Tuesday 11/22/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Leicester

v

Club Brugge

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		8/15	10/3	6	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
H WH WA DA DH LA L​ Most recent​	Unknown	H WH WA DA LH DA W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leicester have not conceded in this season's Champions League

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester have looked a different beast in the Champions League and the Foxes can take a big step towards winning Group G with victory over Club Brugge. The Foxes ran out comfortable 3-0 victors in Belgium on matchday one and could compound winless Brugge’s misery in the Midlands.

RECOMMENDATION: Leicester
1


REFEREE: Ruddy Buquet STADIUM:

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Monaco

v

Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		8/5	12/5	15/8	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MONACO	RECENT FORM
A DH WA DH WH WA W​ Most recent​	1 - 1	A DA LH DH LA DH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Tottenham’s win over West Ham on Saturday was their first in eight games

EXPERT VERDICT: Spurs have fared better on their travels in this competition than they have at Wembley, but Monaco have a fine home record and a rightly favourites for this crucial European tie. They have yet to lose at Stade Louis II this season and could maintain their unbeaten record against a Spurs side who couldn’t stop Monaco at Wembley and drew 1-1 with them in last season’s Europa League.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Bjorn Kuipers STADIUM:

European Cup We 23Nov 19:45

Arsenal

v

Paris St-G.

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		5/4	5/2	12/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
H DH WA WA WH DA D​ Most recent​	1 - 0	H WH DA WA WH WH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Arsenal are unbeaten in eight home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Victory at the Emirates would go a long way to securing group supremacy for either Arsenal or Paris St-Germain but the draw appeals at the most likely outcome. Arsenal were far too passive at Old Trafford on Saturday and will have to up their game against a PSG side on a roll but the Gunners have shown they can dig out a result this term and can claim a share of the spoils.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Felix Brych STADIUM:

European Cup We 23Nov 19:45

Mgladbach

v

Man City

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		7/2	3	4/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MGLADBACH	RECENT FORM
A LH WH DH DA LH L​ Most recent​	1 - 2 3 - 1	H DA LA WH WH DA W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Man City have won their last three meetings with Monchengladbach

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City are closing in on a place in the knockout stage and can confirm their last-16 spot with a win in Germany. The Citizens ran out easy 4-0 winners when the teams met in Manchester and beat Monchengladbach 2-1 on their travels last season.

RECOMMENDATION: Man City
3


REFEREE: Cuneyt Cakir STADIUM:

Europa League Th 24Nov 18:00

Sparta Prague

v

Southampton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		12/5	23/10	23/20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SPARTA PRAGUE	RECENT FORM
A WA LH WH WA DH W​ Most recent​	Unknown	A DH WH LH WA LH D​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Four of Sparta’s six league wins have come at home

EXPERT VERDICT: Sparta Prague have responded to their 3-0 defeat at St Mary’s with three impressive Europa League wins and will be no pushovers on home soil. The Czech champions have averaged 2.5 goals per home league game this term and the Saints will do well to nullify their attacking threat.

RECOMMENDATION: Sparta Prague
1

Europa League Th 24Nov 20:05

Man Utd

v

Feyenoord

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		4/11	4	13/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
A LH WH DA LA WH D​ Most recent​	2 - 1	H WH DH DA DA LH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Feyenoord have failed to win four of their last six

EXPERT VERDICT: Feyenoord go to Old Trafford knowing a point would give them a clear route to the last 16 of the Europa League, but they aren’t in the best of form.The same, of course, can be said of Manchester United, who have won just three of their last nine, though they have won both home group games.

RECOMMENDATION: Man Utd
2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Matchday 5 Odds

Tuesday, November 22

Home Team Listed on Top - All games start at 2:45 p.m. ET

CSKA Moscow +235
Bayer Leverkusen +115
Draw +235
Over 2.5 -110
Under 2.5 -120

AS Monaco +150
Tottenham Hotspur +185
Draw +225
Over 2.5 +100
Under 2.5 -130

Borussia Dortmund -1000
Legia Warsaw +1900
Draw +900
Over 3.5 -160
Under 3.5 +120

Sporting CP +400
Real Madrid -165
Draw +325
Over 3.5 +125
Under 3.5 -160

FC Copenhagen +185
FC Porto +155
Draw +215
Over 2.5 +125
Under 2.5 -160

Leicester City -240
Club Brugge +650
Draw +350
Over 2.5 -130
Under 2.5 +100

Dinamo Zagreb +500
Lyon -185
Draw +315
Over 2.5 -115
Under 2.5 -115

Sevilla FC +175
Juventus +165
Draw +210
Over 2.5 +120
Under 2.5 -160

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Best Bets - Tuesday
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

UEFA Champions League - Matchday 5

Matchday 5 of the Champions League takes place this week, and for some teams this is their last chance to stay in touch with the top two places in their group, and to qualify for the last 16 of the competition.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich are level at 10/3 favourites, with Real Madrid available at 6/1. Atletico Madrid are next at 10/1. Manchester City are 11/1, Juventus are 14/1 and Borussia Dortmund are 18/1.

The Banker: Leicester City to beat Club Brugge at 8/15

Leicester have only won three Premier League games all season and their 2-1 defeat at Watford on Saturday even raised fears of a relegation battle for last season’s champions. But on the evidence of the Champions League so far, very few games in the Premier League are easier than their task tonight - a home game with Club Brugge. If Leicester win, they will make it very difficult for FC Porto to overhaul them and finish top of the group.

The Foxes won 3-0 in Belgium on Matchday 1. Brugge have no points, and were even beaten 4-0 by FC Copenhagen, before back-to-back single-goal defeats to Porto. Their defence of their Belgian league crown has improved of late. They won 1-0 away to Sint Truiden at the weekend, but Leicester are a wholly different challenge, and there is little to suggest that they can get anything.

Leicester are a good bet at 8/15.

The Solid Bet: Both teams to score in Sporting CP v Real Madrid at 4/7

Real Madrid would have originally seen Group F as a fairly straightforward battle between themselves and Borussia Dortmund for top spot. But they have only won two of their four games, and need a point away to Sporting to guarantee qualification, with a tough match against Dortmund coming up. Real needed a very late winner to beat the Portuguese side last time out, and they were shambolic defensively in a 3-3 draw away to whipping boys Legia Warsaw in their last game.

Real’s defence has been good in La Liga, but in Europe they have conceded seven goals in four games. Sporting are the second highest scorers in Portugal, and swept aside Arouca 3-0 at the weekend. They are 17/4 to win the match, with Real at 4/6, but a better bet may be Both Teams to Score at 8/15.

The Outsider: CSKA Moscow to beat Bayer Leverkusen at 3/1

CSKA Moscow need to beat Bayer Leverkusen to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages from Group E, the tournament’s tightest group. The return fixture in Germany ended in a 2-2 draw, and at 3/1 bookies may have underestimated the Russian side for this match. Bayer look nothing like value at 21/20.

