Tuesday 11/24/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Arsenal

v

Din Zagreb

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		2/9	6	14	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
HWALAWALHDAL​ Most recent​	2 - 1	HLALALALHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Arsenal have kept one clean sheet in their last six matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Only a win will do for Arsenal and they should be able to bounce back from the defeat at West Brom. The Gunners’ performances have dipped in recent weeks, but Dinamo Zagreb were beaten home and away by Olympiakos and benefitted from Olivier Giroud’s red card in the victory in the reverse encounter.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsenal to win 3-1
1


REFEREE: Viktor Kassai STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

M. Tel Aviv

v

Chelsea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		10	4	4/11	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT M. TEL AVIV	RECENT FORM
ALHLAWHLHWAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	ALAD*HLHWALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Maccabi have scored one goal in this season’s group stages

EXPERT VERDICT: Powder-puff Maccabi Tel Aviv have struggled at this elite level with four straight Champions League defeats and their only goal came from the penalty spot. Only once in those matches have Maccabi managed to have more than one shot on target in the 90 minutes and a comfortable win to nil is likely for Chelsea.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea to win 2-0
1


REFEREE: Alberto Undiano Mallenco STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 25Nov 19:45

Juventus

v

Man City

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		6/5	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT JUVENTUS	RECENT FORM
HWALHWADAWHW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 0	ADHWHWAWADHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Juventus are unbeaten in their last 15 European home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City were humbled 4-1 by Liverpool on Saturday and Manuel Pellegrini’s men have kept just two clean sheets in their last 14 matches which is a concern heading for Turin. Juventus won 2-1 in Manchester and backing both teams to score looks a sound wager given City’s considerable attacking threat.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
3

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 25Nov 19:45

Man Utd

v

PSV Eindhoven

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		2/5	7/2	7	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
HDHD*ADHWHWAW​ Most recent​	3 - 1 1 - 0	ALAWAWHWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Man Utd have won seven of their last eight European home games

EXPERT VERDICT: This is a slightly trickier match for Manchester United than the odds would suggest, but the Red Devils usually use Old Trafford to their advantage on European nights and can grind out another victory. However, the Dutch champions are more than capable of making life awkward, particularly in the early exchanges.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw-Man Utd double result
1

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 26Nov 18:00

FK Qarabag

v

Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		5/2	23/10	11/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT FK QARABAG	RECENT FORM
ALHWHWHDAWHW​ Most recent​	Unknown	ALAWHWHWADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Qarabag are unbeaten in their last five European home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Tottenham are likely to rest a number of key players with one eye on Sunday’s lunchtime clash with Chelsea so there is no desire to back them given this mammoth trip. Qarabag have beaten Anderlecht at home and drawn with Monaco and can keep it competitive.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 26Nov 20:05

Celtic

v

Ajax

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		5/4	12/5	21/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CELTIC	RECENT FORM
HWAWHWHLAWHD​ Most recent​	2 - 1 0 - 1 2 - 2 1 - 0	ALAWHWHDADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Celtic have not won any of their last nine Europa League fixtures

EXPERT VERDICT: Celtic’s defensive woes have let them down greatly in Europe this season with the Scottish champions having already conceded nine goals in four Europa League matches. The Bhoys have shipped at least twice in every game and Ajax can finally land a victory in Group A at the fifth attempt.

RECOMMENDATION: Ajax
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Jets G Pavelec out until January
By The Sports Xchange

The Winnipeg Jets placed goaltender Ondrej Pavelec on injured reserve Monday with a lower-body injury.
Jets coach Paul Maurice said later that Pavelec won't return a least until January, saying on the team's Twitter account, "He's not playing in December. Hoping for January/February."
This prognosis indicates Pavelec will miss at least 16 games and probably more.
Pavelec sustained the injury in the second period of the Jets' 3-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night after a collision with Coyotes right winger Shane Doan. Pavelec has a 5-6-1 record this season.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck was recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Sunday.
The Jets also recalled forward Joel Armia from their AHL affiliate.

--The St. Louis Blues activated center Paul Stastny from injured reserve.
Stastny, 29, has missed the past 16 games after suffering a broken right foot in the Blues' 4-3 win in Vancouver on Oct. 16.

