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W.M. Phoenix Open

Tournament: Waste Management Phoenix Open
Date: Thursday, February 2
Venue: TPC Scottsdale
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

It's been two consecutive weeks of near cashes as Brandt Snedeker definitely was in it until the end at last week's Farmers Insurance Open. After missing out on 80-1 shot Adam Hadwin two weeks ago, the 25-1 payout on Snedeker would have been a nice consolation prize. If these PGA tournaments had ended after only three rounds, you and I would be flush with cash, but it wasn't meant to be.

However, being so close with these per-tournament selections isn't all bad as it shows that our handicapping process is on the right track and hopefully we can go all the way with this week's Waste Management Phoenix Open.

This year's field at the Phoenix Open is pretty deep with the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, and Phil Mickelson all among the favorites. Fowler was the runner up in this event as he lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama and the Japanese sensation is back to defend his title. So who are the golfers you should strongly consider? Let's break it down.

Golfers to Watch:

Hideki Matsuyama (+1000) – I'm not a huge fan of backing defending champions of an event to repeat the following year, but it's impossible to ignore the success Matsuyama has had at this event in recent years. Last year's victory came after he finished T-2 in 2015, so this is a course Matsuyama definitely loves to play.

Matsuyama is also putting together a tremendous resume for the 2017 season with two wins, two 2nd place finishes and five Top 10's in seven events overall. His finishes recently (T27 and T33) would suggest there has been a bit of a drop off of late, but returning to this course should spark his play once again. At 10-1 there is a bit of value in backing this guy, but while there are many multiple winners of this event, nobody has gone back-to-back since Johnny Miller did it in 1974 and 75. I wouldn't make a huge play on Matsuyama because of that, but he's definitely worth strong consideration.

Bubba Watson (+3000) – Bubba Watson has yet to win this tournament in his career but it's not because he's never had a chance. Watson finished T2 in 2014 and 2015, and followed that up with a T14 finish a year ago. Those are finishes at this event that suggest it may only be a matter of time before he gets over the hump and 2017 could be the year for that.

A concern with Watson is the fact that he's been off the tour for almost a month having not played since the SBS Tournament of Champions during the first 10 days of January and he's definitely a guy bettors prefer to back when he gets on a roll. But the lefty bomber can shorten TPC Scottsdale in a hurry and if he can get the putter going, he'll be a force come Sunday afternoon.

Phil Mickelson (+3000) – Another lefty makes my card as Mickelson is no stranger to success at this event either. Mickelson has won the Phoenix Open three times in his career, the last of which came in 2013 with a tournament record score of -28. When you've got a guy of Mickelson's caliber getting a 30-1 price at an event he holds a share of the tournament record in, chances are he should be on your short list of golfers to back. 2017 hasn't gone the way Mickelson would like so far, but a strong showing at this event could propel him into the spring and summer.

Waste Management Phoenix Open -
Jordan Spieth 8/1
Justin Thomas 9/1
Hideki Matsuyama 10/1
Jon Rahm 18/1
Ryan Moore 25/1
Rickie Fowler 28/1
Brooks Koepka 30/1
Bubba Watson 30/1
Patrick Reed 30/1
Phil Mickelson 30/1
Tony Finau 30/1
Gary Woodland 45/1
J.B. Holmes 45/1
Brendan Steele 50/1
Harris English 50/1
Keegan Bradley 50/1
Marc Leishman 50/1
Matt Kuchar 50/1
Patrick Rodgers 50/1
Russell Knox 50/1
Zach Johnson 50/1
Emiliano Grillo 60/1
Pat Perez 60/1
Adam Hadwin 65/1
Daniel Berger 65/1
C T Pan 70/1
Jamie Lovemark 70/1
Martin Laird 70/1
Scott Piercy 70/1
Billy Horschel 75/1
Shane Lowry 75/1
Brian Harman 80/1
Kevin Na 80/1
Webb Simpson 80/1
Byeong Hun An 85/1
Roberto Castro 85/1
Russell Henley 90/1
Ryan Palmer 90/1
William McGirt 90/1
Chris Kirk 95/1
Kevin Chappell 95/1
Louis Oosthuizen 95/1
Ollie Schniederjans 100/1
Ryo Ishikawa 100/1
Sean O' Hair 100/1
Chez Reavie 120/1
Jason Kokrak 120/1
Kyle Stanley 120/1
Lucas Glover 120/1
Luke Donald 120/1
Luke List 120/1
Kevin Streelman 125/1
Danny Lee 130/1
Patton Kizzire 130/1
Robert Streb 130/1
Daniel Summerhays 140/1
Graham Delaet 145/1
Charley Hoffman 150/1
Grayson Murray 150/1
Steve Stricker 150/1
Aaron Baddeley 160/1
James Hahn 160/1
Cody Gribble 170/1
Andrew Johnston 180/1
Bud Cauley 180/1
Chad Campbell 180/1
John Huh 180/1
Jonas Blixt 180/1
Mackenzie Hughes 180/1
Matt Jones 180/1
Michael Kim 180/1
Robert Garrigus 180/1
Si Woo Kim 180/1
Smylie Kaufman 180/1
Ben Crane 225/1
Geoff Ogilvy 225/1
Shawn Stefani 225/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 225/1
Boo Weekley 230/1
David Hearn 230/1
Harold Varner III 230/1
Jon Curran 230/1
Morgan Hoffmann 230/1
Padraig Harrington 230/1
Scott Brown 230/1
Seung-Yul Noh 230/1
Ben Martin 240/1
Brian Stuard 240/1
Bryce Molder 240/1
Cameron Tringale 240/1
Colt Knost 240/1
Fabian Gomez 240/1
Jason Bohn 240/1
Jim Herman 240/1
Kyle Reifers 240/1
Mark Wilson 240/1
Vaughn Taylor 240/1
Wesley Bryan 240/1
Zac Blair 240/1
Alex Cejka 275/1
Andrew Loupe 275/1
Blayne Barber 275/1
Hunter Mahan 275/1
John Peterson 275/1
K.J. Choi 275/1
Nick Taylor 275/1
Retief Goosen 275/1
Rod Pampling 275/1
Ryan Blaum 275/1
Steve Marino 275/1
Troy Merritt 275/1
Willy Wilcox 275/1
Brett Stegmaier 375/1
Brian Gay 375/1
Carl Pettersson 375/1
Greg Chalmers 375/1
Ricky Barnes 375/1
Spencer Levin 375/1
Sung Kang 375/1
Charlie Beljan 425/1
Matt Every 425/1
J.J. Henry 650/1
Ken Duke 650/1
Chad Collins 750/1
Craig Hocknull 750/1
Mark Hubbard 750/1
Steven Bowditch 750/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: Waste Management Phoenix Open
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Justin Thomas, United States -- The best player in the world this season, Thomas is coming off a two-week break since he swept through Hawaii by winning the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua by three strokes and the Sony Open in Hawaii by seven after opening with a 59 at Waialae. He also successfully defended his title in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in November and has four top-10 finishes since tying for eighth in the Safeway Open to open the 2016-17 campaign. The 23-year-old Thomas, whose four PGA Tour victories have all come in the last two seasons, leads the FedExCup standings and has risen to No. 8 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is making his third start in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and tied for 17th two years ago, sliding out of the top 10 by shooting 72 in the final round, before he posted a score of 72-72 -- 144 to miss the cut by two strokes last year at TPC Scottsdale.

2. Hideki Matsuyama, Japan -- Back to defend his title in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the 24-year-old Matsuyama was the hottest player in the world until finishing second to Justin Thomas in both the CIMB Classic and the SBS Tournament of Champions after winning four tournaments late last year. He has cooled a bit since, tying for 27th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and tying for 33rd in the Farmers Insurance Open. Matsuyama, who is second in the FedExCup standings and No. 5 in the world, is making his fourth appearance in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He claimed the second of his three PGA Tour victories last year by beating Rickie Fowler with a par on the fourth playoff hole after tying for second, one stroke behind Brooks Koepka the year before and tying for fourth in 2014. Matsuyama has broken 70 in 11 of his 12 rounds on the Stadium Course and is a cumulative 42-under-par.