The temperature will be 23?F in the Russian capital tomorrow night - conditions CSKA are much more used to than their opponents. CSKA ground out a solid 1-0 win away to Arsenal Tula at the weekend - they had the added advantage of playing on Friday night, and so having an extra day’s rest to Leverkusen, who lost 3-2 to Red Bull Leipzig 24 hours later.

A trip to Russia looks a daunting task for mid-table Leverkusen, and they could come unstuck.

The First Goalscorer: Radamel Falcao for Monaco vs Tottenham Hotspur at 11/2

This game is huge for both sides. To put it simply, Spurs need to win, while a draw is fine for Monaco. Spurs have been some way below their high standard from last season, and were fortunate to win 3-2 against West Ham United on Saturday - a daunting trip to their eternal nemeses Chelsea on Saturday night means this is a huge week for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Radamel Falcao endured two nightmarish years in English football, first with Manchester United and then with Chelsea, but he has recently hit form back at his parent club, Monaco. He opened the scoring in his side’s 3-0 win over Lorient last weekend, as well as hitting back-to-back braces against Nancy and CSKA Moscow in recent weeks.

At 11/2 he looks good value to break down Spurs’s defence.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Oilers shut down Blackhawks
By The Sports Xchange

EDMONTON, Alberta -- After years of being tormented by their longtime nemesis from Chicago, the Edmonton Oilers gained a measure of revenge on Monday night with a 5-0 victory over the Blackhawks at Rogers Place Arena.
Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the shutout as Edmonton beat Chicago for just the third time in the past 13 meetings. Leon Draisaitl scored twice and added an assist.
While the Oilers were 1-5-0 in their previous six games, the Blackhawks were one of the hottest teams in the league, going 11-1-2 in their previous 14 games.
Oscar Klefbom got the Oilers going with his third goal in three games at 2:39, and Draisaitl added to the lead with a power-play goal at 19:26. Connor McDavid assisted on both goals to increase his total to a league-leading 16 on the season.
With 7.6 seconds left in the second period and Chicago's Marcus Kruger just stepping out of the penalty box, Andrej Sekera made it 3-0 with a shot from the point.
Anton Slepyshev and Draisaitl added third-period goals to put the game away.

Avalanche 3, Blue Jackets 2 (OT)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Matt Duchene, back after missing four games with a concussion, scored at 1:49 of overtime to lift Colorado at Nationwide Arena.
The well-rested Avalanche took advantage of a Columbus team playing its second game in as many nights. Tyson Barrie and Erik Johnson also scored for Colorado, which got 40 saves from Semyon Varlamov.
In what seems to be the new "normal" for the Blue Jackets, Cam Atkinson scored the tying goal with seven seconds left in regulation. It was his second goal of the game and seventh of the season. Curtis McElhinney made 24 saves for the Blue Jackets.

Rangers 5, Penguins 2
PITTSBURGH -- Three straight New York goals in the second period negated a smashing NHL debut by Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel as the Rangers prevailed over the Penguins.
Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and J.T. Miller scored in the second period after Guentzel scored his first two goals, including one on his first shift and first shot, in the first period. Kevin Hayes added an insurance goal at 12:46 of the third period and Derek Stepan had an empty-netter.
The win allowed New York to break a two-game losing streak and stiff-arm Pittsburgh atop the Metropolitan Division. The teams play the second half of a back-to-back set Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
The Penguins called up Guentzel because winger Chris Kunitz was put on injured reserve. He played in Kunitz's spot on the second line.

Stars 3. Wild 2 (OT)
DALLAS -- Jamie Benn scored the winner 1:23 into overtime as Dallas edged Minnesota to snap its OT losing streak at nine.
Benn beat Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who stopped 29 of 32 shots, with a wrist shot from the left circle. Dallas, which finished its four-game homestand at 2-1-1, last won an overtime game on Feb. 15 at Nashville. The Stars last won an overtime game at home on Nov. 14, 2015, against Minnesota.
Jamie Oleksiak and Brett Ritchie also scored for Dallas, 1-5 in overtime this season. Antti Niemi stopped 27 of 29 shots for the Stars. Nino Niederreiter and Erik Haula scored for the Wild.

Predators 3, Lightning 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- P.K. Subban scored two goals, Ryan Ellis assisted on all three goals and Roman Josi was all over the ice as Nashville improved to 6-1-1 in sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
Pekka Rinne stopped 23 of 24 shots he faced. Tyler Johnson's rebound goal at 19:10, his seventh goal of the season, kept Tampa Bay from being shut out.
Coming off a 1-2-0 road trip, the Predators started a three-game homestand by posting their sixth straight home win over Tampa Bay dating to the 2009-10 season. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games against the Lightning.
Ben Bishop made 27 saves but took the loss on his 30th birthday. Tampa Bay finished its five-game road trip at 4-1-0.

Sabres 4, Flames 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo scored three power-play goals in a span of 1:41 on its way past Calgary.
Kyle Okposo, Johan Larsson, Matt Moulson and Marcus Foligno scored for Buffalo. Robin Lehner made 29 saves.
Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk scored for Calgary. Brian Elliott had 28 saves.

Sharks 4, Devils 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Martin Jones made 26 stops for his second shutout of the season, and San Jose got goals from four skaters en route to a win over New Jersey.
San Jose returned to SAP Center for the first time since Nov. 5 and snapped a three-game winless streak to begin a five-game homestand.
Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture, Chris Tierney and Brent Burns scored goals to support Jones' 15th career shutout and hand the Devils their third consecutive loss. Burns also recorded an assist.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

In the Crease - Week 7
By Joe Williams

Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Anaheim 4-1 past 5 home Buffalo Under 11-2-2 past 15
Carolina 4-0 past 4 overall Florida Over 5-2-2 past 9
Columbus 6-0-1 past 7 home San Jose Under 12-1-3 past 16
N.Y. Islanders 0-4-1 past 5 road Tampa Bay Under 6-1-1 past 8
St. Louis 0-4 past 4 road, 1-5-1 past 7 road Vancouver Over 6-1-1 past 8

No Jacket Required
The Columbus Blue Jackets lost back-to-back games in regulation to kick off the 2016-17 regular season, but they haven't done so since. They're 6-0-1 over their past seven games at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, and they're 8-1-2 over their past 11 games overall. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been on point so far this season, posting a 10-4-1 record with a 2.19 Goals-Against Average (GAA) and .931 save percentage. The Jackets also have seven players with at least 10 points through 17 games, including LW Nick Foligno averaging more than one point per game, and RW Cam Atkinson and C Alexander Wennberg contributing exactly one point per contest. Bettors do not care who is scoring or saving the shots, but what's uncanny about Columbus is that a cast of relative unknowns is banding together and playing better than more heralded squads.

Sweet and Sour Notes
The St. Louis Blues have been making sweet music at home, while hitting sour notes on the road. St. Louis has won three straight in regulation at home, while posting a 6-0-1 mark over their past seven dating back to Oct. 29. On the road it has been a different story, as they have dropped four in a row while scoring just seven total goals and allowing 22. As it stands, the Blues will play in Boston Tuesday and in Washington Wednesday before returning home Saturday against Minnesota.