--The Arizona Coyotes recalled goaltender Louis Domingue from the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League.
The Coyotes also assigned goaltender Marek Langhamer to the Rapid City Rush, the team's East Coast Hockey League affiliate.

--The Boston Bruins claimed RW Landon Ferraro off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Ferraro had not played for Detroit since Nov. 6 because of a lower-body injury and was about to be removed from the injured reserve list. The Bruins made room for Ferraro by putting D Kevan Miller (upper body) on IR. Miller was injured Nov. 17.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (7-5) at Stars (17-4)

Date: November 24, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Boosted by a strong homestand, the Ottawa Senators visit the NHL's hottest team with their goaltender playing at his highest level of the season.

Craig Anderson puts his shutout streak on the line against the high-scoring Dallas Stars, who enter Tuesday night's matchup with a chance for their longest winning stretch in four seasons.

Anderson followed up a 25-save shutout Thursday against Columbus with 36 stops in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Philadelphia, capping a 3-0-2 residency for Ottawa (10-5-5) in which he posted a 1.22 goals-against average in four starts.

'Being in the right spot at the right time when the puck is coming in and just being patient and not trying to do too much. That's the key,' he said.

Anderson wasn't nearly as sharp in the Senators' most recent road outing, permitting each goal in a 7-5 loss to Nashville on Nov. 10. Another tough task awaits in Tuesday's opener of this three-game trip, as the Western Conference-leading Stars' 74 goals trail only Montreal (78) for tops in the NHL.

Dallas (17-4-0) has 18 goals during its second five-game win streak of the season and received strong goaltending of its own last time out, with Antti Niemi's 22 saves supporting Jamie Benn's two third-period goals in Saturday's 3-0 win over Buffalo.

'He made some really big saves, especially early on when we had the power play,' Benn said. 'We gave up a couple of short-handed breakaways, 2-on-1s, and he was there to back us up. It was pretty impressive to see. He definitely earned that shutout.'

Niemi had 24 saves in a 3-1 triumph at Buffalo four days earlier but has been at his best at American Airlines Center, compiling a 5-1-0 record with a 2.00 GAA and two shutouts in six starts.

Dallas, which last won six straight in March 2012, improved to 3-2-0 when trailing after two periods after Benn notched his league-leading 13th and 14th goals less than two minutes apart. The Stars are outscoring opponents 31-17 in the third.

"Maybe it's the speed that we bring that wears the teams down, and in the third period it just opens up," forward Antoine Roussel told the Stars' official website.

Benn has four goals and four assists during the win streak and defenseman John Klingberg also has eight points over the run. Tyler Seguin added two assists on Saturday to tie Klingberg and Chicago's Patrick Kane for the league lead.

Ottawa's Erik Karlsson and Bobby Ryan also have been going well, with Karlsson amassing five goals and five assists over a six-game point streak and Ryan generating 10 points over a career-high eight-game run.

The duo may have to remain productive to offset a defense that's allowing a league-high 34.3 shots per game and was porous in two 2014-15 losses to the Stars that extended their series losing streak to seven. The Senators haven't beaten the Stars since a 5-4 overtime victory at home Dec. 20, 2008, and last won in Dallas in December 2007.

Though Seguin didn't register a point in last year's meetings, Klingberg scored three of Dallas' 11 goals and Benn had two in a 6-3 win at Ottawa on Jan. 29.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (8-12) at Ducks (6-10)

Date: November 24, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Anaheim Ducks have looked better lately after a horrid start, though they ran into a setback their last time out.

They'll try to bounce back Tuesday night by continuing the league's longest home winning streak in a series in nearly 29 years as they seek a 21st straight home victory against the Calgary Flames.

Anaheim (7-10-4) hasn't lost to the Flames at home since a 5-1 defeat Jan. 19, 2004. The 20-game run is tied for the fourth-longest home winning streak in NHL history by one franchise against another, and is the longest since Philadelphia's NHL record of 23 straight home victories against Pittsburgh from Feb. 17, 1980-Jan. 29, 1987.

The Ducks have lost three straight at home this season, while Calgary is 3-7-1 on the road.

Anaheim's offense had looked improved, averaging 2.7 goals during a 10-game stretch before Saturday's 5-0 loss at Tampa Bay. The Ducks scored only 10 goals in their first 10 contests.