3. Jordan Spieth, United States -- After taking two weeks off and slipping to No. 6 in the world one year after holding the No. 1 spot, Spieth is looking to really ramp up his season this week when he makes his second start in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He got the year off to a solid start by tying for third in his title defense in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, shooting 63 in the final round. He also tied for third at the Sony Open in Hawaii, closing with a 63. Spieth has broken 70 in five consecutive rounds and six of his last seven. In his only previous appearance at TPC Scottsdale, he closed with a 65 to tie for seventh, four shots behind winner Brooks Koepka in 2015. Spieth has claimed seven of his eight PGA Tour victories in the last two years, but has not won on the circuit since the Dean & DeLuca Invitational last May, although he captured the Australian Open for the second time in November.

4. Jon Rahm, Spain -- The 22-year-old rookie from Arizona State returns to the Valley of the Sun this week after claiming his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday by three strokes in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He closed with a 7-under-par 65 that included two eagles on the back nine. Two years ago as a junior at ASU, he thrilled the crowd at TPC Scottsdale by making a bid to become the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson, another Sun Devil, captured the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. After opening with a 70 in 2015, Rahm reeled off three straight 68s to wind up in a tie for fifth, three shots behind winner Brooks Koepka. He earned his PGA Tour card last year in four events after graduating, then started his first full season with a tie for 15th in the Safeway Open, making a hole in one on his fifth shot as a tour member, and also tied for 15th in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

5. Bubba Watson, United States -- Having fallen to No. 12 in the world, Bubba would like to kick-start his season and climb back into the top 10 with another strong performance in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He is playing at TPC Scottsdale for the 11th consecutive year and has posted four finishes in the top 10 and seven in the top 25. He came close to winning two years in a row, taking the lead into the final round in 2014 before closing with a 71 to tie for second, one stroke behind Kevin Stadler, and rallied with a 65 the following year to again tie for second, one shot behind Brooks Koepka. Watson also tied for eighth in 2007 and tied for fifth in 2012, and last year tied for 14th when a third-round 73 cost him another top-10 result. He has yet to really get going this season, tying for 54th in the WGC-HSBC Champions and tying for 25th in the SBS Tournament of Champions.

6. Patrick Reed, United States -- Seeming to start ramping it up for the long season, Reed tied for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, where he shot 65 in the second round, and then he tied for 12th two weeks ago in the CareerBuilder Challenge, closing with another 65. He is ranked No. 9 in the world, having won at least once in each of the last four seasons on the PGA Tour, and has five victories on the circuit at the age of 26. Reed, whose last victory came in the Barclays to open the FedExCup playoffs in August, has proven to be a standout for the United States in the team events and is looking forward to the Presidents Cup late this summer after starring as the Americans regaining the Ryder Cup in 2016. He will tee it up in the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the third time, having faded to a tie for 19th in 2014 after he opened with 67-67, and he also tied for 40th two years ago.

7. Russell Knox, Scotland -- This will be Knox's sixth start of the 2016-17 season and he has finished in the top 20 in the previous five, highlighted by a solo third in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. He was solid but not spectacular in the Hawaii events, tying for 17th in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua and tying for tying for 11th at the Sony Open in Hawaii, closing with a 64 at Waialae in his last outing. Knox has taken two weeks off so he will be fresh when he tees it up on Thursday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the second time, having tied for 15th in 2015, when he shot 65 in the third round at TPC Scottsdale. Knox has climbed to No. 18 in the World Golf Rankings on the strength of his first two victories on the PGA Tour in the 2015 WGC-HSBC Champions in China and the 2016 Travelers Championship.

8. Phil Mickelson, United States -- This will be Lefty's 28th straight start in one of his favorite tournaments on the PGA Tour, the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which he first played when he still was a student at Arizona State. He has won the event three times, part of his total of 19 titles in California and Arizona. Mickelson beat Justin Leonard at TPC Scottsdale with a four-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole in 1996, shot 60 in round two en route to a five-shot victory in 2005 and opened with another 60 on his way to a four-stroke victory in 2013. He also lost out to a birdie by J.B. Holmes on the first extra hole in 2008. In three starts this season, Mickelson has played well at times but is looking for consistency as he tied for eighth in the Safeway Open, and after he underwent two hernia surgeries, he tied for 21st in the CareerBuilder Challenge and tied for 14th in the Farmers Insurance Open.

9. Ryan Moore, United States -- After scoring the winning point for the United States in its Ryder Cup victory over Europe at Hazeltine in October, Moore kept up his fine play by posting four consecutive top-25 finishes to start the 2016-17 season. That was capped by a tie for third in the SBS Tournament of Champions, but he might have run out of gas in Kapalua, where he opened with 67-67, but faded a bit on the weekend with 71-71 to wind up six strokes behind champion Justin Thomas. With three weeks off, Moore is well-rested as he arrives at TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which he is playing for the 12th straight time. He has finished in the top 20 each of the last four years, including solo fourth in 2013, a tie for sixth in 2014, a tie for 17th in 2015 and a tie for 11th last year. Moore also tied for sixth in 2009.

10. Brendan Steele, United States -- Finally getting comfortable with a conventional putter after his long wand was banned by the R&A and the USGA, Steele is off to the best start of his career in the 2016-17 season. He captured the season-opening Safeway Open in October by one stroke over Patton Kizzire with a closing 65 and followed with ties for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua and the CareerBuilder Challenge. Steele wasn't quite as sharp last week in the Farmers Insurance Open, but still managed a tie for 20th, despite a 74 in the second round. He is making his seventh start in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and finished in the top 10 three times at TPC Scottsdale, including a tie for fifth in 2012 when he closed with a 64. Steele also tied for sixth in both 2013, when he went 65-65 in the middle rounds, and 2014, when he shot 62 in round three after seemingly being on his way to missing the cut after opening with 74.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Caps clip Bruins
By The Sports Xchange

WASHINGTON -- Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and two assists, Braden Holtby made 29 saves and the Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins 5-3 at Verizon Center Wednesday night, snapping Boston's three-game winning streak.
Alex Ovechkin gave Washington a 3-2 lead late in the second period, and Brett Connolly made it 4-2 at 3:29 of the third when he scored against his former team. Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and an assist. He has six goals in his last seven games. T.J. Oshie also had a goal and an assist for the NHL points leaders. Matt Niskanen added two assists for the Capitals
Brad Marchand scored two power-play goals and had an assist for Boston (26-22-6), and David Krejci scored with 1:31 left to play.

Flames 5, Wild 1
CALGARY, Alberta -- Sean Monahan scored two power-play goals and Brian Elliott made 28 saves as Calgary bounced Minnesota.
Alex Chiasson, Deryk Engelland and Micheal Ferland also scored for the Flames, who won their second straight.
Jason Zucker replied for the Western Conference-leading Wild, who saw their franchise record road point streak end at 14 games.

Kings 5, Avalanche 0
LOS ANGELES -- Jeff Carter scored twice and Peter Budaj recorded his sixth shutout, as Los Angeles crushed Colorado at Staples Center.
Marian Gaborik, Dustin Brown and Dwight King also scored goals for the Kings, who won their fourth in a row. Carter leads the Kings with 26 goals. Budaj stopped 22 shots.
Spencer Martin had 35 saves for the Avalanche, who have dropped nine consecutive games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canadiens (30-14) at Flyers (25-20)

Date: February 02, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA -- For some reason, long breaks in the season have disastrous effects on the Philadelphia Flyers. A week after getting humbled by the New York Islanders in their first game back from their bye week, the Flyers returned from the NHL All-Star break on Tuesday and got trounced by the Carolina Hurricanes.

On Thursday night in Philadelphia, the Flyers will try to pick up the pieces against the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens, who are coming off Tuesday night's 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

"It's just a devastating performance and we just weren't ready," Flyers defenseman Mark Streit told the South Jersey Courier-Post of Tuesday night's 5-1 loss in Raleigh. "It's tough for me to explain because at this time of year everyone is battling for a playoff spot and you come out flat after a break where you should be energized."

The Flyers had won three games in a row prior to the All-Star break but tied a season low with just 16 shots.

"Just a real dismal effort on all fronts," defenseman Andrew MacDonald said. "They were all over us. We didn't forecheck. We didn't defend well, just all around a terrible game."

Second-year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere was a minus-2 in Tuesday's loss, bringing his season total to a minus-19. Last year's runner-up for the Calder Trophy has now gone 27 games without a goal and is expected to be a healthy scratch for the third time this season on Thursday night against the Canadiens.

