 29 UNDER
1/8 6 31.5 34 OVER
1/9 10 53 47 UNDER
1/10 6 30 32 OVER
1/11 4 20.5 22 OVER
1/12 8 42.5 45 OVER
1/13 4 - - -
1/14 8 - - -
1/15 6 - - -
1/16 10 - - -
1/17 7 - - -
1/18 5 - - -
1/19 8 - - -
1/20 3 - - -
1/21 10 - - -
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 11 - - -
1/24 5 - - -
1/25 6 - - -
1/26 9 - - -
1/27 4 - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 No games scheduled - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Washington won eight of last ten games. Canucks are 5-3 in their last eight games.
-- Blackhawks won their last eight games.
-- Carolina won last three games; four of its last six games went OT/SO. Blues won last two games after losing previous five.
-- Arizona won its last four games. Red Wings won four of their last five games.
-- Sharks won last three games, scoring 16 goals.

Cold teams
-- Rangers lost four of their last five road games. Islanders are 2-3 in last five games.
-- Canadiens lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Predators lost last four games, outscored 16-6. Winnipeg lost four of last five games.
-- Devils lost four of their last five games. Colorado lost its last two games, 6-3/4-0.
-- Edmonton lost its last three games.

Series records
-- Islanders won four of last six games with the Rangers.
-- Canucks won six of last eight games with Washington.
-- Blackhawks won four of last five games with Montreal.
-- Blues won three of last four games with Carolina.
-- Nashville-Winnipeg split their last ten games.
-- Detroit-Arizona split their last ten games.
-- Devils lost their last five games with Colorado.
-- Sharks won five of last eight games with Edmonton.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Ranger-Islander games stayed under.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Washington games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Chicago-Montreal games.
-- Three of last four St Louis games went over total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Nashville games.
-- Under is 3-1 in last four games for both Detroit/Arizona.
-- Nine of last ten New Jersey-Colorado games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Edmonton-San Jose games went over.

Back-to-backs
-- None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Nets G Jack expected back next season after knee surgery
By The Sports Xchange

Brooklyn Nets guard Jarrett Jack underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery on his right knee and a full recovery is expected, the team announced Wednesday.
The surgery was performed by the Nets' medical director, Dr. Riley J. Williams, and Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. The team said Jack will be ready to participate in full basketball activities for the 2016-17 season.
Jack, 32, sustained the injury during the second half at the Boston Celtics on Jan. 2. He played and started in 32 games for Brooklyn this season, averaging 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 7.4 assists.

---The Nets are expected to consider former Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo for their GM opening.
Sources told ESPN.com that Colangelo, 50, a two-time former NBA Executive of the Year, is high on the Nets' list of potential candidates to succeed Billy King, who was reassigned within the organization last Sunday after a 5 1/2-year tenure.
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov also fired coach Lionel Hollins and said he planned to interview a number of candidates for his both his GM and coaching vacancies.

---The Chicago Bulls recalled forward/center Cristiano Felicio from the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League.
Felicio, 23, was originally assigned to Canton on Dec. 31. He appeared in three games, averaging 15 points and 4.7 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10, 275-pound Felicio has scored two points in two games with the Bulls this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (24-15) at Magic (20-18)

Date: January 14, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors are taking a circuitous route to complete one of their longest stretches away from home this season.

The Raptors will face the Orlando Magic in London on Thursday in search of their fourth consecutive win.

Toronto (24-15) didn't venture out of the Eastern Time Zone on this trip prior to crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The Raptors opened that stretch with a 122-100 loss at Cleveland on Jan. 4 but have won their past three contests by a combined 39 points even with starting forward DeMarre Carroll recovering from right knee surgery.

They shot 54.7 percent while topping Philadelphia 108-95 on Saturday, and Kyle Lowry scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter.

"Hopefully, we'll use this trip to England as a mini training camp sort of situation," coach Dwane Casey said. "We have a lot of things to get better."

This is the NBA's sixth regular season game in London, and the Raptors played in the first two from March 4-5, 2011, losing both to the then-New Jersey Nets.

The Orlando Magic had a pair of exhibition games against Atlanta there in October 1993 with current coach Scott Skiles playing point guard.

"I remember playing in London with the Magic in 1993 and I am sure our current players will relish this unique opportunity," Skiles said.

A chance of scenery might do the Magic some good after losing five of their first six games in 2016. Orlando (20-18) fell 105-99 to Washington on Saturday before heading across the Atlantic.

"This trip could help us or hurt us because it's a long trip," guard Evan Fournier said. "Toronto's a very good team and if we lose the game, it can kind of break our spirit. We really have to take this trip seriously as professionals."

Orlando snapped an 11-game losing streak to Toronto and ended the Raptors' franchise-best 5-0 start with a 92-87 victory in the first meeting this season Nov. 6. Tobias Harris led the way with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Victor Oladipo chipped in 18, giving him a combined 37 points in the past two meetings.