Looking Ahead

Tuesday, Nov. 22
The Blues travel to Beantown to battle the Bruins. St. Louis is 3-7 in their past 10 against teams with a winning record, while losing their past five road outings against a team with a winning home mark. They're working on two days' rest, and they're also 1-4 in the past five such situations. The Bruins are the complete opposite, going 4-1 n their past five overall and 4-1 in their past five on two days' rest. ... The Hurricanes streak into Toronto on a four-game winning streak, although they're just 1-7 in their past eight on the road against a team with a home winning percentage over .600. The Leafs have won six of their past seven at home while going 36-17 in their past 53 home games against a team with a road winning percentage under .400. Carolina has dominated this series of late, going 10-4 in the past 14 head-to-head battles. As an extra bonus, the 'under' is 6-0 in the past six meetings, and 8-2 in the past 10 played at Air Canada Centre.

Wednesday, Nov. 23
The Penguins and Rangers renew acquaintances at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Penguins have won their past four trips to Madison Square Garden, and they're 7-2 in the past nine overall meetings in this series. The road team is also 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series. ... The Jets hit the road for St. Paul to battle the Wild, and something's gotta give with these two clubs. The Jets have dropped their past four road outings, while the Wild are 0-4 in their past four against teams with a losing record while going 0-4 in their past four against Western Conference foes. Winnipeg has won six of the past eight in this series. ... The Blackhawks visit the Bay Area looking to hook the Sharks. The 'under' is the prevailing trend, going 5-1-4 in the past 10 road games for Chicago and 3-1-3 in the past seven overall. The under is 9-1-1 in the past 11 home games for San Jose, and 19-4-3 in their past 26 overall.

Thursday, Nov. 17
The Canadiens look for revenge against the Hurricanes at Bell Centre Thursday evening. The Hurricanes won 3-2 at PNC Arena in Raleigh Nov. 18 with Cam Ward besting backup Al Montoya. While the Hurricanes have won four in a row, all at home, they're just 2-3-4 in nine games away from home this season. Six of their road games have resulted in one-goal losses. ... The Bruins face off against the Senators in Canada's capital city, as these rivals meet for the first time this season. The Senators won three of four meetings last season, including both meetings in Ottawa. The B's have won just once in the past six trips to Ottawa since the start of the 2013-14 season.

Friday, Nov. 18
The Rangers and Flyers battle on Friday afternoon in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time this season. There isn't much love lost in this series. Last season these teams met three times in Philadelphia, with each game ending in a 3-2 shootout. The Rangers won two of those games, and they're 4-0-1 in their past five regular season trips to Philly. ... The Oilers invade the desert Friday night, battling the Coyotes for the first time this season. Last season the Oilers were 0-2-1 in three trips to Glendale, and the Coyotes outscored them 12-6 in those games. Overall Arizona took two points in four of the five meetings. It has been six trips to Arizona since Edmonton came away with two points, a 3-2 shootout win April 4, 2014. It has been 12 trips to Arizona, dating back to Jan. 25, 2011, that the Oilers skated away with two points in regulation.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (7-6) at Maple Leafs (8-7)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes are taking a four-game winning streak built at home on the road Tuesday when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The road has been a challenge for the Hurricanes this season. They are 2-3-4 in away games while the Maple Leafs are 7-2-0 at Air Canada Centre.

"This game that we're playing right now can go on the road and win," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "It's a good team game. It's four lines deep."

Carolina will find out how much it has improved after starting the season slowly. The game against Toronto is the opener of a three-game trip and starts a stretch of nine games of its next 11 on the road.

"If we continue to play the way we've been playing, we all know we can play with anybody in this league," said defenseman Noah Hanifin, who scored a goal in the 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

The Hurricanes lost the opener of a five-game homestand 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 10 before defeating the Washington Capitals, the San Jose Sharks, the Montreal Canadiens and the Jets.

"It's fun to win," Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner said. "Guys come to the rink, and everyone is contributing. You can take pride in that and build on the confidence in our game. We've talked about it a lot, but this homestand was big for us. We wanted to pick up as many points as we could. We did a good job tonight closing it out, and now our job is to take it on the road and continue that brand of hockey we've been building towards."

The Hurricanes will not catch the Maple Leafs by surprise.

"I don't need to be reminded, I watch the league pretty close," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "I have a pretty good handle on that. I watched (Carolina) last night, too, and thought they were outstanding. It will be really tight tomorrow, they can really skate, they have a good, young team, the back end moves and the goalie (Cam Ward) is playing well. So we'll have our hands full."

Ward had a 1.41 goals-against average on the five-game homestand and a .947 save percentage.

"But every team in the league is taking drastic steps so our guys have to take big steps and you have to have the youth growth as well," Babcock said. "Not only do they have to be better structurally as a team, they have to get better as players."

The Maple Leafs are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in Montreal on Saturday and are expected to use the same lineup on Tuesday.

"I think we're happy with the way we battled there at the end," Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "We were right there the whole game, one shot difference. To hang around that long and keep it that close is good, but at the end of the day you want to be able to get one at the end to tie it up and get the point, maybe two. Moving forward there's some positives we can take away from it, but that being said, after a loss, there's always stuff you can build off."

"Our young guys have got to figure out you're not scoring off the rush, you've got to score off the cycle," Babcock said. "It's a harder game in the National Hockey League and you've got to dig in."

Carolina assigned defenseman Ryan Murphy to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint. Murphy, 23, has one assist in four games with the Hurricanes this season.

Leafs left winger Josh Leivo was back with the Maple Leafs for Monday's practice after a conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. Babcock said he is not quite ready to return from a lower body injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (10-6) at Bruins (11-7)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

BOSTON -- David Backes will do something Tuesday night he's never done before in his 11-year NHL career.

Play a game against the St. Louis Blues.

The former St. Louis captain, who signed a big free-agent contract with Boston during the offseason, and his Bruins will take on the Blues, a team that has struggled on the road so far this season.

"I'm just hoping I shoot at the right goalie. You get those familiar colors ... " Backes told NHL.com, adding, "It's an opportunity to play against a lot of good friends. I know probably everybody on that roster except one guy in a very close-knit way.

"It's going to be emotional, but I plan to just be in the moment and soak it all in and compete my butt off and try to help my team win the game, and let the rest be written as it may."

St. Louis is 8-1-2 at home and 6-0-2 in the last eight, but 2-5-1 on the road and visits a team that may have finally figured out a way to win on home ice.

The Bruins, whose failure to win at home cost them a playoff berth last season, started 1-3 at TD Garden but have won three straight home games -- capped by a strong performance in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.

And now Backes, who has seven points and is a plus-9 but has only one goal since opening night in Columbus, gets to play against his former team.

"It will be different seeing him on the other side," said goalie Jake Allen, who will start for the Blues, likely against Tuukka Rask. "He was such a key part to this group and team and organization. It's tough to see him part ways but that's the way the business goes. I'm sure we will say hi off the ice but we'll see what he's made of on the ice."