"It's definitely frustrating, but it's more frustrating to be on the ice for goals against," Gostisbehere said. "I really don't care about points or scoring goals. My first job is to play defense. Sometimes the way the pucks are going in the net I feel like I have bad luck, but again I can't just use that as an excuse. I just look at that and say I can do a lot better myself."

The Canadiens, meanwhile, are coming off a big home win over the Sabres. Goaltender Carey Price, who spent his All-Star weekend ducking shots from players like P.K. Subban and Patrick Kane, was outstanding in Tuesday night's win, turning aside 37 shots for the win.

Price is expected to get the start against the Flyers, who played poorly in front of Steve Mason in Tuesday night's loss.

The Canadiens are also expected to get Alex Galchenyuk back in the lineup. The talented center missed three games with a knee injury. Defenseman Jeff Petry, who missed Tuesday night's win with an illness, is also expected to be back for the Habs.

That leaves only forward Brendan Gallagher (hand injury) still on the injured list. Gallagher is expected to return in about four weeks.

"The last two months were pretty rough health-wise, and we were still capable of maintaining our quality of play compared to last year," Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said on Wednesday. "That's good news for us. Obviously, it's a big boost to get some of our players back, and we saw an example (on Tuesday) even if we were still missing three really important players in Petry, (Galchenyuk) and Gallagher. Those are three pieces of that puzzle that are crucial for us, but we got some guys back and you felt the energy. Those guys, when they're back, it gives the team confidence."

Max Pacioretty was the real difference maker against the Sabres, recording his second hat trick of the season and sixth of his career.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (31-18) at Sabres (20-20)

Date: February 02, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres are both looking to get back on track following particularly disappointing outings on Tuesday night.

On Thursday, the teams will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Buffalo in a nationally televised game.

The Sabres (20-20-9) went into the All-Star break in the midst of one of their best stretches of the season. Following three straight overtime wins and a hard-luck 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars -- in which the Sabres saw two potential third-period goals disallowed in controversial fashion -- the Sabres were thinking they were well on their way toward a late-season playoff push.

Buffalo's first game out of the All-Star break, however, carried none of that momentum forward. The Sabres fell to Montreal 5-2 in a defeat that saw the Canadiens jump out to a 5-0 lead before surrendering two goals late in the third period to avoid the shutout. Max Pacioretty had a hat trick for Montreal.

"It's one game," Sabres center Jack Eichel said, according to the team's website. "It's a tough one but what are you going to do about it now? We ... play another game on Thursday so I think we put it behind us. We obviously know we didn't play well. I think it'll be important for us to go back to the drawing board, forget about this one, put it behind us. We know the way we have to play as a team to be successful."

Dmitry Kulikov and Brian Gionta scored for Buffalo.

"It wasn't as if it was 19 chances to zero," Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said via the team's website. "We had plenty of opportunities, but we played into their speed game. They played a fast game, we handed them the puck and they capitalized on a lot of the chances they had."

The Rangers (31-18-1), meanwhile, can draw some inspiration from their attempted comeback against Columbus on Tuesday night. Like the Sabres, however, they fell into big hole that was ultimately too much to overcome.

New York was facing a 6-0 deficit after surrendering four goals in the second period but did score four goals in the third in the 6-4 loss.

"We have to understand it's such a big learning moment for us," Rangers center Derek Stepan told the team's website. "Teams are just too good to take a 10-minute stretch like that. You're going to get killed every time. We've got to stop doing that ... They made us pay in that 10 minutes."

Stepan is tied for the team lead in points with 38 (12 goals, 26 assists) alongside Mats Zuccarello (9 goals, 29 assists).

Thursday will be the third and final game between the two teams this season. Despite the difference in the standings, the Sabres won each of the previous two meetings. Buffalo picked up a 4-3 home win against New York on Dec. 1 and a 4-1 road win to open up the new year on Jan. 3.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (26-16) at Lightning (22-23)

Date: February 02, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

TAMPA, Fla. -- After nearly four years since being fired by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Guy Boucher returns to face his old team Thursday.

Boucher enjoyed his first NHL head coaching job with Tampa Bay when he was hired by Steve Yzerman at the start of the 2010-11 season, promptly leading the Lightning to within a victory of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, falling in seven games to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference finals.

Less than two seasons later, Boucher was fired and replaced by Jon Cooper, who led the Lightning to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

The two coaches, who were part of the Lightning organization together for two-plus years, now face off with Boucher's resurgent Ottawa Senators having a chance to put another nail in to the disappointing season for the Lightning.

It would be a positive way to end what Boucher knows will be a day filled with emotions and memories.

"It will be weird, it will be different," Boucher told the Ottawa Citizen. "When you've invested a lot in somewhere and people are still there, whether it's just the Zamboni guy or the security people walking in ... I think it will be fun. Positive. But it will be a little weird, too, because it has been so long."

What's fresh in the Senators' mind is the poor defensive showing put forth in Tuesday's loss to the Florida Panthers, allowing six goals, many of them because of sloppy play.

"Our structure has to be much better than (Tuesday) night," Chris Kelly told the Citizen. "I'm not saying anything that all of us don't know. They're a talented team and if we give them time and space and we're not defending well, it makes for long nights."

The Lightning are hoping to make it a long night for Ottawa to help turn around what has been a long season for Tampa Bay.

Coming off consecutive deep playoff runs, the Lightning continue to be mired in mediocrity near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference. Tuesday's regulation loss to the Bruins dropped Tampa Bay to 14th place in the conference standings.

But sitting only six points out of a wild-card spot, Tampa Bay knows they still have the chance to turn around what has been a disappointing season to this point.

"We have to be more consistent," winger Alex Killorn said. "We have got to show a bit more fight."

The consistency level has been the biggest Achilles' heel for Tampa Bay this season. The Lightning have won consecutive games only once since Thanksgiving, and that was before Christmas. And it's not just from game-to-game, it's from period-to-period, as was the case against Boston.

So the coaching staff went back to basics Wednesday, putting the players through a series of drill concentrating on situational play -- encompassing all facets of the game from power play, 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 and even ended it with a "sudden death" shootout scenario.

"There are so many situations . . . there is nothing wrong with having a little reset in those areas and we've played a lot of them lately," Cooper said. "I think we were getting away from some things strategically that were costing us. So you can't just concentrate on once facet of the game, we have to make sure everybody is on the same page."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (28-16) at Predators (24-18)

Date: February 02, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

The Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators were two of the hottest teams in the NHL going into the All-Star break.

When they meet Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., both will look to regain their form prior to Tuesday night losses.

Edmonton (28-16-8) absorbed a 5-2 home beating at the hands of Minnesota, which jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second period and drove starting goalie Cam Talbot to cover after four goals on just 19 shots. Nashville (24-18-8) suffered a 4-2 defeat in Pittsburgh, thanks to a three-goal second period by the Penguins.

It was just the second regulation loss in the last 10 games for the Predators, which wrapped up January at 8-4-2 and jumped over St. Louis into third place in the Central Division. They will play nine of their next 12 games at home, including the next three.

"We're going to have to learn from this," Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis said. "We had a streak going. We were playing really good hockey and we need to regroup, refocus and come back from this game better."

Prior to Tuesday night's game, Nashville had outscored opponents 61-32 in the second period and was the NHL's lone team not to lose in regulation when scoring the first goal (15-0-5). But Pittsburgh played the role of outlier, keeping the Predators without a shot on net for the first six minutes and turning a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 breather.

Although Nashville controlled most of the third period, all it managed was a Colin Wilson power-play marker.

"We played 40 minutes of good hockey, I thought. Our second period just can't happen," center Ryan Johansen said. "We have three games at home here and we understand that. Just take care of business at home."

While the Predators start a homestand, this is the beginning of a three-game trip for the Oilers. Before Tuesday night, their only defeat in eight games was a 3-2 shootout loss to Nashville on Jan. 20 in Edmonton.

Not much good came out of the Oilers' return from the All-Star break. While they managed to pump 43 shots on net, they also missed the net with 18 shots and were too loose in their end. They gave the puck away 14 times.

"It was catastrophic mistakes, often just by individuals, that really caused us problems," Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said. "We were flat, we didn't execute well, we weren't good around the net. We got what we deserved."

