Thursday 1/19/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (28-16) at Maple Leafs (21-13)

Date: January 19, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have caught the right kind of break in the injury department, while the New York Rangers are having trouble catching anything in the goaltending department.

The Rangers (28-16-1) are coming off a 7-6 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and will try end a three-game losing streak when they play the Maple Leafs on Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre.

The Leafs (21-13-8), who are on a three-game winning streak, beat the Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist allowed seven goals on 27 shots before he was replaced by backup Magnus Hellberg to start the third period Tuesday.

Lundqvist has allowed 16 goals on 76 shots over his last seven periods.

"I feel like it's embarrassing, frustrating and disappointing at the same time," Lundqvist said.

The good news for the Maple Leafs came Wednesday morning when Morgan Rielly was listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury that appeared as though it could be worse when he left the 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday in the first period. After he left the ice in pain, he tried one more shift before calling it a night.

The team's top defenseman walked without a noticeable limp Wednesday after falling awkwardly on his right knee in the game Tuesday. There were fears that the injury could be more severe than it seems to have turned out. He will miss the game against the Rangers.

"I watched (the replay) a couple of times." Rielly said. "The way it looks is pretty much the way it felt. I'm happy I'm walking around, and feeling better than I was."

Frank Corrado, who has just completed a conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies, will take Rielly's place on the roster, and will partner Connor Carrick.

"When you go down awkwardly and you don't know what happened, you get concerned," Rielly said. "We have a great staff here. The doctors took good care of it. We have a good idea of what's going on. Right now, it's day to day, so that's good news."

"Morgan is a huge part of our team and you never want to see that happen," said Corrado, who has played one game this season with Toronto. "It's an opportunity nonetheless."

Jake Gardiner, who will take Rielly's spot with Nikita Zaitsev on the No. 1 defensive pairing, has had a good season.

"I think (Gardiner has) played well," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "He's like any player -- he's had some dips -- but he really moves the puck, he really skates. We're on him lots about his defensive detail just because we think he can get to another level as a player yet."

If the Rangers could take any encouragement from the loss to the Stars, it was their third-periods comeback from being 7-3 down.

"It shouldn't take us an embarrassment, beating, or whatever you want to call it, to get ourselves to play with some pace and energy," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "Individually here, and as a team, we've got to find a way to come out with a jump and come out with that intensity."

"We were all scratching heads, trying to figure out what was going in the first two periods," Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said. "We left the slot wide open and we left (Lundqvist) out to dry."

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said that Lundqvist would start Thursday. The team's No. 2 goaltender, Antti Raanta, is still out with a lower-body injury. Hellberg has been in three career NHL games with no starts.

"(Lundqvist is) going to play, he's going to try real hard, and we're going to try to play better in front of him," Vigneault said. "This is a team. We're all going to stick with one another and do what we can to get out of this."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (29-9) at Blues (23-17)

Date: January 19, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- This might not be a good time for the St. Louis Blues to play the Washington Capitals.

The Blues have lost four of their last five games at Scottrade Center and are struggling both on offense and in goal as they prepare to host the Capitals on Thursday night.

They might see an angry bunch of Washington players, too.

The Capitals saw their nine-game winning streak snapped on Monday night -- even though they scored seven goals, losing a wild 8-7 overtime game in Pittsburgh. The focus against the Blues is to hit the reset button and bounce back from their first loss since Dec. 29.

"It was just a good reality check, just to say, you know, you're not that good," Justin Williams told The Washington Post. "You've still got to work for things, and it's not going to come easy for you. It was a good challenge for us."

Despite Williams' statement, the Capitals have been good, all season, sitting in a tie with Columbus for the most points in the NHL with 64 and earning at least one point in 11 consecutive games. They have been especially hot offensively of late, having scored 47 goals in their last 10 games.

Coach Barry Trotz expects the Capitals will be able to quickly forget about the loss in Pittsburgh.

"We're going to talk about, let's bounce back in our game, you know?" Trotz told the Post. "I have a lot of trust in this group. We're a veteran group. Even when momentum was going the other way, it could have been easy to call timeout, slow things down, but I have a lot of faith in the group, that they are good enough to respond after a little bit of adversity."

The Blues have dealt with their own share of adversity, and will be trying to bounce back themselves from a 6-4 loss at home to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. Backup goalie Carter Hutton, after winning two consecutive starts, got the nod again in place of a struggling Jake Allen and allowed five goals on 23 shots.

Allen has been pulled from three of his last five starts, including in his last game Jan. 10 in Los Angeles against the Kings, when he gave up three goals on 15 shots.

The Blues had a day off on Wednesday so there was no announcement on whether Allen or Hutton will start against the Capitals.

Regardless of the identity of the netminder, his first challenge will be trying to snap a streak which has seen the Blues allow the game's first goal in their last seven home games.

The Blues also need to find a way to get their leading scorer, Vladimir Tarasenko, back on track. Tarasenko has been held to just two assists in his last five games. He had just two shots on goal against the Senators.

"He's not getting any chances," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It's something we've got to talk about. Not scoring is one thing, but he's not getting any grade-A chances, he's not getting any quality chances, there's no second chances. That's something we've got to talk about."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (13-25) at Wild (28-10)

Date: January 19, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- One of the remarkable changes for the Minnesota Wild under first-year coach Bruce Boudreau has been a consistency in the team's approach after years of dramatic swings in play.

Only once this season has Minnesota lost consecutive games in regulation, and that was Nov. 1 and 5 while still gelling under Boudreau's guidance.

The Wild host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday trying to recover from a rare loss Tuesday at home against the New Jersey Devils.

"I always say it's a long season," Minnesota goaltender Devan Dubnyk said after the loss. "Every game's not going to be perfect. For 95 percent of the time, we're real good in that situation. So, we're fine. We know how to play in these situations. It just doesn't make it any less frustrating to give away a couple of points."

Of course, the Wild haven't lost much at all recently, let alone in consecutive games. Their 10 regulation losses are the fewest in the Western Conference. Tuesday's 4-3 loss to New Jersey was only their second in regulation since Dec. 2. They had won 17 of 20 games.

But the Devils scored three times in the third to surprise Minnesota, and had Boudreau plenty upset following the game.

"It was stupid," Boudreau said of his defensemen chasing pucks in the offensive zone. "We pinch with a 3-2 lead with no one behind us. I mean, it's stuff we don't do, haven't done all year. I don't know what our thought process is there. Their winning goal, we have three guys caught. A 4-on-2, they come down, and then it's a 1-on-5 in the zone and nobody's doing anything. It was just dumb hockey."

Meanwhile, the Wild are playing without one of their steadiest defenseman in Jonas Brodin. Brodin broke a finger in Tuesday's game and left in the second period. The team announced he'd miss a minimum of four weeks.

Brodin had three goals and 13 assists in 43 games. He'll likely be replaced in the lineup by Nate Prosser for Thursday'sgame. Prosser was scratched in nine of the past 10 games.

"He's a good player, so it's a big loss," Boudreau told the team's website. "But good teams persevere. We don't fold like an accordion. Somebody (else) gets into the lineup and he has to do just as good."

Minnesota likely won't get much sympathy from Arizona. The Coyotes lost for the 12th time in 14 games on Wednesday in Winnipeg.