The lengthy break could give Magic starting point guard Elfrid Payton an opportunity to return from a four-game absence because of a bruised left ankle. Payton practiced Wednesday, and there's a chance he might come off the bench.

He was averaging 11.0 points and 5.9 assists before his injury.

"It felt good to be back out there. Explosiveness was OK, almost back to 100 (percent)," Payton said. "But I'm feeling better, way better. I'm just going to go get more treatment and see how I feel for (Thursday).

"I'm very eager (to return). I want to help my teammates as much as I can."

Payton was held scoreless in the most recent game against Toronto. Harris, meanwhile, is averaging 19.3 points on 57.1 percent shooting in his last four matchups, but he's also averaging 9.0 while shooting 36.8 percent in his first six contests in 2016.

Toronto's DeMar DeRozan has a combined 52 points in his last two games against Orlando.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (22-15) at 76ers (4-36)

Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls' roller-coaster ride of a season has taken another downward plunge. Making matters worse, Joakim Noah is reportedly unhappy with his diminished role.

A date with the NBA's worst team might solve those problems at least temporarily - though the Bulls will be without their starting center and might also be missing star guard Derrick Rose.

The visiting Bulls try to avoid their longest slide in two years Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Following their second three-game losing streak of the season in mid-December, Chicago (22-15) appeared to iron out its issues by winning seven of eight.

The Bulls averaged 107.9 points and held opponents to 100.4 in that span, but their scoring average has dipped to 102.0 and they've allowed 113.3 in three straight losses. They forced a season-low five turnovers in Tuesday's 106-101 defeat at Milwaukee.

Among Eastern Conference teams, only the 76ers' minus-3.4 turnover differential is worse than Chicago's minus-2.6 mark.

"I think we all have the team's best interests at heart," guard Jimmy Butler told the team's official website after recording 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists Tuesday. "You have ups and down through the season, but through times like this we have to stick together."

Rose tried to play through a strained left patella before leaving early in the fourth quarter. Chicago has won four of five without Rose, who is listed as questionable against 4-36 Philadelphia.

A report surfaced after Tuesday's game that Noah is unhappy despite publicly putting on a good face after he was made a reserve by coach Fred Hoiberg at the start of the season. It certainly didn't help the two-time All-Star's case that the Bulls won seven of nine while he was out with a sore shoulder.

Noah, who started all but two of his games over the previous five seasons, is averaging a career-low 4.3 points and 8.8 rebounds for the Bulls, who are looking to avoid their first four-game skid since Dec. 14-19, 2013.

They should have a good chance to do so as they face a woeful Philadelphia team that's lost its last three by an average of 17 points. Jahlil Okafor scored 21 and Ish Smith added 18 points and 10 assists Sunday, but the Sixers fell 95-85 at home to Cleveland despite shooting 45.5 percent.

Philadelphia was done in by 19 turnovers, 6-for-18 shooting from 3-point range and a 9-for-19 effort on foul shots.

Smith has averaged 19.8 points and 8.0 assists in his last four games, while Okafor has scored 20.3 and shot 58.7 percent over his last three.

The Chicago native totaled 43 points and 23 rebounds as Philadelphia dropped the previous two meetings with the Bulls by a combined 42.

"I'm just trying to figure this whole thing out my first year," he told the team's official website.

Okafor could be a factor again as Chicago is minus-60 in paint points during its losing streak. The 76ers outscored the Bulls 50-38 in that category Nov. 9 but suffered a 111-88 home loss.

He also won't have to contend with center Pau Gasol, who will sit out to rest.

Chicago held a 48-40 edge in the paint and 53-36 on the glass in a 115-96 victory at the United Center on Dec. 14.

Nikola Mirotic totaled 37 points while going 8 of 15 from 3-point range in the two meetings. Averaging 11.1 points, he's recorded four games of 17 or more in the past seven.

The Bulls have won eight meetings in a row and 13 of the past 14.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (21-17) at Grizzlies (21-19)

Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

In between home dates against the two best teams in basketball, it would seem easy for the Detroit Pistons to not be entirely focused on a trip to Memphis.

Considering what happened when they saw the Grizzlies last month, it'd be shocking if they weren't.

Losing on a halfcourt shot should have the Pistons eager for some payback Thursday night as they try to beat the Grizzlies for just the second time in the last 13 meetings.

Detroit (21-17) won three straight heading into a week that's bookended by visits from San Antonio and Golden State, but it couldn't hang with the NBA's hottest team Tuesday. Trailing by nine at halftime, the Pistons never got closer than six in the second half of a 109-99 loss to the Spurs.

"What I said to them after the game, you're going to have to play a full game against a team like that," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I thought we played about 24 minutes tonight. ... That's not going to be enough against a team like that."