A return to the road could be a good thing for the Oilers. They swept their last road trip, drumming Calgary, Anaheim and San Jose by a combined 15-4. Their 4-1 win over the Sharks just before the All-Star break opened quite a few eyes around the league.

Veteran forward Milan Lucic said Edmonton simply needs to commit to playing defense as a unit to regain its winning form. While Talbot's goals-against average suffered Tuesday night, Lucic said the skaters in front of him simply gave up too many quality chances.

"You can add up the distance from the net of all their goals put together and I don't think it goes from the goal line to the blue line," he said. "That's not on the goaltender, that's on the five-man unit in the D-zone."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (24-25) at Stars (21-20)

Date: February 02, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

DALLAS -- The Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars currently sit dead even in the Central Division standings with 52 points, making their game Thursday at American Airlines Center extra important.

Both teams head into the divisional battle fresh off a victory. The Jets won 5-3 at St. Louis and Dallas defeated Toronto 6-3 at home on Tuesday.

However, the Jets (24-25-4) have the better division record at 12-4-1, and they've also beaten the Stars two of three times this season, with both wins coming in Winnipeg.

"I think we've always known we have had a very special group. Yeah, I think as a group, we know what we've got to do and we've got the guys to do it," Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba said after practice on Monday.

Dallas will be Winnipeg's third stop on a four-game road trip, a trek the Jets are 2-0-0 on thus far.

Jets coach Paul Maurice said forward Mathieu Perreault, out the past three games with a broken thumb, will be a game-time decision for Thursday.

Maurice also said after practice on Wednesday in a Dallas suburb that injured forward Drew Stafford (lower body) won't be available to face the Stars but could return for the final game of the trip on Saturday at Colorado.

Maurice also said Wednesday that Ondrej Pavelec, who stopped 24 of 27 shots against the Blues on Tuesday, will start in goal against Dallas.

Pavelec has started five of the past six games for Winnipeg, who is 11-14-3 on the road.

The Jets have won back-to-back games for the 10th time this season but have yet to put together a three-game winning streak, something they hope to do Thursday against a Stars team that itself has only won three in a row once this season.

Maurice had a simple goal during practice on Wednesday.

"Usually after flights and especially because we had three days off, it's not a conditioning skate. It's all about getting the hands right, moving the puck right," Maurice said. "Kind of a tough night for both teams last night, the ice was tough, so the puck didn't get moved real easily, so we just want to make sure we're sharp for tomorrow."

Dallas (21-20-10) is 14-7-6 at home and the Stars will be playing game five of a six-game homestand.

However, one number that hasn't been favorable for Dallas this season is their record against the Central, a mark that currently sits at 8-9-4.

And with back-to-back divisional games against the Jets on Thursday and the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, veteran center Jason Spezza knows turning that divisional record around is imperative.

"We can't look past the first one," Spezza said after practice on Wednesday. "The first one's the most important.

"They're a team we're tied with or right there with. It's a team we're fighting with and they've kind of had our number a little bit with the two games in Winnipeg, so I think we have to make sure that we're ready to go. It's a big game for us."

Dallas defeated Winnipeg 3-2 at home on Oct. 25, but has lost twice to the Jets at MTS Centre, 4-1 on Oct. 27 and 8-2 on Nov. 8. The teams meet once more during the regular season on Feb. 14 in Winnipeg.

Even before the NHL All-Star break, Dallas had been playing better hockey, including a 4-3 win over Buffalo in its final game before the break.

But the Stars' 6-3 win, which included five goals in the first period, was a welcome sign for coach Lindy Ruff.

"Well, I think we all know where we're at (in the standings). I think we all knew going into the break where we were at," Ruff said. "We knew that at some point we have to go on a run.

"A run means more than a couple games in a row. We got to put four or five in a row where we got to play better hockey and win games on the road."

Last season, Dallas led the NHL with 267 goals scored. But because of injuries and other issues, the Stars have been among the league leaders in goals allowed this season instead of goals scored.

But as Spezza sees it, Tuesday's performance against Toronto might be a great sign that Dallas is starting to rediscover some of its same offensive potency it came to be known for last season.

"Well, the first period was great for sure. I think we've played better in the last chunk of games and we feel better about what we're doing," Spezza said. "Scoring those five goals in a quick burst like that (in the first period) felt a little like the offensive team we expect to be."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (23-16) at Blues (24-21)

Date: February 02, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- A strong message was sent to the St. Louis Blues about their inconsistency this season when coach Ken Hitchcock was fired Wednesday.

General manager Doug Armstrong made it clear he was more upset with the players than with Hitchcock's coaching but that a change had to be made.

Mike Yeo, who had been hired as the coach in waiting last summer when Hitchcock announced that this would be his final season, will take over beginning with Thursday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Blues come into the game having lost five of their last six contests. They have lost their last four home games in regulation, their longest streak since losing six in a row in 2006.

St. Louis (24-21-5) is also are involved in a tight race for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference while also three points out of third in the Central Division.

"I think we've let our group become independent contractors," Armstrong said at a news conference Wednesday. "One of the things I've learned about being around St. Louis is the Cardinals. They don't have independent contractors; when they do, they get rid of them. We have a situation now where I trust these guys and I believe in them. But I have a sense of independent contractors.

"We just haven't played well enough ... It just felt like we were hit and miss, night-in and night-out. I think we need to demand more of ourselves. Our record is not indicative of what we thought (we'd have)."

Armstrong said the spotlight now shines on the players after the coaching change.

"It's got to turn right away," goaltender Jake Allen said. "If it doesn't, there's a real issue. I think we all should be real excited to play tomorrow. This is tough news for us to take today, but it's part of the business, the unfortunate part of the business that we're in. But we've got a real good chance now, we've said it all along, we're still potentially right there in a playoff spot. We can only get better."

Allen could have been speaking about himself as well as the team. He has not won since Jan. 2. He will be in goal for the game against the Maple Leafs, who are coming off a 6-3 loss in Dallas on Tuesday night.

Coach Mike Babcock was disappointed with his team's effort.

"We didn't compete hard enough as a group to have any kind of success whatsoever," Babcock said. "I don't think it's been any indication at all of how we play or have played. It's disappointing. Actually, it's surprising."

Like the Blues, the Maple Leafs are battling for a spot in the playoffs.

"The points are super important now," forward Tyler Bozak said. "This is the second half of the season when it gets the toughest, so we have to be better at the start of the next game."

For the Blues, it's about moving on as well.

"It's going to be a bit of a fresh start for us moving forward but as players, we have to look at ourselves in the mirrors too," defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said. "This isn't just a coaching problem. This is something we have to fix in the locker room. We're all in this together, so today is a fresh start, and we have to move forward and get ready to handle this last half of the season."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (30-17) at Coyotes (16-27)

Date: February 02, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If the Chicago Blackhawks are going to make a run at their fourth Stanley Cup in eight seasons, they will likely have to do so with the current roster.

General manager Stan Bowman told reporters in San Jose on Tuesday that he does not anticipate any significant moves at the March 1 trade deadline to bolster the Blackhawks' questionable depth.

"I've said this from the beginning of the year, and I mean it: We have a different dynamic this year because we have a lot more young players that have been with our team this year from the beginning," Bowman said via the Chicago Sun Times. "Established players, they don't typically get better as the year goes on.

"They're at their level, and they maintain it. If anything, they drop off due to injury or fatigue or whatnot. But we've got a different dynamic at play. We've already seen it with a few of them. They're better now than they were in October."

It was a curious statement to make for a team with forward depth issues that needs a suitable left wing to play on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa, but it sounded even stranger after the Hawks dropped their third straight game Tuesday in San Jose, and have fallen from the top overall spot in the Western Conference to a tie for third with Anaheim.

The Blackhawks are a mediocre possession team this season, nothing close to the teams that won Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The reasons for Bowman's stance are likely tied to the Blackhawks' limited cap space and the fact that so few teams have assumed the role of seller.

With one month left before the deadline, only Colorado and Arizona have fallen far enough off the playoff pace to decide the postseason is a lost cause.

"The way the standings are going, I don't know if teams are going to fall out of the race," said Bowman, whose team faces the Coyotes on Thursday at Gila River Arena. "There may be fewer players than ever on the market, relative to other years, just because of the way the standings are."