They were also without center Martin Hanzal, who has nine goals and six assists this season to rank fifth on the team in points. Hanzal was out for personal reasons and the team hadn't announced whether he'd return Thursday.

Fourth-leading scorer Max Domi is also out with a hand injury. He resumed skating, according to the Arizona Republic, but hasn't played since Dec. 8.

"At this point of the season, you can't be saying youth or veterans," forward Shane Doan said to the team's website after being asked about the team after Wednesday's loss. "It's got to be our team. Our team is what it is. We got to be better. It's a bunch of different things but it's really, if you have a little successs you got to understand the team's going to answer and push back.

Josh Jooris, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jakob Chychrun scored for Arizona in the 6-3 loss to Winnipeg. Goaltender Mike Smith was pulled after allowing six goals on 35 shots. Louis Domingue made four saves in relief.

"We haven't been able to put 60 minutes together and we're going to have to find ways to do that," Ekman-Larsson told the team's website. "It's frustrating right now."

The Coyotes lost nine of the last 12 meetings against the Wild. Minnesota is in the process of playing 13 of 18 games at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (20-17) at Flames (24-20)

Date: January 19, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

CALGARY, Alberta -- Sean Monahan has found his scoring touch of late with goals in three straight games.

The 22-year-old center is hoping to keep his hot streak going when the Calgary Flames (24-20-3) host the Nashville Predators (20-17-7) on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

"Right now, this is an important part of the season and this is the time for me to step up obviously," said Monahan, who went through an 11-game goal drought from mid-December until he found the back of the net last Friday.

"These next 10, 15 games can determine a lot, so we've got to be pushing here and I want to be a guy who can take some charge here."

Even before Monahan started scoring, Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan noticed that the fourth-year NHLer was doing a lot of good things at both ends of the ice.

"I see Mony in the defensive side of the game trying to do everything right," Gulutzan said after Monahan had a goal and an assist in Calgary's 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers at home on Tuesday. "He's committed to playing a 200-foot game. I've liked what he's done and his mindset of approaching games. Now to get the three goals is just the icing on the cake."

While the line of Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik and Matthew Tkachuk has been carrying most of the load offensively for the Flames recently, Troy Brouwer said he believes that other lines will start to chip in as well.

"There's guys in here that are carrying us and everyone's still doing what they need to do to win," said Brouwer, who has found chemistry lately playing on right wing alongside Monahan. "Your top players are not going to be the ones to score goals every night. It's going to be the supporting cast. We're learning from a few games (where) we're having breakdowns in our game and we're getting better. We're evolving as a team."

The Flames will face a Predators squad that will be eager to atone for a 1-0 loss they suffered in Vancouver to the Canucks on Tuesday.

"This is the time of the year where you have to put points in the bank," defenseman Matt Irwin said after Tuesday's loss. "You just have to find a way to get one or two, especially on the road. We were right there (against the Canucks). Unfortunately, we didn't get it, but there's parts of our game we really liked. We'll have to carry that into a couple more tough buildings on the road here and get some more points."

After facing the Flames in Calgary on Thursday, the Predators head north to Edmonton to take on the Oilers the next night.

Defenseman P.K. Subban, who has missed Nashville's past 15 games with an upper-body injury, practiced with the Predators in Calgary on Wednesday and could make his return to the lineup soon.

"He looked good," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette told reporters while remaining tight-lipped about whether Subban will play Thursday. "But he looked good yesterday, and he looked good four days ago."

The Predators claimed defenseman Brad Hunt on waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and he joined the team in Calgary.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Avalanche (13-28) at Ducks (25-13)

Date: January 19, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks will seek to become vultures when they face the Colorado Avalanche, the NHL's worst team, on Thursday night at the Honda Center.

The Ducks began 2017 with seven victories in their first nine games to take over first place in the Pacific Division. With 59 points, Anaheim owns the Western Conference's third-best record.

Colorado, however, has won only four of its last 24 games and has the fewest points in the NHL, 27.

As a result, the Avalanche have decided to start planning for the future. Hall of Famer Joe Sakic, the team's general manager, made it known that virtually every player on his roster is available for trade.

That includes the Avalanche's two best veterans: center Matt Duchene, the team's leading goal scorer, and left winger Gabriel Landeskog, the team captain.

"Right now, we're not playing for a whole heck of a lot other than pride," Duchene told the Denver Post.

Making matters worse is the fact that goalie Semyon Varlamov will not play until after the All-Star break, the Avalanche announced on Wednesday.

Varlamov sustained a groin injury Dec. 22 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He started three games since but lost all three while conceding 11 goals.

In his last start Tuesday night, Varlamov allowed five goals on 26 shots as the Chicago Blackhawks rallied from a 4-3 deficit for a 6-4 win.

Colorado defenseman Francois Beauchemin attributed the collapse to the "same story, a couple of turnovers and we don't get the puck out.

We've got to learn. Enough is enough. We keep saying it and saying it. At one point, it's going to have to stop."

For the Ducks, the future is now, especially with such key players as Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa ranging between 31 and 35.

But Kesler is on pace for 31 goals, his most in six years. Line mate Jakob Silfverberg, on pace for a career-best 28 goals, has quietly developed into one of the game's best two-way players at 26.

Rickard Rakell, 23, is enjoying a breakout season that would end with 43 goals at his current scoring rate.

"Ricky can really hurt the opposition and make a contribution, and not really have a lot of chances," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said after Rakell scored the winning goal to give his team a 2-1 overtime victory Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"That's the art of a guy who can snipe."

Defensively, the Ducks have allowed no more than two goals in any of the last eight games.

Goalie John Gibson, 23, has permitted only 22 goals in his last 13 starts while going 8-1-4 with two shutouts.

Defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen own ratings of plus-8 and plus-6, respectively. Team defense enabled Anaheim to survive being out-shot 18-9 in the first two periods Tuesday night.

"We were boring; there's no doubt about that," Getzlaf said. "We're playing a high-flying team and we're trying not to turn the puck over and feed their offense.

"We tried to let them do all their little dipsy-doodles in the neutral zone and not give up too much."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (21-20) at Sharks (27-16)

Date: January 19, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been wracked by injuries, losing nearly 140 man-games this season. However, they still believe a playoff berth is in reach and that defense will be what gets them there.

Tampa Bay wraps up the California portion of its six-game road trip Thursday night when it closes out the season series with the San Jose Sharks, who are looking for their third win in four games at SAP Center.

The Lightning dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the Sharks on Nov. 12. Earning a split vs. San Jose may not be easy.

Tampa Bay (21-20-5) is without Ryan Callahan -- a four-time 20-goal scorer -- for at least three more weeks due to a lower-body injury after he missed 29 games during two previous injured-reserve stints with hip and lower-body injuries. Steven Stamkos, the face of the franchise, won't be back until at least mid-March as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The loss of defenseman Victor Hedman for any length of time may hurt the most. Hedman sat out the past two games with an illness, and his status Thursday was unknown. He leads all defensemen with 31 assists and is second with 38 points, trailing only the Sharks' Brent Burns (46 points).

"When you're playing great team defense and everybody's committed, it's OK to lose one guy. Naturally, we don't want this to linger any farther than tonight," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of Hedman on Tuesday after a 2-1 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks and one night after beating the Los Angeles Kings by the same score. "We can't sit here and say 'poor me' because some superstars are out. ... But when you're playing (defense) as a team, good things can happen."