The Blues hit town without the injured Alexander Steen, who will miss his third straight game with an upper body injury. David Pastrnak, who leads the Bruins with 10 goals (four more than anyone else), has missed two games with an upper body injury and is closing in on a return.

Rask, just 3-1-3 lifetime but with a 2.22 goals against average and .923 save percentage lifetime against the Blues, is tied with Carey Price for the league lead in wins (11). He is second in the league with a 1.46 goals-against average and fifth with a .946 save percentage.

The Bruins are 0-5 in games that Rask hasn't started this season.

Allen is 2-1 but has allowed just two goals and has a .969 save percentage in three lifetime games against the Bruins. He comes in with three straight victories, yielding four goals in the three games. For the season, Allen is 8-3 with a 2.35 goals against and .910 save percentage.

"We need to take more pride playing on the road,"Allen said. "If we don't have that pride and urgency against these two teams (Boston and Washington), we are going to have our challenges."

The Bruins outshot Winnipeg 38-12 in winning for the fourth time in five games Saturday night, with Rask losing a shutout with 2:40 remaining.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (8-8) at Panthers (10-8)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

This was the sporting equivalent of going to Las Vegas, staying in some high-priced hotels, enjoying everything that Sin City has to offer and still coming back with lots of cash in your pockets because you had a couple of winning nights at the blackjack tables.

In other words, this was quite a road trip for the Florida Panthers.

Indeed, Florida (10-8-1) just won three out of four games away from home, beating the top team in the Eastern Conference (the Montreal Canadiens), the top club in the Metropolitan Division (the New York Rangers) and a third playoff contender (the Ottawa Senators).

Now the Panthers return home to face the Philadelphia Flyers (8-8-3) at the BB&T Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers are a virtual lock to start top goalie Roberto Luongo after backup James Reimer beat the Rangers 3-2 on Sunday night.

"This was a big boost to our team," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant told reporters after his franchise's first win at New York's Madison Square Garden in three years. "The Rangers are a great team. "I thought we held the fort in the first period (trailing 1-0) and played a real good game from there."

The Panthers had left home before this trip with just one road win on the season. But then they did what they did -- which included knocking off two of the elite goalies in the league in Montreal's Carey Price and New York's Henrik Lundqvist.

Florida now has 21 points after 19 games. At this point last season, the Panthers had just 19 points, and they went on to win the Atlantic Division.

Meanwhile, the Flyers are just 3-4-1 on the road this season and are coming off a 3-0 home loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Philadelphia has had trouble in on the Panthers' home ice, losing its past three BB&T Center matchups.

The good news for the Flyers is that they have been able to incorporate youth into their lineup, most notably a pair of 19-year-old rookies: defenseman Ivan Provorov and center Travis Konecny.

Both have played well. Provorov is a two-way player, and the speedy Konecny is confident, fearless and quite possibly the most exciting Flyer, with four goals and seven assists in 19 games.

Despite being small of stature, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Konecny digs pucks out of corners and seemingly creates several chances per game with his playmaking.

"The veterans have made it easy on me," said Konecny, wisely deferring to the Flyers' older stars such as center Claude Giroux, left winger Brayden Schenn and right winger Wayne Simmonds. "The coaches have allowed me to be confident and just play hockey."

Konecny said he tries to "play the hard game," getting under his opponents' skin.

"He's been a high-energy guy all season," Flyers right winger Jake Voracek said. "He's been amazing."

Another rookie who could make an impact on Tuesday's game is Anthony Stolarz, a 6-6, 220-pound goalie.

The Flyers have co-starters at goalie with veterans Michal Neuvirth and Steve Mason. But with Neuvirth out with an injury to his left knee, the 22-year-old Stolarz could make his NHL debut.

If or when he gets in, he would become the first goalie from New Jersey to play in the NHL.

Goalie, though, has been a weak position this season for the Flyers, who are last in the NHL with a 3.42 goals-against average. Mason is 4-6-3 with a 3.12 GAA. Neuvirth is 4-2-0 with a 3.54 GAA.

The strength of the Flyers is their power play, which ranks second in the NHL. But that unit has gone cold of late, going 0-for-10 with the man advantage in the past three games.

And without their power play clicking, the Flyers have not shown enough ability to win games consistently while skating 5-on-5.

The Flyers are also dealing with some injuries. Left winger Chris Vandevelde suffered an apparent concussion against Tampa Bay; and center Boyd Gordon was held out due to back spasms.

In an effort to shake things up in practice on Monday, the Flyers dropped Simmonds from the first line to the second, where he will play with Konecny and Sean Couturier. Voracek was moved to the top unit with Schenn and Giroux.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (10-7) at Canadiens (14-3)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

MONTREAL -- Canadiens coach Michel Therrien found one line that works. Now he's hoping his latest shuffling of the remaining cards gets the other three going.

While the top line of left winger Paul Byron, center Alex Galchenyuk and right winger Alexander Radulov remained intact, Therrien tinkered with the rest of his forward units. The most notable change came in between wingers Max Pacioretty and Andrew Shaw, with Torrey Mitchell getting the nod.

It's the latest in an effort to get Pacioretty going. The Canadiens captain recorded 13 points in 19 games so far this season, but only four have been goals and have been largely spread out. It's an unusual stretch for the left wing, who typically scores in bunches. Mitchell will be the fifth pivot he's skated with this year.

"I'm excited to play with Torrey; he's one of the guys I haven't played with yet," Pacioretty said after practice on Monday. "He's got great energy and he's a great skater so we'll see if we can put something together (against Ottawa).

"I'm trying to do whatever I can to help the team win," he added. "Every night it's going to be different, and I'm excited for a new challenge."

The other changes saw Phillip Danault move to Tomas Plekanec's left wing while David Desharnais, who had been with Pacioretty and Shaw of late, will center the fourth line with rookie Charles Hudon and 27-year-old Chris Terry.

Montreal's top unit leads the way offensively, in large part due to the chemistry between Radulov and Galchenyuk, as well as their individual talents. Together with the speedy and versatile Byron, the trio accounted for six goals in five games together, while getting scored upon just once.

The 22-year-old Galchenyuk leads the Canadiens (14-3-2) with 19 points on the season.

"He's capable of scoring goals, he's got great hands, gifted hands," Therrien said. "He works extremely hard after practice on his release. Players who have success, even if you're gifted offensively, it doesn't just show up just like that. This kid works extremely hard and that's the reason he's got the results."

Senators coach Guy Boucher is hoping his team's offense starts to find its way soon. The team scored two goals or fewer -- excluding shootout tallies -- in 12 straight games, going 6-5-1 during that stretch. It hasn't been for a lack of effort, however, with at least 30 shots on goal in eight of those outings, including 40 in Saturday's loss to Florida.

"When I looked at our game (against the Panthers), we attempted 83 shots on net, 40 shots, we had 26 scoring chances," he said told reporters before the team headed to Montreal. "You can't get more, you can't get better quality; it's just from there, we've got to continue improving our work around the net.