That means a scarcity of supply and high asking prices. Arizona will likely be shopping free-agent-to-be center Martin Hanzal and defenseman Michael Stone, and possibly right wingers Radim Vrbata and captain Shane Doan, but none of those pieces fit the Blackhawks' greatest needs.

General manager John Chayka echoed Bowman's statements about a limited trade market, so the Coyotes are taking a wait-and-see approach with their most attractive assets, including Doan. He played his entire 21-season career with the Jets-Coyotes franchise, but admitted recently that he would consider waiving his no-move clause if the perfect situation arose for him to chase a Stanley Cup before he retires.

"I just think it's natural for players of that age to start looking at the potential of it," Chayka said. "Again, it's not something that's set in stone or anything like that.

"Shane's a Coyote for now and we're happy to have him, but at the same time, that might be a selfish view of things. If Shane were to come to me with a different idea, then I'd have that conversation with him."

On the ice, left winger Max Domi practiced with the Coyotes on Wednesday -- the first time that has happened since he broke his hand in a fight against Calgary on Dec. 8. Domi is considered day-to-day, but coach Dave Tippett did not rule out him playing against the Blackhawks.

"That wasn't the plan but we'll see," Tippett said. "We'll see where it goes."

Coyotes center Brad Richardson (broken right tibia and fibula) is still out indefinitely. For the Blackhawks, defenseman Michal Rozsival (lower body) is on injured reserve.

Mike Smith is expected to start in goal for Arizona. Corey Crawford starts for Chicago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Thursday’s games

Home side won last seven Montreal-Philly games; Canadiens lost four of last five games in this building. Over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Montreal is 0-4 in game following its last four wins; they lost three of last four road games. Under is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Flyers won three of last four games, both overall and at home. Three of their last four games stayed under the total.

Rangers were outscored 12-7 in losing their last three games with Buffalo; New York won three of last four visits to western NY, in series where visitor won five of last seven games. Four of last five series games went over. Rangers are 3-5 in last eight games but won four of last five on the road; three of their last four games stayed under. Sabres won their last three home games but this is their first home game in 13 days. Over is 4-1-1 in their last six games.

Lightning won six of last eight games with Ottawa; under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Senators were outscored 13-4 in losing last three visits here. Ottawa lost three of last four games overall, but won three of last four on road; four of their last six games stayed under. Tampa Bay lost five of last six games; three of their last four went over the total. Lightning lost four of their last five home games.

St Louis won four of last six games with Toronto but Leafs won last two; teams split last four series games played here. Over is 3-1-2 in last six series games. Toronto lost four of last six games overall; they split last six on road. Four of their last five games stayed under. Blues lost five of last six games; they changed coaches yesterday- five of their last six games went over the total.

Nashville won its last seven games with Edmonton, blanking the Oilers in their last two visits to Music City. Oilers lost last three visits here in series where under is 4-0-3 in last seven series games. Edmonton won seven of last nine games, winning last three on road by combined score of 15-4. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Predators won four of last six games overalll, three of last four on road- their last four games went over.

Winnipeg won three of last four games with Dallas; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Jets lost three of last four visits to Texas. Winnipeg won four of last six games, winning 5-3/5-3 in last two games. Over is 8-1-1 in their last ten games. Dallas Stars won their last two games after a 1-5 skid; over is 6-3 in their last nine games- they split their last six home games.

Chicago won its last five games with Arizona, outscoring Coyotes by combined score of 24-12. Blackhawks won their last three visits to the desert. Three of last four series games went over the total. Chicago was outscored 13-6 in losing its last three games; they split last four games on road. Over is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Arizona won three of last four games, all home games; they’re 5-2 in last seven home games. Over is 3-1-2 in their last six games.

Road team won last ten San Jose-Vancouver games; Sharks won last five visits to Vancouver, outscoring Canucks 17-8 in those games. Over is 2-0-1 in last three series games. San Jose won seven of its last eight games, three in row on road- their last two road games went over. Vancouver lost six of last nine games but they won last two at home. Under is 6-2-1 in their last nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PGA Tour Picks: Waste Management Phoenix Open Odds and Expert Predictions
by Alan Matthews

It was no secret on the PGA Tour that many of the more veteran golfers expected a breakout season for Jon Rahm, who is from Spain but played at Arizona State. The guy was one of the best collegians ever as the only two-time winner of the Ben Hogan Award (in 2015 and 2016), which recognizes the outstanding male amateur and collegiate golfer of the year. He also won the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2016 and was a four-time All-American.

So I can't say it was a huge surprise to anyone that Rahm got his first PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open. That tournament looked wide open as the top groups headed to the back-nine at Torrey Pines on Sunday, but then Rahm pulled away with a 30 to finish at 13-under. He started the day three shots off the lead, and he was still not really a thought to win with eight holes to play but had two eagles in his final six holes -- including an amazing 61-footer on No. 18. It was the first time Rahm had two eagles in the same round on Tour and he was the first winner to make two eagles in a final round since Davis Love III at the 2015 Wyndham Championship.

Rahm is the youngest winner this season and the youngest ever winner of the Farmers Insurance Open. It was only the 22-year-old's 12th career start as a pro. By comparison, fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia didn't win until his 36th Tour event, although he was younger than Rahm. He was also the first player to win the Torrey Pines Tour stop in his first start since Arnold Palmer in 1957.

I didn't touch on Rahm last week, but I'll be picking him to win some event this year. I liked the prop of Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka and Jimmy Walker at +500 against the field at Torrey Pines. The latter two missed the cut and Matsuyama was 33rd. I did get two-time champion Brandt Snedeker for a Top 10 at +200. He was the co-leader heading into Sunday but shot 1-over 73 and finished tied for ninth at 8 under, five behind Rahm. I thought it was good value at +135 to bet on Tiger missing the cut -- and he did after rounds of 76-72. Other than that, not a ton correct last week.

As usual, the biggest party event of the Tour season is on Super Bowl weekend: the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale and its frat house-like atmosphere, especially on the 16th hole. Rahm certainly should be a fan favorite as he plays in front of the Arizona State faithful for the first time since 2015 when he finished T5 as an amateur. Phil Mickelson, another ASU guy, is always mega-popular here too. Lefty was a solid T14 at Torrey Pines. Rahm played for Tim Mickelson, Phil's brother at ASU. Tim is now Rahm's manager.

Tiger's not playing this week; he's in the Middle East I'm sure cashing an appearance check. The first ace on a par-4 in PGA tournament history was here in 2001 by Andrew Magee on No. 17. Matsuyama is the defending champion -- and I called that in 2016. Rickie Fowler led by two with two holes left in regulation but put his drive on the 17th into the water and Matsuyama birdied No. 17 and 18. Fowler also birdied 18. Both men finished regulation at 14-under 270 so they went to a playoff, and Matsuyama won in four holes; that fourth hole was 17 again and Fowler drove into the drink again. Third-round leader Danny Lee had a final-round 73 to drop to fourth at 11 under.

Golf Odds: Waste Management Phoenix Open Favorites

Jordan Spieth is the +800 favorite . He hasn't played since the Hawaii Swing, when he was third in both tournaments. Spieth skipped this tournament in 2016 but was seventh in 2015.

Matsuyama is +1000 to repeat. The last player to do so in this event is Johnny Miller in 1974-75. Matsuyama entered 2017 red hot but was 27th at the Sony Open and 33rd last week. In addition to his win here, Matsuyama was second in 2015 and fourth in 2014. I can't believe he's not favored.

The rest of the favorites are Justin Thomas (+1100), Rahm (+2000) and Mickelson (+2500). Thomas of course owned the Hawaii Swing by becoming just the second player to sweep those two events and even shooting a 59. He hasn't played since. As much as I like Rahm, I generally don't recommend guys coming off a win -- especially their first. Lefty has won here in 1996, 2005 & 2013 and is looking to become the first four-time champion. He also shares the course record of 60, doing it twice, but before a course re-design. Mickelson was 11th here last year.

Golf Odds: Waste Management Phoenix Open Picks

For a Top-10 finish, I'll go with Spieth (-170), Matsuyama (-120) Mickelson (+240) and Brendan Steele (+300). He has made the cut in all six trips to TPC Scottsdale with three top-six finishes. As top European, go with Russell Knox at +125. He has started the 2016/17 season in strong form. Knox was 15th here two years ago.