While Cooper is hanging his hat on the team's defense, the Lightning are in the bottom third of the league in goals allowed per game (2.89) and are 2-8-3 away from home since Nov. 21.

One positive recently was the play of goalie Ben Bishop, who has allowed just five goals while winning two of three games after missing nine with a lower-body injury.

"We got three out of four points on a back-to-back, and that's not very easy," said Bishop, who's won each of his last two starts at SAP Center. "We've got to watch the video, see what we did right and get ready for San Jose."

Valtteri Filppula scored the Lightning's lone goal against Anaheim, giving him five points (goal, four assists) in a season-high five-game streak.

San Jose (27-16-2) returns home after holding off the Kings for a 3-2 win Wednesday.

"It was a good feeling in this room when we came in here," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. "We put a complete effort out there."

Pavelski's goal gave San Jose a 3-1 lead midway through the second period. Burns also scored his team-best 19th goal, and Joe Thornton picked up two assists to move up the all-time scoring list.

With 1,370 points, Thornton overtook Johnny Bucyk for 24th place. He needs four points to tie Mike Modano for 23rd.

While he may not immediately reach the next milestone, Thornton could take a step closer to it. The top overall pick by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 draft has points in 12 of the Sharks' past 14 meetings with the Lightning, posting four goals with 13 assists.

Another longtime veteran who has consistently produced in recent years versus Tampa Bay is Patrick Marleau, taken one spot after Thornton by San Jose nearly 20 years ago. Marleau has points in 10 of his past 12 games against the Lightning, totaling six goals and 11 assists.

Logan Couture is expected to be back in San Jose's lineup after missing the Wednesday win due to an illness. Couture, who has 14 goals and 13 assists, has scored once in his past four games vs. the Lightning. He had four goals and five assists over his first four matchups with them.

 

[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 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 - - -
1/19 8 - - -
1/20 6 - - -
1/21 11 - - -
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 6 - - -
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Thursday’s games

Islanders won four of last six games with Dallas; home side won last four series games. Dallas lost 7-3/7-5/6-5 in last three visits to Brooklyn; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Dallas Stars lost six of last nine games; they’re 2-3 in last five road games. Over is 6-2 in their last eight games. Islanders lost four of last six games, both overall and at home; under is 4-2 in their last six games.

Ottawa won seven of last ten games with Columbus; Senators won four of last five visits to Ohio. Under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Ottawa won three of its last four games, split last four on road. Three of their last four games went over total. Blue Jackets are 3-4 in last seven games but won last two home games, 2-1/4-1; over is 5-4-1 in their last ten games.

Rangers won four of last five games with Toronto, in series where road team won six of last nine series games. Five of their last seven games went over total. New York allowed 16 goals in losing their last three games; they’ve won four of last five road games. Over is 8-2 in their last ten games. Maple Leafs won three in row, eight of last ten games, but they’re 3-5 in last eight at home. Six of their last seven games went over.

Road team won four of last six Washington-St Louis games; Caps won last two, 5-1/4-3 and also won three of their last four visits here. Three of last four series games went over the total. Washington had their 9-game win streak snapped in an 8-7 OT loss Sunday; they won three of last four on road. Over is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Blues lost three of last four home games; five of their last seven games went over total.

Minnesota won seven of last nine games with Arizona, who lost three of last four visits to the Twin Cities. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. Coyotes were outscored 19-8 in losing their last five road games; they’re 2-9 in last 11 games overall. Five of their last seven games stayed under. Minnesota won four of its last five games, but split last four at home. Over is 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Flames won five of last six games with Nashville, in series where visitor won five of last seven series games. Teams split last four series games played here. Predators won three of last four games but lost three of last four on road; seven of their last nine games stayed under. Calgary won five of its last six home games but is 3-4 overall in last seven. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games overall.

Anaheim won six of last nine games with Colorado; road team won four of last five series games. Avalanche won 4-2/3-0 in last two visits to Pond. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. Colorado lost eight of last nine games; they were outscored 11-5 in losing last three road games. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. Anaheim won seven of last nine overall, five of last seven at home. Under is 7-0-1 in their last eight games.

Sharks won five of last seven games with Tampa Bay, in series where road team won last six series games. Lightning won 5-2/4-3 in last two visits here. Over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Tampa Bay lost six of last eight games, three of last four on road; their last three games stayed under total. San Jose is 3-5 in its last eight games; they split last six home games. Over is 4-1-1 in their last six games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Wizards win 13th straight at home
By The Sports Xchange

WASHINGTON -- Otto Porter had 25 points and a career-high six 3-pointers as the Washington Wizards extended their home winning streak to 13 straight with a 104-101 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
John Wall also had 25 points, including six in the final 2:11, and 13 assists for the Wizards (22-19), who won three in a row and six of seven overall. Markieff Morris also had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds as Washington exacted revenge from a pre-Halloween loss at Memphis.
Marc Gasol had 28 points for the Grizzlies (25-19). Memphis won the first meeting 112-103 in overtime by overcoming an eight-point deficit with 3:11 remaining in regulation. There were signs of a repeat even though the Wizards led by as many as 17. The Grizzlies roared back to trim the deficit to 97-95 with 2:34 left after Porter's back-to-back 3-pointers put Washington up 95-83.

Pacers 106, Kings 100
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Paul George scored 24 points, Jeff Teague added 22, and Indiana overcame a sloppy first half and a 22-point deficit to beat Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center.
The loss became extra costly for the Kings when forward Rudy Gay went down late in the third quarter with what was believed to be a torn left Achilles tendon. An MRI exam scheduled for Thursday is expected to confirm the diagnosis.
Al Jefferson contributed a season-high 20 points, and the Pacers won for the seventh time in eight games but for only the sixth time in 20 tries on the road.

Warriors 121, Thunder 100
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kevin Durant terrorized his former team for the second straight time, pouring in a season-high 40 points in Golden State's victory over Oklahoma City.
Durant, who left the Thunder as a free agent in the offseason and dropped 39 points on them in their first head-to-head in November, contributed 13 points to a third-quarter flurry as the Warriors exploded into a 93-78 lead after having been tied at 56-all at halftime.
Durant's big scoring night, the 47th 40-point game of his career, helped the Warriors overcome Thunder guard Russell Westbrook's 21st triple-double of the season.

Knicks 117, Celtics 106
BOSTON -- Derrick Rose scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter as New York pulled away late in a win over Boston.
Rose matched his highest scoring output since the Knicks picked him up last summer and helped New York to just its third win in the month of January.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Willy Hernangomez added 17 points apiece for the Knicks, who had lost their last four against the Celtics. Hernangomez also pulled down 11 rebounds and Rose had 10 boards as New York outrebounded Boston 57-33. Isaiah Thomas scored 39 to lead Boston.