"We just need to bear down around the net, especially on those rebounds," he continued. "Got to make sure we lift the puck up. A lot of them were on pads in the last games. Just have to improve our finishing, that's clear."

That includes on the power play, which has converted just twice on 32 opportunities in November. At the other end, however, the penalty kill has been tough to beat, denying all 24 opposing power plays this month. In fact, the Senators (10-7-1) haven't allowed a power-play goal against since Oct. 22.

Ottawa could get some help on Tuesday night as Mike Hoffman could return after missing the past two games with a groin injury. While the winger was held off the scoresheet in his previous five games, his potential return would be a welcome boost, with the club also forced to play without Bobby Ryan, who has been sidelined since Nov. 8 after suffering an injury against the Nashville Predators.

Boucher was "hopeful" on Hoffman drawing back in but was less certain on Ryan's availability for the game.

Craig Anderson will get the start in goal. The Senators sent Andrew Hammond down to the AHL after clearing waivers, which means former Canadiens netminder Mike Condon will serve as the back-up against his former team for the second time this season after doing so with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in October.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (5-8) at Ducks (9-7)

Date: November 22, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Two teams whose seasons are heading in opposite directions will meet Tuesday night when the Anaheim Ducks play the New York Islanders at the Honda Center.

The Ducks share first place in the Pacific Division with the Los Angeles Kings and the surprising Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders, meanwhile, own the worst record in the Eastern Conference following a frustrating November. New York has lost four consecutive games this month and seven of eight. Two losses took place during overtime, another two in shootouts.

Scoring has been such a big problem for the Islanders that first-line center John Tavares has seen a constant rotation of different wingers all season. So has left winger Andrew Ladd, who signed a seven-year contract worth $38.5 million as a free agent but has just two goals, one assist and a minus-4 rating after 17 games.

Nevertheless, general manager Garth Snow expressed public confidence in Ladd, who scored 24 goals and amassed a career-high 62 points for the Winnipeg Jets two years ago.

"Andrew Ladd is not defined as a hockey player by scoring goals," Snow told New York Newsday. "It's a lot of different things he does, whether it's being a tough SOB to play against or his leadership. He didn't have many goals last year around Christmas and then he turned it on. He's a winner. He's a big part of our club."

Snow's confidence extends to the rest of the Islanders.

"I have a lot of belief in everyone in that room," Snow told Newsday. "The great part about facing adversity is that you see who rises to the top. When you face adversity, it's a great challenge, and I look forward to seeing who rises to that challenge."

Two defensemen, Dennis Seidenberg and Ryan Pulock, will remain unavailable for the Islanders' lone trip to California. Seidenberg has a broken jaw and is not eating solid food. Pulock will accompany the team but only to continue his conditioning as he recovers from a broken right foot he suffered Oct. 21 against the Arizona Coyotes.

After playing the Ducks, New York will face the Kings on Wednesday night, then travel to San Jose to play the Sharks on Friday night.

The Islanders will begin their trip facing a team in search of itself. Despite winning five of the past eight games, the Ducks have yet two win more than two in a row. Anaheim sabotaged its chance for a third successive victory Sunday night with two listless opening periods in a 3-2 loss to the Kings.

"We didn't play anywhere near where we're capable of," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "They outworked us for two periods. Pucks were going through our sticks. We couldn't execute a tape-to-tape pass. They basically manhandled us against the wall, and we didn't get involved physically until the third period."

Carlyle believes the Ducks' performance against their cross-town rivals illustrates a bigger problem.

"I think we're a hockey club that is still trying to find its way," Carlyle told the Los Angeles Times. "We haven't really created our identity yet. Consistency, in everybody's mind, is going to be a challenge well beyond the 20-game mark."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - November

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

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

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

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Tuesday’s games

Carolina won five of last seven games with Toronto; last six series games stayed under total. Hurricanes won three of last five visits here. Carolina won its last four games, outscoring foes 12-4; this is their first road game in two weeks (1-4 in last five road games. Maple Leafs won last three home games, scoring 6 goals in all three; five of their last seven games went over the total.

St Louis won four of its last six games with Boston; under is 3-0-1 in last four series games played here. Blues won four of last five visits to Beantown, in series where road team won 7 of last 10 series games. St Louis won its last three games, outscoring opponents 11-4, but they lost last four road games. Under is 3-1-2 in their last six games. Bruins won four of last five games; under is 3-0-1 in their last four games.

Florida won three of last four games with Philly; under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Flyers lost last three visits to Miami by combined score of 14-6. Philly lost five of its last seven games; three of their last four road games went over- they lost 5-4/6-3 in last two road games. Florida won four of its last five games; over is 5-2-2 in their last nine games- they won three of last four at home.

Ottawa won three of last four games with Montreal; seven of last nine series games stayed under. Senators won three of last five visits to Montreal. Ottawa lost three of last four games- they scored 15 goals in their last ten games (under 8-1-1). Canadiens lost three of last four games; under is 1-1-5 in their last seven. Montreal won six of its last seven home games.

Islanders won four of last five games with Anaheim (under 4-1). New York won 4-1/3-2 in its last two visits to Orange County. Islanders lost four games in row and seven of last eight; they lost last thee road games, outscored 11-5. Under is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Ducks are 53 in last eight games; they won four of their last five home games- their last four games overall pushed the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Spurs, Grizzlies extend winning streaks
By The Sports Xchange

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points as the San Antonio Spurs posted their sixth straight victory by outlasting the Dallas Mavericks for a 96-91 win on Monday at the AT&T Center.
The Spurs led 90-88 before Leonard wrestled the ball away from Dallas' Harrison Barnes near midcourt and swooped in for a dunk at the 2:07 mark. The Mavericks' Wesley Matthews hit a layup and converted a free throw on the next possession to make it a 92-91 game.
After getting a stop, Dallas had a chance to take the lead but Barnes missed a stepback jumper with 15 seconds to play. Manu Ginobili added to San Antonio's lead with two free throws before Seth Curry missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds to play.

Grizzlies 105, Hornets 90
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mike Conley scored a season-high 31 points and Memphis rolled to its fifth straight win with a victory over Charlotte at the Spectrum Center.
The Grizzlies jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and led by 26 early in the third quarter. That was all the cushion they needed to win for the third time in the last four days.
Conley was 11 of 21 from the field and 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies also got 14 points and eight rebounds from Zach Randolph, 13 points and eight rebounds from Marc Gasol, 12 points each from JaMychal Green and Tony Allen, and 10 from Vince Carter.
The Hornets have now lost two in a row.

Wizards 106, Suns 101
WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored a career-high 42 points as Washington rallied past Phoenix.
Beal carried the offense as the Wizards avoided another home loss despite trailing by 11 points in the second half. John Wall shot a dismal 6 of 24 from the field for 18 points, but he scored seven straight after Devin Booker did the same to give Phoenix a 100-99 lead.
Wall's 3-point play off a putback with 1:08 remaining put the Wizards up for good. He added a mid-range jumper and two free throws. The point guard had 15 assists for Washington, which has won two of three.