Head-to-head, I like Keegan Bradley (-110) over Zach Johnson (-120), Knox (-105) over Tony Finau (-125), Steele (-120) over Harris English (-110), Fowler (-115) over Patrick Reed (-115), Mickelson (-105) over Rahm (-125), and Matsuyama (-175) over Bubba Watson (+135).

Again this week, sportsbooks are offering a few top player groupings vs. the field. Koepka, Watson and Ryan Moore at +900 vs. the field (-2000) is interesting, but go Spieth & Matsuyama (+400) vs. the field (-650).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Heat, Celtics, Pacers roll on
By The Sports Xchange

BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas flashed his fourth-quarter magic one more time, leading his Boston Celtics from behind to their fifth straight victory, a 109-104 decision over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
Boston's little big man scored 18 of his 44 points in the final 6:12 (19 in the quarter), including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 48.1 seconds remaining as the Celtics completed a comeback from an 18-point third-quarter deficit for the win.
The win, over a Toronto team playing the second half of a back-to-back without injured All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan, gave the Celtics a game and a half lead over Toronto atop the Atlantic Division. It also gave coach Brad Stevens the same lead over counterpart Dwane Casey in the chase to coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Heat 116, Hawks 93
MIAMI -- Goran Dragic scored 27 points as Miami won its ninth straight game, defeating Atlanta at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Dion Waiters added 20 points for Miami, and Hassan Whiteside contributed 18 points and 18 rebounds.
The Heat, which was 19 games under .500 only two weeks ago, has the longest active win streak in the NBA.
It's also the Heat's longest win streak in three years and the third-biggest run by an NBA team this season. Only the Golden State Warriors (12 straight wins) and the Houston Rockets (10) have longer runs.

Pacers 98, Magic 88
ORLANDO, Fla. -- C.J. Miles scored 16 points, and Indiana won its fourth consecutive game by pounding Orlando at the Amway Center.
Miles hit 6 of 7 shots, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range in a nearly flawless shooting night. The Pacers never trailed after the first two minutes.
The Magic never got closer than five points in the fourth quarter.

Warriors 126, Hornets 111
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry bombed in six 3-pointers in the first quarter, paving the way to a 39-point performance that propelled Golden State to a thumping of Charlotte.
Curry (11-for-15) and Klay Thompson (6-for-10) combined for 17 3-pointers as the Warriors set franchise records for threes in a quarter (nine) and a half (15) en route to season-best 21.
Thompson finished with 29 points to go with a career-high-tying eight assists, and Kevin Durant added 18 points, helping the Warriors record a sixth straight win over the Hornets and an eighth in a row at home against Eastern Conference competition this season.

Cavaliers 125, Timberwolves 97
CLEVELAND -- Kyrie Irving passed for a career-high 14 assists to go with his 14 points and LeBron James had 27 points and 12 assists in Cleveland's victory against Minnesota. It was a much-needed jolt to start the month of February after they struggled through a miserable 7-8 January.
It's the most points the Cavs scored in a game since a Dec. 7 home win against the Knicks. They've now won three of their last four games.
Irving and James combined for 26 of the Cavs' 37 assists -- which is why they held a free-agent workout earlier in the day featuring Mario Chalmers, Kirk Hinrich, Jordan Farmar and Lance Stephenson. James has been persistent in mentioning the Cavs' need for more playmakers.

Knicks 95, Nets 90
NEW YORK -- Kristaps Porzingis scored 12 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter when Carmelo Anthony did not play and New York rallied for a victory over Brooklyn at Barclays Center.
Porzingis returned after sitting with a stomach virus in Tuesday's loss at Washington. He made 4 of 6 shots in the fourth quarter and grabbed four rebounds to help the Knicks win for only the sixth time in their last 22 games since Dec. 22.
Willy Hernangomez added 14 of his 16 in the fourth quarter for the Knicks, who trailed for the first 43-plus minutes and won despite shooting 35.4 percent.

Pistons 118, Pelicans 98
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 38 points and Detroit snapped an eight-game losing streak to New Orleans with a victory at The Palace.
The fourth-year guard's previous high was 31 points against Boston on Dec. 16, 2015. He made 12 of 18 field-goal attempts, including eight 3-pointers.
Detroit, which lost its last three games, recorded its first victory over New Orleans since Feb. 4, 2012. Tobias Harris had 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists off the bench for Detroit, while Andre Drummond contributed 17 points and six rebounds.

Mavericks 113, 76ers 95
DALLAS -- A career showing by backup center Salah Mejri sparked streaking Dallas past Philadelphia at American Airlines Center.
After impressive wins over San Antonio and Cleveland on successive nights earlier this week, the Mavericks avoided a letdown and extended their winning streak to three in a row to match a season high. Dallas has also won five of its last six and eight of 11.
Mejri played a leading role despite coming off the bench. The NBA's first player born in Tunisia racked up a career-high 17 rebounds and scored 16 to tally his first double-double of the season.

Jazz 104, Bucks 88
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 27 points and Rudy Gobert added 26 points and 15 rebounds to help Utah run away with a victory over Milwaukee.
Gobert recorded his 33rd double-double of the season before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Joe Johnson chipped in 14 points off the bench. Utah beat the Bucks for the fifth straight time and won its 15th consecutive home game against Milwaukee dating back to 2001.
Jabari Parker scored 17 points while Greg Monroe added 13 and Thon Maker chipped in 12 to lead the Bucks. Milwaukee lost for the ninth time in its last 10 games.

Grizzlies 119, Nuggets 99
DENVER -- Marc Gasol scored 24 points, Mike Conley scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half, and Memphis beat depleted Denver.
Zach Randolph and Vince Carter scored 14 each for the Grizzlies, who have won three straight.
Emmanuel Mudiay scored 14 points and had seven rebounds in his first game since injuring his back Jan. 21. Kenneth Faried had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Denver, which had its five-game home winning streak snapped.
Denver played its third straight game without center Nikola Jokic, who is out with a left hip flexor strain, and guard Will Barton missed his second consecutive game with left ankle soreness.

Clippers 124, Suns 114
PHOENIX -- Blake Griffin tied a season high with 29 points and Los Angeles overcame a third-quarter ejection to DeAndre Jordan to beat slumping Phoenix.
J.J. Redick had 16 points for the Clippers and banked in a big 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down with 3:28 left to turn a three-point Los Angeles lead into a 112-106 margin.
Raymond Felton, who had 18 points, followed with another 3-pointer with 2:16 left, the Clippers had a 115-106 lead and their third win in as many games against the Suns this season.

Bulls 128, Thunder 100
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Jimmy Butler scored 28 points to lead Chicago to a victory over Oklahoma City at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Butler shot 11 of 17 from the field and added five assists and four rebounds. Dwyane Wade posted 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, while Robin Lopez added 14 points.
The Bulls got back to .500 in the opener of a six-game road trip.
Russell Westbrook compiled 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds for Oklahoma City. It was his second straight game without a triple-double.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cavaliers continue to feed an inferno of burned cash in 2017
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

December 25, 2016. Christmas Day. The conclusion of a message delivered loud and clear and unmistakable for all to comprehend - to the locker room, the opposition, the media, the fans and the world.

You can sign Kevin Durant, but you still can’t beat us.

The “us” in this equation is none other than LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who erased a 14-point fourth quarter deficit against the new-look Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena in the first encounter between the two clubs since the previous June, when the 73-win Dubs donked-off a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals to fall in seven games on their home court to James and the Cavs.

That aforementioned message was unmistakable in the wake of such a thrilling and improbable comeback. Cleveland was still the top gun in the Association and there was nothing Golden State could do about it.

And then it all went to hell.

Not for the Warriors, who have gone 14-2 — which includes a 35-point win over the Cavaliers on January 16 — since that Christmas Day loss, but for the Cavaliers who have seemingly come unglued at the seams both on and off the court ever since the calendar flipped to 2017.

Up to and including that win over Golden State on December 25, the Cavaliers had posted a record of 23-6 SU and 15-13-1 ATS while facing an average point spread of -7.5 points per game.

Since January 1 it’s been a much different story for Cleveland, who has gone 7-8 SU and 3-12 ATS while facing an average point spread of 6.7 points per game.