76ers 94, Raptors 89
PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid had 26 points and T.J. McConnell scored four critical points in a pivotal 7-0 run late in the game as Philadelphia beat Toronto, ending a 14-game losing streak to the Raptors.
Ersan Ilyasova added 18 points for Philadelphia, which last beat Toronto on Jan. 18, 2013. The Sixers also won for the fifth time in six games and the seventh time in nine.
DeMar DeRozan had 25 points and Kyle Lowry added 24 for Toronto, which saw a four-game winning streak snapped. Jonas Valanciunas finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Hornets 107, Trail Blazers 85
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte would have been happy with any kind of win, and it got it in the form of a victory over Portland.
But this wasn't just the end of a five-game losing streak.
It marked a return to form defensively for a team that had given up more than 100 points in each of the last eight games.
The Hornets held the Blazers to 35.1 percent shooting from the field and forced 16 turnovers that they converted into 21 points. The Blazers were 8 for 31 from 3-point range.

Pelicans 118, Magic 98
NEW ORLEANS -- Anthony Davis led six New Orleans double-figure scorers as the Pelicans defeated Orlando in the Smoothie King Center.
Davis, who left a 98-95 loss at Indiana on Monday in the third quarter with a sprained left thumb and a right hip contusion, scored a game-high 21 points.
Langston Galloway and Tyreke Evans came off the bench to score 18 each, Dante Cunningham had a season-high 14, Jrue Holiday added 14 and rookie Buddy Hield chipped in with 10 as New Orleans exceeded its season high for points in a regulation game. Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon led the Magic with 14 points each.

Rockets 111, Bucks 92
HOUSTON -- James Harden and Eric Gordon keyed a fourth-quarter shooting exhibition that carried Houston to a win over Milwaukee at Toyota Center.
The Rockets broke open a tight contest with four consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, extending a seven-point lead to a 98-79 cushion when Gordon sank a trey. Trevor Ariza began the surge before Harden hit two 3-pointers.
Gordon, who added another 3-pointer with just over three minutes left, had 25 points on 7-for-17 3-point shooting off the bench. He was 9 of 20 from the floor overall. Harden contributed 38 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Pistons 118, Hawks 95
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Reggie Jackson scored 26 points, Andre Drummond collected 13 points and 17 rebounds, and Detroit cooled down Atlanta at The Palace.
Playing their first game since a five-game West Coast trip, the Pistons never trailed as they opened up a 30-point lead in the opening half. Pistons forward Tobias Harris supplied 19 points and Marcus Morris racked up 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Reggie Bullock, making his second start this season for Detroit, contributed 15 points, six rebounds and four assists and Aron Baynes tossed in 12 points off the bench.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (13-28) at Cavaliers (29-11)

Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers freely acknowledge they are in a bit of a slump. Now they could be without one of their superstars when they host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Kevin Love did not participate in contact drills during Wednesday's practice because of a sore back and is considered questionable for the Suns.

Love sat the second half of Monday's demolition at the hands of the Golden State Warriors and Love was confident after the game the tightness in his lower back wouldn't force him to miss any games.

The Cavs, however, have been conservative with injuries this season and are being so again.

Kyle Korver started the second half in place of Love on Monday and might be in line to make his first start since joining the Cavaliers if Love is unable to play.

Korver has participated in two practices since the trade from Atlanta and is beginning to feel more comfortable in the Cavs' system, but it all remains a work in progress.

Coach Tyronn Lue is installing motion sets for the second unit that will benefit Korver because they are similar to some of the sets he ran with the Hawks.

But they are foreign to the entire reserves unit because the Cavs have never used them before.

That's only one of the reasons the Cavs' assist totals are down and turnovers are up. The Cavs have finished with more turnovers than assists in four of their last five games and five of their last seven.

Lue said the goal on the recently-concluded West Coast trip was 4-2, but instead they went 3-3, including a humiliating 35-point loss at the Warriors on Monday.

"The last game wasn't our best game, but it is what it is," Lue said. "We were one game down from where we wanted to be going into this trip, so not a big deal. We can make that up."

The Cavaliers squandered a 22-point lead to the Suns last week at Phoenix before holding on for a four-point victory against the worst team in the Western Conference.

Center Tyson Chandler, guard Brandon Knight and forward Jared Dudley of the Suns missed Monday's home loss to the Utah Jazz. Chandler had a stomach virus and should be available Thursday for the first stop on the Suns' three-game swing through the Eastern Conference.

Knight has missed three of the last six games because of a sprained right wrist and Dudley was battling dizziness.

Coach Earl Watson isn't sure yet on the status of Knight and Dudley and indicated the team was fighting some kind of bug after the long travel day.

"We're taking it one day at a time," Watson told the Arizona Republic. "We had a lot of guys sick from the trip and just the travel. A lot of guys are kind of banged up."

With the Suns missing so many key pieces, Devin Booker played a career-high 46 minutes on Monday. Watson said he's fine playing him so many minutes.

"It's more of just who he's going to be in our league," Watson told the Republic. "He's a player who needs to play most of the game. He's young. He can recover quickly and he's playing great, so he needs to be on the court more."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (14-27) at Heat (12-30)

Date: January 19, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

MIAMI -- The Miami Heat are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, and the Dallas Mavericks are on their biggest win streak.

But make no mistake: When the Mavericks (14-27) visit the Heat (12-30) on Thursday night, the matchup is every bit as sad as their win-loss records indicate.

The two franchises have history, splitting two battles in the NBA Finals, with Miami winning in 2006 and Dallas prevailing in 2011.

But here's the thing: The Mavericks haven't won a single playoff series since defeating the Heat in '11, and Miami's franchise has hit rock bottom with the departure of their famed Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

So yes, the Mavericks are riding a three-game win streak, and Miami beat a very good Houston Rockets team on Tuesday, but that doesn't change the reality of where they are in the standings.

"I know," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told The Dallas Morning News this week. "Half of our fans want us to go for a high draft pick (and tank the season), and half of our fans want us to go for the playoffs."

Cuban said he feels conflicted, too.

"I wish I had a definitive answer for everybody," he said. "I go back and forth every game. Some days, it's like, "OK, maybe we can make run for the sixth or seventh seed. That gets us to the playoffs, but I don't know if it gets us to where we need to be."

Heat president Pat Riley surely sees the big picture just as much as Cuban.

The Heat has four players competing at a good level right now -- point guard Goran Dragic, center Hassan Whiteside and reserves Tyler Johnson and James Johnson (no relation).

Dragic was pleased with Tuesday's win over the Rockets, who have the No. 2 scoring offense in the NBA. But Dragic also emphasized how much the Heat needs to improve in the second half.

"We need to be calm and solid," Dragic said. "We need to execute our plays."

Realistically, though, the Heat are fairly hopeless for this season. They are just 2-10 in their past 12 games and 6-13 this season at home.

The Mavericks are just 6-16 on the road, making this a tossup-type matchup.

However, it is interesting to note that this Mavericks' three-game win streak has coincided with the right hamstring injury to starting center Andrew Bogut. The last game he played, on Jan. 9, was the last game Dallas lost.

Since then, Dallas has won at the Phoenix Suns, defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves and won at the Chicago Bulls.

The big difference with the Mavs this season is that 38-year-old future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki is finally slowing down. He led the team in scoring last season at 18.3 points, just like he has almost ever since arriving in Dallas.

This season, though, he is fourth on the team in scoring (13.3).

Forward Harrison Barnes, a newcomer to Dallas this season, leads the team in scoring (20.6). Guard Wesley Matthews (15.1 points) has earned praise for his all-around play, and "the other Curry", Seth, is averaging 10.3 points.