76ers 101, Heat 94
PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid scored 22 points and slumping Robert Covington added a critical 3-pointer late in the game as Philadelphia beat Miami.
Gerald Henderson added 19 points for Philadelphia, which used a late 10-0 run to win its fourth straight home game. Jahlil Okafor scored 15 points, and Ersan Ilyasova had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Hassan Whiteside scored a career-high 32 points for Miami, which lost for the seventh time in nine games. Whiteside, the NBA's leading rebounder, also contributed 13 boards, his 12th double-double in 13 games this season.

Warriors 120, Pacers 83
INDIANAPOLIS - Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant combined for 61 points as Golden State dominated shorthanded Indiana.
The Pacers played without starters Paul George (ankle), Myles Turner (ankle) and sixth man C.J. Miles (knee). They also lost starting guard Jeff Teague with a right ankle sprain during the third quarter.
Thompson led Golden State with 25 points, Curry had 22, Durant scored 14 and Draymond Green added 10.
Rodney Stuckey led Indiana with 21 points, Thaddeus Young added 14 and Teague had 11 before being injured.

Rockets 99, Pistons 96
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- James Harden had 28 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists to lead Houston to a victory over struggling Detroit at The Palace.
Clint Capela supplied 15 points and 12 rebounds, Trevor Ariza contributed 14 points, and Sam Dekker added a career-high 12 points for Houston, which earned its third consecutive win.
The Pistons lost their fourth straight.

Celtics 99, Timberwolves 93
MINNEAPOLIS -- Isaiah Thomas had 29 points - including 20 in the second half - to help Boston come from behind on the road and defeat Minnesota.
Al Horford had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists in his second game back from a concussion for Boston (8-6), which has won three of its past four contests. Terry Rozier added 12 points off the bench.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 18 rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost three of four. Andrew Wiggins finished with 14 points in an off-shooting night where he went 5 of 18 from the field. The league's top 3-point shooter was 0 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Bucks 93, Magic 89
MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his first triple-double of the season and Jabari Parker made five 3-pointers as Milwaukee snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over Orlando at the Bradley Center.
Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and added five steals and three blocked shots.
Parker had 22 points to lead the Bucks, who shot 40.7 percent from the floor and were 8 of 29 on 3-point attempts.

Clippers 123, Raptors 115
LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul and Blake Griffin scored 26 points apiece, and Los Angeles held off Toronto at Staples Center.
Paul also had 12 assists as the Clippers, who own the best record in the NBA, ended a four-game losing streak to the Raptors. Griffin added seven rebounds and six assists. All five Los Angeles starters reached double figures, including DeAndre Jordan, who finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Jordan went 9 of 14 on free throws to top 1,000 made in his career.
J.J. Redick had 20 points for the Clippers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (4-10) at Hawks (9-4)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry doesn't want to overwork Jrue Holiday as he gets back in full game shape, but there is no question about what the point guard's impact has already been for the Pelicans.

New Orleans was 2-10 without Holiday. They are 2-0 with him going into Tuesday's game against the Hawks in Atlanta.

Holiday, who had been away from the Pelicans during his wife's health crisis, had 21 points and seven assists in 23 minutes in his first game Friday against Portland, then came back Saturday with 22 points and nine assists in 30 minutes of the overtime victory against Charlotte.

Anthony Davis, who averages 31.7 points and 11.3 rebounds, scored 38 against the Hornets, including the basket that forced overtime and eight points in the extra period. The Pelicans, though, need Holiday, as their start to the season showed.

"Huge difference, offensively and defensively," said Davis, who also had 16 rebounds against the Hornets. "He brings a presence to the team, energy and effort. When he is on the floor, we play very well."

While the Pelicans, who started the season 0-8, have their first winning streak, the Hawks have lost two in a row after a six-game winning streak.

Atlanta, which is still atop the Southeast Division at 9-4, lost at Charlotte on Friday, when Dwight Howard was ejected for a fourth-quarter elbow, and on Sunday at New York when Dennis Schroder had his worst game since taking over this season as the starting point guard.

Howard had 18 points and 18 rebounds against the Knicks, but Schroder was pulled for good in the third quarter after missing all eight of his shots.

"Just trying to find something at the point guard spot that would give us a better chance," coach Mike Budenholzer said of Schroder's benching.

"Guys are going to struggle. There are 82 games in a season," said Paul Millsap, who led the Hawks with 19 points in New York.

Schroder will need to bounce back against New Orleans, when he will be matched up with Holiday.

Despite his long absence from the team, Holiday made 17 of 31 shots in his first two games, including 4 of 9 from behind the 3-point arc.

He was also playing for the first time wearing goggles to protect an orbital bone that was fractured last season, ending his year.

Holiday was with his wife, former soccer star Lauren, in North Carolina as she gave birth and then had surgery to remove a brain tumor.

"I think it was just a good time to come back," said Holiday, who came off the bench in his first two games.

Atlanta was 2-0 last year against New Orleans but Davis, who scored 43 points in the first meeting, and Holiday missed the second contest.

The game against the Pelicans is the only one at home in an eight-game stretch for the Hawks. They play at Indiana on Wednesday, then head to the West Coast for four games.

Thabo Sefolosha, a key part of the Atlanta bench, missed the past three games with a knee sprain but should be available against the Pelicans.

Buddy Hield, taken sixth overall in the draft, averaged 9.2 points in 20 minutes to start the season with New Orleans but played just 13 minutes combined in the Pelicans' weekend victories.

Langston Galloway got the extra time and responded, hitting six 3-pointers and scoring 23 points against Charlotte.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (8-7) at Knicks (6-7)

Date: November 22, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The New York Knicks will attempt to achieve something they accomplished only six times last season when they host the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks (6-7) will seek to get to .500, a mark they weren't able to reach after January 20 last season when they finished 32-50.

New York has won three of its last four games and is coming off an impressive 104-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in which forward Carmelo Anthony poured in a season-high 31 points. With the many additions, including a new backcourt of Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee and center Joakim Noah, Anthony remains the centerpiece of the team.

The 32-year-old Anthony leads the Knicks in scoring (22.9 points per game), minutes played (33.1) and field goals made (8.5) and attempted (17.8). He added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals to his resume on Sunday.

The attention Anthony continues to draw each game has helped free up his frontcourt mate Kristaps Porzingis, who is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds.

"Without Melo (Anthony)," Porzingis said, "it would be so much more difficult (for me) to get 30 points, or whatever. People don't realize that. He draws a lot of attention. He's the main focus for the other team.

"That opens stuff for me. Without him it would be much more difficult. I'm happy to have aggressive guys like him and (Derrick) Rose so I can get those open looks."

Portland (8-7) ended a three-game losing streak with a 129-109 win over the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday. C.J. McCollum led the attack with 33 points, five assists and five rebounds.