The problems are somewhat alarming, as they have not been confined to either on-the-court issues or off-the-court concerns - but both. James has spent the better part of the past two weeks calling out the Cleveland front office, putting his teammates (sans Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love) on blast and jawing with Charles Barkley on a very public stage. All of this while the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer has somehow, inexplicably, found a way to lead the NBA in minutes per game at 37.5.

From an on-the-court perspective, here’s a look at how the Cavaliers performed from the season-opener through that Christmas Day win over the Warriors compared with how the club has fared since that headline-grabbing victory:

Record: 23-6 vs. 9-9
Offensive Rating: 111.2 (4th) vs. 106.1 (17th)
Defensive Rating: 104.1 (13th) vs. 108.3 (18th)
Net Rating: +7.1 (5th) vs. -2.2 (21st)
Effective Field Goal Percentage: 53.8% (3rd) vs. 52.1% (13th)
Assist/Turnover Ratio: 1.70 (9th) vs. 1.37 (26th)

It’s been a systematic breakdown across the board for the Cavaliers since December 25, as the club’s production and efficiency have fallen by the wayside. Usually a team that prides itself on playing stellar defense, Cleveland has surrendered 100 or more points in 17 of 19 contests since Christmas.

What it all means is very simple: If the Cavaliers can’t take advantage of a February that offers a light schedule coupled with the All-Star break, it may be time to consider the possibility that another NBA Finals contender could emerge from the Eastern Conference.

Here’s what LeBron and co. will face in the month of February:

Minnesota Timberwolves (twice): 19-29
New York Knicks (twice): 23-29
Indiana Pacers (twice): 25-22
Chicago Bulls: 24-25
Milwaukee Bucks: 21-26
Denver Nuggets: 21-26
Washington Wizards: 28-20
Oklahoma City Thunder: 28-21

No Warriors, no Spurs, no Rockets, no Celtics, no Raptors. That’s not exactly the “Murderer’s Row” of NBA schedules.

If the Cavs can’t find a way to get right during that 11-game stretch, perhaps it’s worth thinking the unthinkable: That maybe, just maybe, LeBron could miss the NBA Finals for the first time in seven years.

And who was it that prevented James from a spot against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the championship series that season?

Oh yeah, the Boston Celtics. The same Boston Celtics who are riding a four-game winning streak, find themselves just 2.5 games behind Cleveland entering Wednesday night and can currently be found at a price of 30/1 to win the NBA title and 8/1 to win the Eastern Conference at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (17-34) at Wizards (28-20)

Date: February 02, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Wizards have the longest active home-court winning streak in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers have the fewest road wins in the Western Conference.

On paper, that adds up to a big mismatch Thursday.

The Wizards (28-20) concluded a second straight impressive month with a 117-101 rout over the New York Knicks on Tuesday behind 28 points from Bradley Beal. Six players scored in double figures and three recorded double-doubles, including All-Star guard John Wall, while holding New York to 37 percent shooting.

Since Dec. 1, the Wizards are an Eastern Conference-best 22-9 -- including 12 wins in their last 14 games. Washington, 12-4 in January, matched the Golden State Warriors for the most wins in the month. No wonder their collective confidence is, according to Beal, even higher than recent versions that had playoff success.

"I think the joy that we have, the fun that we have is amazing," Beal said. "It's positive in there and we want nothing but the best for one another. There is great camaraderie, and we just take it all on the floor."

Washington, third in the NBA in field goal percentage, rarely has a bad night offensively with Wall running the attack and finding shooters all over the court. Otto Porter leads the league in 3-point accuracy at 46.2 percent. Big man Marcin Gortat, shooting 60 percent, made all seven of his shots against New York and has hit 36 of 45 over the last six games.

Now the defense isn't starting to keep pace with the offense.

"We weren't on the same page," Wall said of Washington's guarding woes earlier in the season. "We weren't helping each other and listening to the coaches we have. ... It was just about 'Can you stop people multiple times?' And I think we figured out ways to do that."

Los Angeles (17-34) did win in Washington last season. The Lakers also lost 10 of 15 in January, though a 120-116 win at Denver on Tuesday helped them close the month in style.

D'Angelo Russell tallied 22 points and a career-high 10 assists in a 120-116 win over the Nuggets.

"He was our leader on the court, and he was making all the right plays," 19-year-old rookie center Ivica Zubac said. "He needs to play like that, and I think he can do it every night."

Nick Young, who started his career with the Wizards, scored 23 with five 3-pointers. Zubac added a career-high 17 points.

"Guys were making shots left and right, we were getting stops and it just made it easier for me," said Russell, who missed the previous three games with a mild MCL sprain in his right knee and a strained right calf.

The Lakers have shown the ability to score, but they have struggled stopping the opposition. Los Angeles, just 5-21 on the road, ranks 27th in scoring defense at 110.2 points per game.

Starting forward Julius Randle missed the last two games with pneumonia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (28-21) at Rockets (36-16)

Date: February 02, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- In just 13 minutes on Tuesday night, the Houston Rockets received what they needed from veteran center Nene in their win over the Sacramento Kings.

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni is striking a delicate balance in divvying minutes within his center rotation, focusing intently on matchups while exercising caution to not overwork Nene, 34. That scheme was compromised when starting center Clint Capela was sidelined for a month with a leg fracture, but with Capela making his 32nd start of the season on Tuesday night, Nene was back in his comfort zone.

Nene scored 11 points and blocked two shots in the Rockets' 105-83 victory. He provided a physical presence against Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, the brute force that the slender Capela and undersized center Montrezl Harrell lack.

By sparingly using Nene, who is averaging 8.2 points and 3.7 rebounds, D'Antoni set the stage for Nene to work similarly against Dwight Howard when the Rockets (36-16) host the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night at Toyota Center.

"I just want to make sure that when I can rest him, I want to," D'Antoni said of Nene, who is averaging 17.1 minutes. "I'll never play him when we don't need him. There'll be days that we give him off because we feel that the matchup is OK for us. But if there's a somebody like a Cousins, there's somebody he's playing, so we look at the calendar and make sure that Nene is ready to go on those days."

Nene sat for rest three times in January, and the preseason script called for D'Antoni to avoid playing Nene in back-to-backs. However, when Capela missed 15 games, Nene played with greater frequency. Now that Capela is healthy again, Nene can resume his role as a specialist against bruisers like Cousins and Howard.

For Howard, Thursday will mark his first time playing in Houston for the opposition since Dec. 4, 2012. Howard signed with the Rockets as a free agent in July 2013 following his lone season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he averaged 16 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over three seasons and 183 games in Houston.

Despite his elevated performance in the postseason with the Rockets (17.9 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks), his relationship with All-Star guard James Harden deteriorated to the point where the organization didn't make a strong push to re-sign him during the offseason, facilitating his return to his hometown of Atlanta.

Per 36 minutes, Howard is rebounding at a clip (15.6) better than any time previously in his career. But after averaging 13.7 points per game in his final season in Houston, Howard carries a 13.6 scoring average into Thursday. He had his string of consecutive double-doubles snapped at five games after scoring just six points in the Hawks' 116-93 road loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

"We have to come out with a little more intensity," Atlanta forward Paul Millsap said. "Defensively ... we weren't making it hard on them."

The Hawks (28-21) have alternated wins and losses for six games and are 6-5 over their past 11. Their inconsistency, a season-long issue, remains mystifying.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (18-30) at Spurs (37-11)

Date: February 02, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

One of the anomalies of the first half of the NBA season is that the San Antonio Spurs -- considered a real contender for the league title -- have had problems beating teams with sub-.500 records.

The Spurs -- who have lost 11 times all season, with six of those defeats coming to teams without winning records -- get another chance to re-establish their normal dominant role when they face the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday at AT&T Center in San Antonio.

San Antonio (37-11) comes into the game off a 108-94 win over Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds. But the Spurs' bench proved to be the difference, helping to turn the tide at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth after San Antonio squandered an 18-point lead over a horrid seven-minute stretch.

The Spurs' reserves responded by outscoring Oklahoma City 15-2; and, once the starters returned, the Thunder had no answer.

"It's different things at different times," Spurs guard Danny Green said about his team's occasional struggles. "I can't put a finger on one particular thing in each game, but hopefully we will figure it out soon and get that chemistry -- and get the ball rolling -- by the All-Star break."

Overall, the Spurs' bench racked up 32 points to 22 for Oklahoma City's reserves, with most of that damage coming in the pivotal stretch bridging the third and fourth quarters.