Deron Williams is the other starter, and while he is no longer as good as he once was, he is averaging 13.9 points and a team-high 7.0 assists.

It's not a great roster, but -- as it is with the Heat -- this is the current state of the franchise.

"The reality," Cuban said, "is that we're going to play every game to win. That is who we are, and any other way ... I just wouldn't do that to our guys."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (22-19) at Knicks (19-24)

Date: January 19, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- Now that the distraction surrounding Carmelo Anthony is over, at least for the near future, the New York Knicks can focus on making a run in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Fresh off their 117-106 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the Knicks (19-24) are right back at it on Thursday when they host the Washington Wizards.

Derrick Rose matched his season high with 30 points against the Celtics, leading a New York team that was without Kristaps Porzingis, Joakim Noah and Lance Thomas.

Porzingis missed his fourth consecutive game due to a sore left Achilles tendon. Noah didn't suit up because of a sore ankle, and he will undergo an MRI exam Thursday. Thomas needs to be fitted for a facemask following an orbital fracture injury. All three players will be out against the Wizards.

"These guys are a determined bunch," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said of his roster. "We've had some bad breaks. We've had some bad games, but they stayed in there together."

Washington (22-19) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 104-101 on Wednesday for its 13th consecutive home victory. The Wizards defeated New York in a previous meeting, but Washington is 1-7 this season in the second game of back-to-back sets.

Anthony had a sit-down meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson before Wednesday's game to discuss the nine-time All-Star's future in New York.

"The conversation wasn't that long," Anthony said at the Knicks' morning shootaround in Boston. "We didn't break bread. We didn't have an hour's conversation. It was a short conversation."

Anthony, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, reiterated that he plans to remain in New York.

"I think, as players, you always want to protect yourself," Anthony said of the no-trade clause. "I didn't think it would get to this point. I think, as a player, if you can get (a no-trade clause), you have a right to protect yourself and take care of yourself when it comes to that. It's very hard to get, very difficult to get. I have it, and that's that.

"I'm committed (to staying). I don't have to prove that to anybody. My focus is playing ball at this point."

Anthony, 32, is averaging 22.2 points and 6.0 rebounds through 43 games this season. Both figures are below his career averages of 24.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

The Wizards are buoyed by a healthy John Wall, who needed surgery to his knees after last season. Wall is averaging career highs in points (22.9 per game), shooting percentage (46.4 percent), foul-shooting percentage (82.1 percent), steals (2.2 per game) and assists (10.1 per game) -- with the latter figure ranking third in the NBA.

"I wanted to get back to being healthy," Wall told USA Today Sports. "In my first six years, I was never healthy. I battled through so much just to prove I could play. For me to have a decent six years was great. But now I'm back to where I can be myself and be the player I always wanted to be."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (17-23) at Spurs (32-9)

Date: January 19, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

The San Antonio Spurs consider 32 wins in 41 games a good start to a season they hope will be memorable, in essence putting the rest of the NBA on alert to just how good they can be if they can put all their considerably talented pieces together at the same time.

The next team to try to derail the Spurs will be the Denver Nuggets, who head to the Alamo City on Thursday for a matchup at the AT&T Center.

At the halfway mark of its season, the Spurs (32-9) own the second-best record in the league and the Western Conference but say they have room for improvement.

"No team is where they want to be," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after a 122-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. "Maybe Golden State is, but the rest of us are trying to get there."

Despite their success, the Spurs are struggling to play complete games, the most recent exhibit coming against Minnesota, when they didn't dominate until the end of the third quarter. Just don't call San Antonio's efforts sluggish, as one reporter did Tuesday night.

"I don't think we were sluggish -- that's not the right word," Popovich said. "Nobody is sluggish -- it's an NBA game, and everybody is playing for their life. There might be mental mistakes and there might be lack of physicality or missed shots and turnovers, but sluggish doesn't fit."

Kawhi Leonard, who had 34 points in the win Tuesday, leads the Spurs in scoring at 24.8 per contest. He produced 30-plus points in each of the past four games, equaling the longest streak by any San Antonio player since Mike Mitchell had six straight in 1986.

San Antonio scored 100-plus points in each of its past 18 games, the longest streak by a Spurs team since going 22 straight in 1995.

That is what awaits Denver as it travels to San Antonio with a three-game win streak in its pocket, with the latest victory a 127-121 triumph against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at Staples Center.

Nikola Jokic scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in the win. Will Barton added 26 points and eight assists, Kenneth Faried contributed 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Emmanuel Mudiay each hit for 14 points for the Nuggets, who beat the Lakers in Los Angeles for the seventh consecutive time.

Denver (17-23) nearly blew a huge third-quarter lead by getting outscored 37-26 in the final period.

"We blew the lead, but we stayed together," Jokic said. "We had really good defensive stops in the last minute. The offense was really good for us. We have (plenty of) people playing well for us."

The Nuggets are averaging 130.7 points and 33 assists per game during their winning streak. Denver's starters accounted for all but 24 of the team's points in the victory Tuesday.

"Early in the season, we probably lose this game, to be honest," Chandler said. "Everybody held their composure; everybody made big plays."

The Nuggets and Spurs played on Jan. 5 in Denver, with San Antonio rolling to a 127-99 win in which LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 28 points while the Nuggets got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Jokic. San Antonio had a season-low seven turnovers in the win and shot a season-best 56.7 percent (51 of 90) from the floor and 50 percent (12 of 24) from 3-point range. Denver shot just 28 percent (7 of 25) from beyond the arc.

The Spurs won the past seven games played between the teams in San Antonio.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Timberwolves (14-28) at Clippers (29-14)

Date: January 19, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair torn ligaments in his left thumb, but the prognosis for the Los Angeles Clippers isn't as promising.

The damage the absence of the Los Angeles Clippers standout point guard won't be known for the next 6-to-8 weeks -- the amount of time Paul is expected to be sidelined -- but the challenge will be significant.

In the meantime, the Clippers (29-14) begin their journey without Paul and another contest without injured forward Blake Griffin (right knee surgery) when they meet the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at Staples Center.

The Clippers are saying all of the right things. Coach Doc Rivers, in typical coach-speak, said other players must step up.

"We still have new guys -- Alan (Anderson) is new and Raymond (Felton) is new and Mo (Speights) and Brandon (Bass) -- this is a good opportunity for them to learn how to execute together," Rivers told the Los Angeles Times. "When everyone is back, when you get Chris and Blake back, if this group can execute, and then you put those two guys back on the floor, I think it makes us better in the long run. This is not the way you want to do it, but this is the way it's been presented."

The Clippers' presentation will be tested almost immediately. After the Minnesota game, Los Angeles plays 10 of its next 11 on the road. They could get Griffin back for some of that stretch, with his return being anticipated before the end of the month.

For now, the Clippers will depend on Austin Rivers and Felton to fill the void of Paul, who was averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.25 steals, the latter tops in the NBA.

The Timberwolves (14-28) are hoping to take advantage of Paul missing in action. However, the Clippers owned Minnesota in recent times, winning 16 of the last 17 matchups. The Timberwolves ended a four-year drought last season by beating the Clippers at Staples in February 2016.

In their initial meeting this season, the Clippers prevailed 119-105 at the Target Center on Nov. 12.