The final two minutes did the Pistons in when Memphis (21-19) visited The Palace on Dec. 9, though missing their last five shots after going up 92-87 with 1:48 left shouldn't have mattered. But thanks to Matt Barnes' halfcourt heave with 1.1 seconds left, Detroit was left with a stunning 93-92 loss that Reggie Jackson called his team's toughest of the season.

Considering the Pistons allowed 13 offensive rebounds in the second half that led to 14 second-chance points, Van Gundy wasn't letting the loss boil down to Barnes' prayer being answered.

"The last shot, that one you can handle," he said. I mean, what are you going to do? ... But when you give up nine offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and you don't execute down the stretch ... then those things are going to happen to you. You don't give yourself a chance to win so, it's not just that shot. We didn't do our job down the stretch."

It's unclear if Barnes will even be available to face the Pistons this time. He missed Tuesday's 107-91 loss to Houston with a right thumb contusion and Mike Conley sat out a fourth straight game with a sore left Achilles.

Unlike in Detroit last month, it was offensive rebounding that hurt the Grizzlies on Tuesday. The Rockets had 18 that led to 28 second-chance points, the most Memphis has allowed since April 8, 2011.

"It seemed like every time they got an offensive rebound it was a 3-pointer and not just a putback," coach Dave Joerger said.

Zach Randolph had seven of Memphis' 16 offensive boards in Detroit and finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds in one of his final games as a starter. He's thrived off the bench lately, having put up at least 24 points in each of the Grizzlies' three wins in their past five games.

Memphis is 13-5 when Randolph scores at least 14.

Randolph has averaged 18.5 points and 12.8 rebounds while playing in 10 games during Memphis' 11-1 stretch in this series.

While Randolph is coming off the bench and Barnes and Conley are in question, another starter's status is uncertain after Tuesday's game. Jeff Green didn't play in the second half after logging 15 minutes in the first.

"That's my decision for various reasons, but I'm not going to go into it,' Joerger said. 'It wasn't a disciplinary thing at all.'

Green, who has started the last 30 games, is shooting 25 percent in January.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (27-9) at Spurs (34-6)

Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers should be feeling pretty good these days thanks to an eight-game winning streak, a perfect start to their longest road trip of 2015-16 and Kyrie Irving's latest big performance.

And, hey, they were the last team to win at the AT&T Center - 10 months ago.

As high as the Cavaliers have been, the San Antonio Spurs have been on another level as they seek their 32nd straight win at home when two of the NBA's best teams meet on Thursday night.

With Golden State stealing the show through the early part of the season, San Antonio (34-6) has quietly built the best start in the storied franchise's history. The Spurs are riding a season-high nine-game winning streak and are 22-0 at the AT&T Center, the second-best start at home by a Western Conference team ever behind Portland's 26-0 in 1977-78.

The last time San Antonio walked off its own court with a loss came in a 128-125 overtime defeat to Cleveland on March 12 thanks to Irving's career-high 57 points.

Since, the games haven't been close. The Spurs hold a plus-16.1 points per game differential at home, on pace to be the second best of all time behind the 1995-96 Bulls' 17.1. San Antonio's total of plus-14.1 would be the NBA's best ever.

The Spurs' 93.5 points per 100 possessions allowed are on pace to be the fewest in the league in more than a decade. The last team to do better? San Antonio itself in 2003-04 at 91.6.

The last four wins have featured as many different leading scorers: Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker. Parker had 14 points in the first five minutes of the third quarter en route to a season-high 31 in Tuesday's 109-99 win at Detroit.

'I don't know how to explain that - it is just going to happen,' Parker said. 'There are so many weapons on this team; it can be anyone any night.'

More nights than not it's going to be LeBron James for Cleveland (27-9), but the Cavaliers' latest win suggests they might be close to getting Irving all the way back as he continues to find his footing after fracturing his kneecap in the NBA Finals.

Irving has averaged 16.5 points in 10 games since returning last month. After scoring eight points on 3-of-15 shooting in Sunday's 95-85 win at Philadelphia, he had 22 points and nine assists in Tuesday's 110-107 overtime win at Dallas.

That was the Cavs' fourth straight win to open a six-game road trip that includes stops in all three Texas cities. Cleveland has won eight straight for a second time this season.

Irving sank a 3 to put Cleveland up 109-105 with 13 seconds left Tuesday off a pass from James, who has averaged 27.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 7 assists the last four games but passed up an open jumper.

'It's just the confidence I have in him and he has the confidence in his self,' James said.

James had 31 points in 44 minutes of the OT win at San Antonio after being held to 15 points in a 92-90 loss in Cleveland earlier in the season. Kevin Love totaled 18 points on 6-of-22 shooting against the Spurs last season.