"We played more competitively for more of the 48 minutes than we have recently," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "We played good defense in the first half and the fourth quarter, but it's still a 48-minute game. We have to figure that out."

The 76ers head to the Alamo City off a 113-95 loss Wednesday to surging Dallas in which Jahlil Okafor led Philadelphia with 16 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Philadelphia, up as many as nine points in the first half, was down only two (62-60) midway through the third. The Mavs finished the period strong to go up 12, and the lead surpassed 20 in the fourth.

Dallas won the rebound battle 51-34 and outscored Philadelphia by 23 points over the final three quarters.

Still, there has been huge improvement from the 76ers (18-30) this season after they won just 10 games last season. On Monday they rallied from a 16-point second-quarter deficit to beat Sacramento and snap a two-game losing streak. They finished January with a 10-5 record, their best month since going 13-4 in January 2012.

"This team has grown a lot," the 76ers' Robert Covington said. "We're showing a lot of poise. And it's still early. There's still a lot of time for us to really grow even more."

Rookie of the Year favorite Joel Embiid didn't make the trip to Texas. He suffered a bruised left knee Jan. 20 and hasn't played in six of the past seven games. He was on the floor in Friday's nationally televised 123-118 loss to Houston, but coach Brett Brown dispelled any notion that Embiid was rushed back for that game.

Before Philadelphia's 122-119 win Monday, Brown said Embiid had more soreness in the knee after playing against the Rockets.

"Nobody needs to feel like there's a conspiracy theory here -- there isn't," Brown said. "It's just that we feel like it's best for him to keep him behind with the resources that we have (in Philadelphia) and to get the rest he needs. We can do the best job for Joel in this environment."

Philadelphia has gone 11-4 since Dec. 30.

The Spurs have won 10 straight against Philadelphia (dating back to a 77-71 road loss on Feb. 11, 2011) and have captured 11 consecutive home games against the 76ers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (42-7) at Clippers (31-18)

Date: February 02, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- The Warriors have feasted on the Los Angeles Clippers lately. On Thursday night, Golden State will try to do it again in another clash of the Pacific Division rivals at Staples Center.

The Warriors own eight straight wins over the Clippers, and they claimed the past four meetings at Staples. The Clippers haven't defeated the Warriors since recording a 100-86 decision on Christmas Day in 2014. Since then, it's been nothing but misery for Los Angeles.

In the most recent meeting, on Saturday, Golden State rolled to a 144-98 romp at Oracle Arena. It was the most points allowed by the Clippers this season.

Stephen Curry poured in 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter before sitting out the final period as the reserves finished the rout.

Golden State has an average margin of victory of more than 13 points in the past eight contests against Los Angeles. The Warriors are averaging 117.5 points per game and shooting 49.9 percent during that stretch.

The Warriors (42-7) have won 11 of their last 12 contests overall, and they are 8-1 against division opponents this season. They defeated the Charlotte Hornets 126-11 on Wednesday night at Oracle. Curry scored 39 points, hitting 11 of 15 from 3-point range, and Klay Thompson added 29. The two players combined to go 17 of 25 from beyond the arc.

Golden State attempted a franchise-record 48 3-point shots.

"I just want open shots. I never care how many threes we take," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr after it was brought to his attention that Golden State attempted the same number of 2-pointers as treys in the game. "I thought most of (the 3-point attempts) were good."

The Warriors played without guard Shaun Livingston, who was a late scratch due to a back strain. Livingston, who was listed as doubtful for the Thursday game, was scheduled to fly with the club to Los Angeles and be re-examined.

The Clippers are coming off a 124-114 win over Suns in Phoenix on Tuesday. The contest capped a five-game road swing which the Clippers went 2-3.

Los Angeles (31-18) continues to play without point guard Chris Paul, who has missed six games since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb on Jan. 18. Paul is not expected to return for another four to six weeks.

Without him, the Clippers are 2-4 in their last six games. Against Phoenix, Blake Griffin tied his season-high with 29 points in his third game since returning from knee surgery. Griffin's solid performance was needed since the Clippers lost center DeAndre Jordan to a third-quarter ejection for a flagrant-2 foul.

"This is the best Blake we've seen (since his return) by far," Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers said. "He played in gears. He knew when to go, and he knew when not to go."

Said Griffin, "I was proud how we stuck with it. With DJ going out and (Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe) having a fantastic game, I was proud of the way we stayed with it and dug it out at the end."

After the Warriors game, the Clippers head back on the road for five more games, beginning Sunday against the Boston Celtics.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Being as Thursday night is the usual TNT doubleheader, I feel I must address the sudden public feud between Hall of Famer Charles Barkley and future Hall of Famer LeBron James. I won't go over every word said as I'm sure you heard it all over the past 24 hours or so because it led every sports show out there - temporarily overtaking the Super Bowl. Did Barkley have some valid points in his criticisms of LeBron? I think so. Also consider that the Chuckster is Michael Jordan's pal, and thus Barkley has been critical of LeBron because so many compared James to Jordan. I think James had some justified responses to Barkley as well. Don't even compare these two as players as Barkley was really good and won an MVP Award but never a title and was not in LeBron's stratosphere. Frankly, I think this is just LeBron inventing motivation for himself during the dog days of the season and with his team really struggling. I will definitely be tuning in to hear Barkley's response on the TNT studio show on Thursday. The Cavs are on TNT both Monday and Thursday next week as well.

Lakers at Wizards (TBA)

Los Angeles ended a three-game overall losing streak and seven-game skid at home with a 120-116 win over Denver on Tuesday. D'Angelo Russell returned from a three-game injury absence and had 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Nick Young scored 23 points, Lou Williams added 21 and rookie Ivica Zubac had a career-high 17. Julius Randle was out with pneumonia. This starts a five-game trip. Washington won its fifth straight Tuesday, 117-101 over the Knicks. Bradley Beal had 28 points as the Wiz won their 15 th consecutive at home. First meeting of the season between Los Angeles and Washington. The teams split last year, each winning at home.

Key trends: The Lakers are 2-6 against the spread in their past eight on the road. The "over/under" is 16-7 in the Wizards' past 23 after a win.

Early lean: Wizards will crush the Lakers (TBA for Randle).

Hawks at Rockets (-9, 222)

First TNT game. I was all ready to have my introduction to this story being Dwight Howard's return to Houston. He will not be warmly welcomed, just like he isn't anytime he goes to Los Angeles or Orlando. The Rockets are much better off without him, although Howard is having a nice year in his hometown. I'm assuming Howard will play here even though Atlanta was in Miami on Wednesday. It wouldn't shock me if he invented an injury just to avoid the boos. Houston clobbered Sacramento 105-83 on Tuesday. Ryan Anderson had 25 points and 11 rebounds. James Harden, who banged knees early in the first quarter, finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Harden says he's OK. Houston lost in Atlanta 112-97 on Nov. 5. Howard had 20 points and 13 rebounds. The Rockets have lost six straight in the series and the past two at home.

Key trends: The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 4-1 in the Rockets' past five on Thursday.

Early lean: Hawks and over.

76ers at Spurs ( -13.5, 209.5)

Philadelphia was in Dallas on Wednesday without Joel Embiid, and he won't play here. I hope that guy stays healthy because he has Hall of Fame potential, but his body just doesn't seem to cooperate. San Antonio ended a two-game losing streak with a 108-94 victory over Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Kawhi Leonard had 36 points and kept Russell Westbrook scoreless in the fourth. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich got his 1,126th career victory, leaving him one shy of tying the league record for most wins with one franchise held by Utah's Jerry Sloan.San Antonio swept Philly last season, has taken 10 straight overall in the series and 11 in a row at home.

Key trends: The 76ers are 3-7 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The under is 8-1 in the previous nine.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

Warriors at Clippers (+10, 226)

Second TNT game. Both teams played Wednesday, so we might perhaps see a key guy or two sit - especially as tensions can get high between these hated rivals. Golden State was home to Charlotte and Los Angeles in Phoenix. The Warriors have won eight consecutive in the series and the past four in L.A. These teams just played last Saturday in Oakland and the Warriors tied the largest margin of victory in the series with a 144-98 wipeout. Steph Curry had 43 points.

Key trends: The Warriors are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 4-1 in the previous five in L.A.

Early lean: Clippers and under.