The Timberwolves were expected to be one of the up-and-coming clubs this season with their array of young talent and the addition of defensive-minded coach Tom Thibodeau, a close friend and former assistant to Rivers in Boston.

Instead, the Timberwolves have struggled mightily for much of the campaign. They lost their last two games on the road against the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks and are 3-6 in their last nine outings.

Second-year center Karl Anthony-Towns remains one of the game's top players, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds. Towns is shooting 49 percent from the floor.

The Timberwolves also receive solid production from forward Andrew Wiggins (21.6 points) and Zach LaVine (20.1).

But inconsistency has plagued them. Turnovers -- Minnesota was tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for 21st in the league heading into Wednesday's slate of games -- remain a problem. The Spurs cashed in 22 points on Timberwolves' miscues compared to only two points for Minnesota.

"If you're going to win on the road, you have to take care of the ball," Thibodeau told the Star-Tribune.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Should we start including Boston's Isaiah Thomas in the MVP conversation with Russell Westbrook and James Harden? Thomas, who was taken last (No. 60 overall) in the 2011 draft by Sacramento, is carrying the Celtics as one of the league's Top 4 scorers. He has been even better in the fourth quarter, as entering Wednesday Thomas was averaging 10.1 points in the fourth quarter this season. The NBA has only been tracking fourth-quarter points for 20 years, and the record for a season is 9.5 by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant in 2006. Eight times this season, Thomas has scored at least 15 points in the fourth quarter. Westbrook, who is averaging 9.6 points in fourth quarters this season, is second in the league with four such games. At a minimum, Thomas better be in the East's starting backcourt at the All-Star Game.

Suns at Cavaliers (-14.5, 221)

Phoenix lost Monday at home to Utah 106-101 to complete a four-game homestand. The Suns led 101-99 with 1:13 left. Eric Bledsoe had 31 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, falling just short of his third career triple-double. Devin Booker, coming off consecutive 39-point games in Mexico City, added 25 points. Tyson Chandler (illness), Brandon Knight (wrist) and Jared Dudley (dizziness) all sat out. Cleveland closed out a six-game road trip at 3-3 following a 126-91 embarrassment on Monday at Golden State in their final meeting of the regular season. LeBron James was minus-32, the second-worst plus/minus rating of his career. He also pretty clearly flopped on a Draymond Green foul. Kevin Love played only 16 minutes and left with some lower back issues. Love says he's fine. The Cavs played in Phoenix on Jan. 8 and won 120-116. James scored 12 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving added 27 points and Love 25. Bledsoe scored 31 points and Booker had 28 for the Suns. Cleveland goes for a second straight season sweep.

Key trends: The Suns are 4-1 against the spread in the past five meetings. The "over/under" is 6-1 in Cleveland's past seven after a loss.

Early lean: Cavs and over.

Mavericks at Heat (-1.5, 189.5)

Dallas won a season-high third in a row with an upset in Chicago on Tuesday, 99-98. Wesley Matthews hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Harrison Barnes had 20 points, Seth Curry added 18 and Dirk Nowitzki finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Andrew Bogut missed his third straight game with a hamstring injury. Miami ended a four-game losing streak with a 109-103 home upset over Houston on Tuesday. The Heat used a 20-5 run in the fourth to put it away. Goran Dragic had 21 points and eight assists. Miami's bench outscored Houston's 51-32. First meeting of the season between Dallas and Miami. The Heat have won nine of the last 10 in the series.

Key trends: The Mavs are 1-4 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 4-0 in the previous four.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Wizards at Knicks (TBA)

First of the TNT doubleheader. Washington hosted Memphis on Wednesday having won five of six. The imploding Knicks were in Boston on Wednesday with Kristaps Porzingis expected out again due to his Achilles injury. I wonder if the team would even let him play both ends of a back-to-back. I wouldn't expect him. Washington won the first meeting with New York 119-112 on Nov. 17 at home. John Wall scored 23 points and had 11 assists.

Key trends: The Wizards have covered eight of the past 11 meetings. The over is 7-1 in the Knicks' past eight in the second of a back-to-back.

Early lean: Could see a key guy on both sides get this one off, plus wait on Porzingis.

Nuggets at Spurs (-10.5, 221)

Denver won a third straight game on Tuesday, 127-121 at the Lakers. Nikola Jokic, who has really been playing well, had 29 points and 15 rebounds. The Nuggets haven't scored fewer than 125 points during the mini-run. San Antonio beat Minnesota 122-114 on Tuesday. Kawhi Leonard had 34 points and became the first San Antonio player to score 950 points in the first half of a season since Tim Duncan in 2003. Tony Parker collected his 6,500th career assist, joining LeBron James as the only two active players with 6,500 assists and 18,000 points. San Antonio won the first meeting with Denver 127-99 in the Mile High City on Jan. 5 and also has taken the past seven at home in the series.

Key trends: The Nuggets are 3-7 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 6-2 in the past eight.

Early lean: Nuggets and over.

Timberwolves at Clippers (-2.5, 201)

Second TNT game. Minnesota dropped a second straight game Tuesday, 122-114 in San Antonio. The Wolves played great in the first half with 71 points but then had only two more points in the second half than they did in the second quarter (41). Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Ricky Rubio added 21 points and 14 assists. Minnesota is now 4-22 when allowing 100-plus points. The Clippers are 7-0 in the New Year after beating Oklahoma City 120-98 on Monday, but they lost Chris Paul for 6-8 weeks to a thumb injury (and surgery). I'll likely go more in depth on that in Friday's Opening Line Report, but it's a crushing loss. Minnesota lost the first meeting at home with L.A., 119-105 on Nov. 12. The Clippers have won 16 of the last 17 overall in the series dating to April 2012.

Key trends: The Clippers are 6-1 ATS in their past seven at home. The over is 8-2 in the past 10 meetings.

Early lean: Wolves and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Cavaliers won last four games with Phoenix but Suns covered six of last eight series games. Phoenix lost by 10-22 points in last two visits here. Under is 6-1-1 in last eight series games.*Suns lost three of last four games, covered five of last six; they’re 2-5 in last seven games as a road underdog- their last four games went over total. Cleveland lost three of last four games (under 3-1); they’re 8-4-1 in last 13 games as a home favorite.

Miami won nine of last ten games with Dallas, covered four of last five; Mavericks lost four of last five visits here (3-2 vs spread). Last four series games stayed under. Dallas won its last three games; they’re 5-2 in last seven games as a road underdog. Heat lost four of last five games, is 2-5 in last seven home games, 3-4 vs spread as a home favorite. Three of their last four games stayed under.

Washington won nine of its last ten games with the Knicks (7-2-1 vs spread); Wizards won last five visits to Manhattan, with 3 of 5 wins by 3 or less points. Three of last four series games went over total. Washington won six of its last seven games, but they lost four of last five road games. Knicks lost five of last seven games but covered three of last four; they’re 1-5 in last six home games. Three of their last four home games stayed under.

Spurs won nine of last ten games with Denver (7-3 vs spread); Nuggets lost last four visits to Alamo (2-2 vs spread). Six of last eight series games went over total. Denver won/covered its last three games; they’re 9-6 as road underdogs. Last eight Nugget games went over the total. Spurs won nine of last 12 games, are 7-2 in last nine games as a home favorite. Over is 9-2 in San Antonio’s last 11 games.