Swingman Evan Turner came off the bench to deliver his best performance since signing with Portland as a free agent from Boston. He scored 19 points and made eight of his 12 shots from the floor.

"I think you need to get in there a little bit," said Turner on finding his spots. "One of the biggest things is the consistency of it and talking about it. I think in the past four or five games, I have gotten to my spots. Things just haven't fallen, but once again, as a team and myself, we're just trying to build consistency.

"We need everybody clicking in order to win. Right now, we're starting to find more chemistry outside our main contributors, whether it be myself and Meyers (Leonard) trying to work the pick and roll -- I think that's the biggest thing."

Portland used a 27-9 run in the third quarter to pull away from the Nets.

"We pretty much took over the game in that quarter on the defensive end and that kind of sparked everything and I think that's what I was the most proud of," said Portland guard Damian Lillard.

"We had more of a presence on the ball. The first half I think we had trouble controlling the ball and from top to bottom guys were taking it from the perimeter and getting it to the rim. "

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (9-5) at Nuggets (5-8)

Date: November 22, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Dwyane Wade grabbed the headlines when he signed with Chicago in the summer, but Jimmy Butler is reminding everyone that he's a force for the Bulls.

The 6-foot-7 Butler has put Chicago on his shoulder the past week. The Bulls have won five of their last six games overall, and they are 3-1 on their current road trip, which continues Tuesday night in Denver against the Nuggets.

Butler continued his strong play with 40 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Sunday's 118-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. It capped a week in which he averaged 27.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

It earned him NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.

Overall, Butler is averaging 25.1, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season and has blossomed with the departure of Derrick Rose as well as the addition of Wade.

"He's playing with a tremendous amount of confidence," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told The Chicago Sun-Times. "He feels like every time he steps on the floor that he's the best player out there. More often than not he's right."

Butler has helped Chicago (9-5) dig out of an early hole this season to provide a challenge to the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. He has taken to his expanded role and is learning from his new teammate and three-time world champion with Miami.

"I'm talking to D-Wade before the game and he's just telling me how I have to approach the game," Butler told CBSSports.com. "You go out there with a killer instinct every night. Make them adjust to you. Go out with a full head of steam and show them why you are one of the best players on the floor. That's what I try to do every single night. If it's coming from him, there has to be some truth to it."

The Bulls have a chance to finish 5-1 on their road trip that wraps up in Philadelphia on Friday. First they'll have to get past the Nuggets (5-8), who have won two of their last three and are getting strong play off the bench from Wilson Chandler.

Chandler, who missed all of last season following hip surgery, is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds over the last four games. The Nuggets have also started to get good production from rookie guard Jamal Murray. He had a team-high 18 points in the win over Utah on Sunday and is starting to feel more comfortable after a tough start.

"He just continues to grow in front of our eyes," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "When he gets confident and he puts that ball up I think it's going in every time he shoots it."

The Nuggets are getting healthier, too. Guard Will Barton returned against the Jazz after missing nine games with a sprained left ankle. He had seven points in 19 minutes and is still feeling his way after missing so much time.

"I knew going in he wasn't going to be the Will Barton we love and want back because he's been out for so long," Malone said.

Barton's presence will be needed against the Bulls, who rested Wade against the Lakers. The key to winning might be to stop Butler from having another great game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (8-6) at Lakers (7-7)

Date: November 22, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder open a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

Westbrook has been arguably the NBA's top performer this season, but the Thunder have struggled recently. After a 6-1 start, they have dropped five of their last seven contests, including a 115-111 overtime defeat by the Indiana Pacers in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

"Just wasn't ready tonight," said Westbrook, who posted his fifth triple-double of the season with 31 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds in the loss. "Starting with myself. I was (expletive) tonight. I could have did a lot of things better. I have to come out and be ready to play every night. I feel like I let my guys down and we have to be better."

Westbrook is averaging 31.6 points and 10.4 assists, both second in the NBA entering Monday's contests. He also is collecting 9.7 boards per outing, which leads the Thunder. Guard Victor Oladipo is second on the team in scoring at 16.9 points.

However, Oklahoma City's defense has been suspect, allowing 103.8 points per game (tied for 14th with Milwaukee) while scoring 105.3. Rebounding, though, has been a strength with the Thunder averaging 46.6 boards (third). The Thunder was 26th in turnovers at 16.3 per game.

The Lakers have experienced trouble handling the ball, too, committing 15.5 miscues (24th). Los Angeles also had trouble containing Jimmy Butler on Sunday as he scored a season-high 40 points in 118-110 win over the Lakers on Sunday. The Lakers have lost their last two games.

"Jimmy Butler had a pretty fantastic game. He's a pretty fantastic player," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "But if he's going to do that, then we have to shut down the rest of the guys. We let him get his, and the role players all chipped in and did their part as well.

"You either have to take away the star or take away the role players. You can't let everyone have a night."

Defensively, the Lakers are giving up an average of 109.6 points, which ranked them 27th in the league heading into Monday. Lakers' opponents are shooting 47.5 percent from the floor, which puts them last in the NBA.

"Luke came in here and said that's two teams that have shot above 50 percent on our home court," said Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr., according to the Los Angeles Times after the Bulls hit 51.7 of their shots. That came on the heels of the San Antonio Spurs making 56.4 percent of their shots in a 116-107 win over the Lakers on Friday.

"Our interior defense is something that we've obviously got to get better," said Nance, who scored a career-high 18 points against the Bulls.

The Lakers will attempt to return to their winning ways despite an upcoming tough stretch. After the Oklahoma City game, they visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and play them again on Friday at home. They host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

The Thunder cap their journey at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday and at the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

The Sacramento Kings don't play Tuesday, but if you believe new coach Dave Joerger then you might want to start hitting the "over" totals on Kings games. Joerger was fed up with the early losing and moved to a smaller lineup, where DeMarcus Cousins shifts from power forward to center while shifting center Kosta Koufos to the bench, and play faster. Joerger is starting games with two point guards in Darren Collison and Ty Lawson alongside Cousins, Matt Barnes and Rudy Gay. It also means even less time for second-year center Willie Cauley-Stein, who already wants a trade. The early result? The team's scoring actually went down Sunday, but the Kings beat Toronto 102-99 to end a four-game losing streak. It's one thing to say you are going to play small; it's another to have the right personnel to do so. The Kings' weakness is their guards and their strength is a glut of big men. But what do I know?

Trail Blazers at Knicks (-1.5, 215.5)

Portland ended a three-game losing streak with a 129-109 win at Brooklyn on Sunday. C.J. McCollum had 33 points. Al-Farouq Aminu (left calf) and Festus Ezeli (left knee) were inactive and it's not likely either plays here. New York beat visiting Atlanta 104-94 on Sunday for its fourth straight home win. Carmelo Anthony tied a season high with 31 points. Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Joakim Noah sat out with an illness. These teams split last year, each winning on the road. The Trail Blazers have won seven of their past eight contests against the Knicks, including four in a row at Madison Square Garden. Damian Lillard averaged 29.5 points vs. the Knicks in 2015-16. Anthony averaged 30.0 points vs. Portland.