Clippers are 7-12 without Paul the last two years. Clippers won nine of last ten games with Minnesota but are 3-3-1 in last seven series games; Timberwolves lost four of last five visits here (3-2 vs spread). Over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Minnesota lost six of last nine games; they’re 7-7 as a road underdog. Under is 6-3 in their last nine games. Clippers won their last seven games (6-1 vs spread) but are missing Griffin/Paul now. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Mavericks look to extend season-high win streak'

Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat January 19, 7:30 EST

Dallas, on Wesley Matthews' 3-pointer with 11.7 seconds remaining salvaged a 99-98 win as +4.5 point pups over Chicago last effort marking a season-high three game win streak for the Mavericks. Despite the victory, life on the road has not been easy for Dallas. In Mavericks' 22 on unfriendly hardwood the reault has been 6 wins, 16 losses (11-11 ATS) with the team netting 101.9 per 100 possesions, 109.4 in defensive efficiency rating in those road games.

Heat snapped a four-game skid in their last game upsetting Rockets 109-103 as +7.5 home underdogs. Although, the home team is considered to have a significant advantage over the visitors a result of playing in familiar facilities and in front of supportive fans, it does not seem to apply to Miami. Including the win over Rockets, the Heat have just 6 wins, 13 losses in front of the home audience (8-11 ATS) netting 102.1 in home offensive efficiency metrics, allowing 102.9 in home defensive efficiency metrics.

Home/Road splits what they are, tough choice. However, Mavericks should be extremely motivated to keep the season-high streak alive and worth a second look. Mavericks are ridding a 6-3 ATS streak as road dogs, have shown motivation the next game after a one point exact win going 4-0 SU/ATS last four situations. Additionally, Miami has not responded in the situation they find themselves. Heat are just 1-5 ATS as chalk after running the hardwood against Rockets, 0-3 ATS as favorites after a win by six or fewer points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Big Ten Snapshot
By Joe Nelson

Not even a third of the way into the Big Ten season and every team has a loss in what looks like a balanced group of teams in a league that appears a bit down from its normal national stature. 0-6 Rutgers appears to be at the bottom to stay but the other 13 teams could shuffle around quite a bit in the coming weeks with 10 teams currently separated by just two games in the middle of the standings.

The Big Ten currently projects to have as many as eight NCAA Tournament teams but none of those teams would currently be top four seeds in the field and only three teams currently crack the current Top 25 polls, all outside of the top 15. Here is a look at those eight teams leading the conference as we approach late January.

Favorite – Wisconsin (4-1 S/U, 3-2 ATS): The Badger program has continued a high level of success in Greg Gard’s first full season with a 15-3 overall record and the lone conference loss came in a competitive game at Purdue right after the team picked up a key road win at Indiana. Wisconsin’s track record in recent years carries some weight for a veteran group that returned all the key contributors from last season’s Sweet 16 team. This year’s non-conference slate didn’t feature any high end wins and right now, Wisconsin doesn’t have a win over a team that would be considered in the nation’s top 25. The Badgers face Maryland and Michigan State just once each and they won’t have to play Purdue again as 14-4 looks pretty realistic for this team and in a balanced league that should be enough to be at the top.

Contender – Purdue (4-2 S/U, 3-3 ATS): The two losses for Purdue have been a bit puzzling in league play, blowing a big lead and falling at home in overtime vs. Minnesota and then losing on the road against a very young Iowa squad. The non-conference losses for Purdue came vs. Villanova and Louisville in very close games with Purdue also beating Notre Dame in December as the Boilermakers are on pace for a fine season looking to redeem last season’s early upset loss in the NCAA Tournament. Two early losses in Big Ten play may not be all that damaging for Purdue as the remaining Big Ten schedule is favorable. Purdue won’t play either of the teams they lost to again and they will have the tiebreaker over Wisconsin winning the lone meeting this season. Four games ahead with Indiana and Michigan State will likely determine whether Purdue claims the conference title or is a runner-up.

Overachiever – Maryland (4-1 S/U, 4-1 ATS): The Terrapins were supposed to be a nationally elite squad last season with a star-studded starting five. Twenty-seven wins and a Sweet 16 run wasn’t a bad season but it was a mild disappointment for a team that started the season ranked in the top 5. This year’s team has matched last season’s 16-2 start as junior guard Melo Trimble leads a really young squad that has also had to play without two contributors in the Big Ten season due to injuries. Maryland’s only loss came at home and outside of the three-point win over Indiana they haven’t faced the top teams in the conference. Working in Maryland’s favor is a schedule that includes just one meeting each with Purdue, Wisconsin, and Michigan State, but the 4-1 ATS mark could erode in the coming weeks for a team that has squeaked out nine of 16 wins by seven or fewer points.

Sleeper – Northwestern (4-2 S/U, 4-2 ATS): The Wildcats have never made the NCAA Tournament and while right now they would probably get in, there is a lot of work to be done. The 4-2 Big Ten start lacks high end wins and non-conference wins over Texas, Wake Forest, and Dayton aren’t looking quite as strong at this point in the season. Northwestern is still a threat to be part of the Big Ten race however as the 4-2 start has come with four road games already taken care of, getting three wins. The Wildcats do draw two games with Purdue ahead but they will face Wisconsin and Maryland just once each and they won’t have to face Michigan State or Minnesota again. A double-digit conference win season looks likely with the remaining path and this is a year where 12-6 might realistically be enough to be in serious contention in the Big Ten if there are some upsets at the top.

Bubble Squad – Minnesota (3-3 S/U, 3-3 ATS): Many were surprised that Richard Pitino survived last season’s ugly 8-23 season that featured only two Big Ten wins. The Gophers were much more competitive than the record showed however with nine conference losses by single-digits. Minnesota impressed in the non-conference schedule this fall with the only loss coming at Florida State and a 3-1 start in Big Ten play with the only loss in overtime announced the Gophers as contenders. After entering the Top 25, the Gophers lost back-to-back road games at Michigan State and at Penn State and they have many tough remaining games. Minnesota won’t have to face Purdue or Northwestern again, but two meetings each with Wisconsin and Maryland remain. The Gophers beat a number of decent, but not great teams in the non-conference campaign as a NCAA Tournament berth will come down to putting together a winning season in the Big Ten.

Underachiever – Indiana (2-3 S/U, 2-3 ATS): The good news for Indiana is that the overtime loss to Fort Wayne from November might be a top 100 loss by season’s end as the Mastadons look like a contender in the Summit League. Indiana’s wins over Kansas and North Carolina will also continue to carry a ton of weight as even in a down season for the Big Ten Indiana’s NCAA Tournament candidacy will still be alive and well as long as they can finish with a .500 conference season. Right now that looks somewhat challenging with two home losses and one of the tougher remaining conference schedules. Indiana still draws Purdue twice while still facing tough road games at Northwestern, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio State. The Hoosiers will close the season with road games in four of the final five as the lousy start has come with four of five conference games at Assembly Hall. The talent and offensive potential for Indiana is there and the Hoosiers are capable of a great run the rest of the way but that type of consistency hasn’t been the norm under Tom Crean.