Key trends: The Blazers are 6-2 against the spread in the past eight meetings. The "over/under" is 8-3 in their past 11 after a win.

Early lean: Blazers and over.



Pelicans at Hawks (-7.5, 206.5)

First of an NBA TV doubleheader. New Orleans won a second straight Saturday, 121-116 in overtime against Charlotte. Anthony Davis had 38 points and 16 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday added 22 points and nine assists. The Pelicans were down 14 in the fourth quarter. Atlanta lost a second straight game Sunday, 104-94 at the Knicks. Dwight Howard had 18 points and 18 rebounds, but point guard Dennis Schroder missed all eight shots. Thabo Sefolosha missed another game with a sprained knee. Atlanta swept the Pelicans last year. Davis had 43 points in his one game vs. the Hawks.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 5-2 in those.

Early lean: Hawks and over.



Bulls at Nuggets (-1, 208)

Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg gave Dwyane Wade the second of a back-to-back off Sunday but the Bulls won at the Lakers regardless, 118-110, a night after a blowing a huge lead and losing at the Clippers. Jimmy Butler had a season-high 40 points and Nikola Mirotic had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Denver beat visiting Utah 105-91 on Sunday. Rookie Jamal Murray scored 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, and Jusuf Nurkic had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Will Barton started for the Nuggets after missing his previous nine games with an ankle injury. He had seven points. These two clubs made a 2014 draft-day trade that netted the Bulls Doug McDermott (he's out with a concussion) and the Nuggets Nurkic and Gary Harris (he's out with a foot injury). Win for Denver. The teams split last year. Denver has won the past nine at home in the series. The Bulls just never play well in Denver, even in MJ's days.

Key trends: The Nuggets are 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 4-1 in the previous five.

Early lean: Nuggets and over.


Thunder at Lakers (+3, 218)

Oklahoma City lost 115-111 in OT at home to Indiana on Sunday. Russell Westbrook had his fifth triple-double of the season -- as many as the rest of the NBA combined -- with 31 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds, but went 13 of 34 from the field. Oklahoma City rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to force overtime. Los Angeles lost by eight at home to Chicago on Sunday. The Lakers were destroyed on the boards, 56-37. Lou Williams scored a season-high 25 points and Larry Nance Jr. had a career-high 18 for the Lakers. Jordan Clarkson was 1-for-12 from the field. The Thunder beat the visiting Lakers 113-96 on Oct. 30. Westbrook had 33 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. OKC has won nine straight in the series.

Key trends: The Thunder are 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 5-0 in L.A.'s past five at home.

Early lean: Lakers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA betting road map: Bulls continue to be a surprise
By BIG AL MCMORDIE

Al McMordie is back with the latest edition of his weekly betting roadmap series, to take a look at the betting landscape in the upcoming week in the NBA.

The past week in the NBA saw home teams flex their muscles, as they went 33-18-3 ATS, including 21-6-3 off a loss. For the season, home teams are 103-90-5 ATS, including 53-38-3 off a loss, and 28-19 when rested and playing an unrested foe. Let's take a look at the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday week in the NBA.

Spread Watch

There haven't been very many surprises in the early-going of this NBA season. The top three teams in the East (Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto) were those Eastern Conference teams with the best point differentials last season. And out West, it's a somewhat similar story, with the Clippers, Warriors and Spurs on top.

The Clippers ranked fourth in the West in scoring margin last season, but the team ahead of it - the Thunder - weren't expected to contend this year following the loss of Kevin Durant.

If there has been a minor surprise, it must be the play of the Chicago Bulls. After downing the Lakers on Sunday night (Chicago's fourth road game in six nights), the Bulls have covered six straight games - and they're 9-5 straight-up and 10-4 ATS this season. But the most impressive thing about Fred Hoiberg's squad this season is that it ranks fifth in the league in scoring margin (behind only the Clippers, Warriors, Hawks and Cavaliers), while playing nine of its first 14 games on the road.

The Bulls' biggest improvement has come on the offensive end, as they rank seventh in Offensive Efficiency, after ranking just 21st last season. Chicago will continue its six-game road trip this week, with stops at Denver (Tuesday) and Philadelphia (Friday). The game against the 76ers will be a sweet spot for Chicago, as it's won the last 10 meetings vs. the Sixers, and has scored over 110 points in each of the last five. Chicago will also have had the previous two days off, while Philly will be playing with just a single day off. And Chicago's 93-62 ATS its last 155 games when playing with 2+ days of rest against an opponent playing with less rest.

Total Watch

The Toronto Raptors rank fourth in Offensive Efficiency this season, and 19th in Defense. So, one shouldn't be surprised that the Raptors have gone 'over' the total in six of their last seven games (and nine of their 13 for the season). Their last six 'overs' have all been exceptionally high-scoring, with each totaling 224+ points.

This week, Toronto will finish its road trip with games at the Clippers, Rockets and Bucks. The Wednesday night game vs. James Harden & Co. seems like the best one to play the 'over,' as both meetings last season between Houston and Toronto generated 220+ points, and sailed 'over' the total.

Injury Watch

Portland Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu suffered a calf injury in the November 8 game vs. Phoenix and the Blazers promptly lost their next six games against the spread. Certainly, Aminu's numbers don't jump off the page as he's averaging just 6.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg. But he's the best defensive player on the team, and his Defensive Real Plus-Minus (+1.55) ranks fifth in the NBA among small forwards this season (after ranking eighth last year).

Portland got off the schneid with a 129-109 win at Brooklyn, on Sunday but it's still 1-6 ATS with Aminu in street clothes, and he'll be out for possibly a few more weeks. In his stead, Ed Davis has been inserted into the starting line-up by coach Terry Stotts but Davis is a rebounding specialist, has limitations on offense and commits needless fouls.

The Trail Blazers currently rank dead last (30th) in Defensive Efficiency after ranking 19th last season, and part of the problem has been Aminu's absence. This week, at least, Portland will face a few teams that play just as poorly on defense as it does. On Tuesday, Portland will play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks rank 29th in Defensive Efficiency. And, later in the week (Sunday), the Blazers will host Houston, which ranks 20th. I actually like Portland on Tuesday vs. New York, as the Blazers have dominated the series, with seven wins in the last eight games (6-2 ATS) and New York is a woeful 2-14 SU and 5-11 ATS off a straight-up win.

Schedule Watch

The Golden State Warriors will play back-to-back games vs. the Lakers on Wednesday and Friday and to say that the Warriors will desperately want to defeat Los Angeles would be an understatement. That's because the Lakers handed the Warriors one of their only two losses of the season - and a blowout (117-97), at that.

Golden State is a terrific 23-10 ATS its last 33 when playing with revenge, so this back-to-back spot offers a great opportunity to play on Steve Kerr's crew, especially because the Warriors are 18-10 ATS vs. the Lakers in the last 28 meetings, including 10-3 ATS at home.