Enigma – Michigan State (4-2 S/U, 4-2 ATS): The Spartans played a brutally tough non-conference schedule and lost four of the first eight games of the season. Those defeats all came against Top 25 caliber teams but three of the four weren’t that competitive and Michigan State also lost at home to Northeastern in December with only a win over Wichita State standing out on the non-conference resume. Injuries and inexperience were factors and many trust Tom Izzo’s track record to put Michigan State back in Big Ten contention as usual. It looked that way with a 3-0 league start but Michigan State has since lost to Penn State and Ohio State. The Spartans haven’t played Indiana, Purdue, or Wisconsin yet and the statistics feature alarming numbers in turnovers and free throw shooting very uncharacteristic of Izzo squads. The next month figures to feature a bunch of toss-up type of games for the Spartans as this year’s team could go either way.

Dark Horse – Michigan (2-4 S/U, 1-5 ATS): The Wolverines have been a disappointment with a veteran squad that is now just 12-7 on the season with a tough start in Big Ten play. Michigan played right with Wisconsin on the road this week and has the potential for a strong finish with the typical strengths of John Beilein teams featuring a deliberate pace but strong shooting and ball control. Michigan has been burned by opponents shooting nearly 43 percent on 3-points shots this season and while the Wolverines have a difficult remaining schedule they are capable of beating anyone. The non-conference schedule is proving to be stronger than expected with teams like Marquette, South Carolina, and UCLA exceeding expectations and the opportunity to add quality wins in Big Ten play will be there with upcoming tests against Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Purdue as a run back to the NCAA Tournament is possible.

Big Ten ATS Notes: Home underdogs in Big Ten play are currently 6-3 S/U and 7-2 ATS counting Penn State’s Palestra win over Michigan State. There have been eight outright wins from road underdogs in league play. Overall, Northwestern has been the league’s best ATS performer at 11-5 ATS with Michigan the worst at 5-11 ATS. Indiana won the Big Ten last season with a 15-3 regular season record going 10-8 ATS.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maryland Terrapins (16-2) at Iowa Hawkeyes (11-8)

Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

With one-third of Big Ten play in the books, a somewhat unlikely team is currently atop the standings.

In a conference where Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State were considered the favorites, the 25th-ranked Maryland Terrapins sit in first place entering Thursday's game at Iowa.

The Terrapins (16-2, 4-1) got to this point by winning three straight games after a shocking loss at home to Nebraska. The most recent victory came last weekend when Maryland defeated Illinois 62-56 in Champaign, Ill.

This winning streak was enough to propel the Terrapins back into the Top 25 for the first time since entering the season ranked 25th.

"It's a new experience," Maryland guard Kevin Huerter said to the Baltimore Sun. "We were ranked for it seemed like a week at the beginning of the year, but it doesn't really change anything.

" ... We can't let the number in front of our name on TV bother us. We've still got to come in and work every day and get wins."

While the Terrapins enter Thursday's game against the Hawkeyes in first place, playing a second straight road game against a team that's 3-0 at home in Big Ten play and possesses the conference's leading scorer in guard Peter Jok.

There will be plenty for challenges for Maryland coach Mark Turgeon and his squad.

"We've got a tough stretch ahead of us," Turgeon said to the Sun. "In every season, unless you've got superior talent, you have your ups and downs. We haven't had our downs yet. Hopefully, we don't."

As for the Hawkeyes, they have had plenty of ups and downs since conference play began. The best such evidence of the roller coaster came last week. Iowa followed an 83-78 home upset of then-No. 17 Purdue by going to Northwestern and getting slaughtered by 35 points last weekend.

The most surprising part of the Hawkeyes' 89-54 loss to the Wildcats was the play of the aforementioned Jok, who only played 21 minutes and was 2 of 9 from the floor en route to a season-low four points.

"Any time he plays poorly, he takes it personal and that's what the great ones do," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said to reporters on Tuesday. "They should. I never want them to feel blame. I'm not going to blame them.

"And at some point, you don't want them to blame themselves too much because sometimes the biggest problem you have is they're too tough on themselves."

For the players themselves, their challenge is putting that loss to Northwestern behind them and working toward finding the consistency they've lacked since the start of Big Ten play.

"At the end of the day, we've already been through 18 or so games," guard Jordan Bohannon said. "We know what it's like in the Big Ten. We just have to have that consistent mindset every day."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Arizona Wildcats (16-2) at USC Trojans (16-3)

Date: January 19, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- No. 14 Arizona will carry a 10-game winning streak and a chip on its shoulder into Thursday's game against Southern California.

The Wildcats (16-2, 5-0), however, have lost two of their last three games and four of their last six against Southern Cal (16-3, 3-3) at the Galen Center. The most recent clash was a remarkable 103-101 quadruple-overtime loss on Jan. 9 last season.

Freshman guard Allonzo Trier was Arizona's star that time, recording 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in 53 minutes. He played the final three overtimes despite suffering a fractured bone in his right hand in the first overtime.

Seven-foot Finnish freshman forward Lauri Markkanen has taken over for Trier, who has not played this season for undisclosed reasons. Coach Sean Miller called Trier's absence a "once-on-a-lifetime situation" Monday, the closest anyone has come to an explanation.

Trier has watched every game from the bench, and was given a red shirt that read "Free Zo" during the pregame shoot-around before a 91-75 victory over Arizona State in Tucson last Thursday. He did not put it on.

Markkanen had a career-high 30 points on 12-of-18-shooting and made 4-of-7 3-pointers against Arizona State. He also had eight rebounds, five offensive, did not commit a turnover in 30 minutes. Markkanen has 52 points, 14 rebounds and one turnover in his last 52 minutes

"Markkanen is a future NBA player, so there is not much you can do about his size," Arizona State guard Tra Holder said.

Mock drafts project Markkanen to go in the top half of the NBA draft in 2017, but he has not addressed his plans.

"Lauri was spectacular," Miller said.

Arizona's other 7-footer, center Dusan Ristic, had 16 points against Arizona State and has 16, 18, 17, 16 and 16 points in Pac-12 play.

Guard Kadeem Allen and freshmen Rawle Alkins and Kobi Simmons round out the starting five as point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright works to get back to 100 percent after an ankle sprain in December. Allen had 18 points, four rebounds, eight assists and four steals against Arizona State. Arizona had 25 assists on 34 baskets.

"Kadeem Allen is our team's heart and soul," Miller said.

Southern Cal, which fell out of the AP poll for the first time in three weeks, will counter Arizona's size with an athletic big man of its own, 6-11 sophomore Chimezie Metu.

Metu had a career-high 24 points in a 71-68 victory at Colorado on Sunday, giving the Trojans a road split to the Pac-12 mountain schools after an 86-64 loss at Utah. The Trojans have lost three of five after opening the season 13-0 with victories over Texas A&M and BYU.

"It would be nice if we could make a few shots and make it easier on ourselves," USC coach Andy Enfield said. "Somehow we have three conference wins with not shooting the ball great."

Metu made 11-of-14 field goal attempts showed range, hitting several jumpers from the foul line area. He is averaging 14.1 points and guard Jordan McLaughlin is averaging 13.9. Guard Elijah Stewart, who had 27 points in the Trojans' four-overtime victory over Arizona last year, is averaging 13.0.

Arizona's losses are to No. 4 Gonzaga (17-0) by five points and No. 13 Butler (15-3) by four.

USC has won eight games in which it was behind by nine or more points. It trailed Colorado by 11 before rallying Sunday.