Saturday's defeat denied Anaheim a second straight win. The team's four-game winning streak Nov. 1-7 remains the only time it has won consecutive games.

"Tough league, you've got to string wins together," captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "Win one, lose one, those kind of things, it doesn't build anything in the standings, it doesn't build anything in the (locker) room."

The Ducks lost despite a 30-24 advantage in shots, and have a dead-even margin on the season. Their goaltending has been competitive with a .913 save percentage that ranks in the middle of the pack, but they simply haven't been as good as their opponents at converting chances, as their 5.9 shooting percentage is one of the league's worst.

"It's just the inconsistency in our game," said Getzlaf, who has one goal and eight assists in 17 games. "Game-to-game, period-to-period. I don't think it's so much focused on one period. We've got to find a way to build something where we're finding a way to play the right way all time."

Getzlaf has eight goals and 18 assists in 18 appearances during Anaheim's home winning streak in the series.

The Flames (8-12-1) are seeking a third consecutive victory for the first time. They've allowed a league-worst 3.5 goals per game this season, but have seen that number drop to 2.8 during a 5-4-0 stretch.

Johnny Gaudreau scored in overtime in Friday's 2-1 win against Chicago as Calgary improved to 5-1 in overtime and shootouts compared to 3-12 in regulation.

"I think a lot of guys in our locker room like it," Gaudreau told the team's official website. "We've got a fast D-core that is good with the puck and we've got a lot of skilled offensive guys. I think we like it a lot."

Gaudreau has been more consistent at home with 14 points in 10 games compared to six in 11 on the road.

Calgary owns one of the league's worst penalty kills, letting opponents score on 25.4 percent of opportunities. Meanwhile, the Ducks have five goals on 17 power plays in their last five home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Dallas Stars won eight of last nine games. Senators won their last two games 3-0/4-0.
-- Flames won three of their last four games.

Cold teams
-- Anaheim lost five of its last seven games.

Series records
-- Dallas Stars won their last seven games with Ottawa.
-- Ducks won seven of last nine games with Calgary.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Ottawa games stayed under total.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Calgary games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Hawks coach Budenholzer fines $25,000
By The Sports Xchange

Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer has been fined $25,000 for making incidental contact with a game official during live action.
Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, announced the fine on Monday.
The incident, for which Budenholzer was assessed a technical foul and ejected, occurred with 6:27 remaining in the second quarter of Atlanta's 109-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
Budenholzer stepped out to the 3-point line on the court and appeared to bump referee Ben Taylor, prompting the ejection.

--The Golden State Warriors can make history Tuesday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers when the defending champions go for their record 16th straight win to open the season.
Fans wanting to purchase tickets to see the 15-0 Warriors try to set the record at Oracle Arena for the best start in NBA history will face steep prices.
VIP seats were being listed for as much as $5,264 each as of Monday morning on Warriors.com, where the team directs fans looking to purchase resale tickets through Ticketmaster, according to San Jose Mercury News. An upper level seat could be had for as little as $263.
StubHub had sellers offering courtside seats for $4,558 each and a standing-room only ticket for as little as $249.

--The Detroit Pistons announced that the franchise will honor and retire jerseys for Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups.
Wallace will be honored during a halftime ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 16, when the Pistons host the Golden State Warriors at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Billups will be honored during a halftime ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 10, when Detroit plays the Denver Nuggets at The Palace.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (8-5) at Wizards (6-4)

Date: November 24, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards have turned things around after rough starts thanks to contributions from up and down their lineups.

Indiana goes for a third straight victory Tuesday night when it opens a stretch of five of six on the road against a Washington team riding a three-game winning streak.

The Pacers opened with three losses in a row but have since gone 8-2. They're coming off consecutive easy wins, 122-85 at Philadelphia on Wednesday and 123-86 over visiting Milwaukee on Saturday.

Paul George has led the way with 24.8 points per game this season, but he has three teammates averaging in double figures - C.J. Miles (14.3), George Hill (14.0) and Monta Ellis (12.7).

However, Indiana got solid performances from other players in the back-to-back wins. Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Glen Robinson III combined for 34 points against the 76ers and then totaled 50 on Saturday.

Jordan Hill had a season-high 20 points off the bench against the Bucks and fellow reserve Robinson finished with a career-best 17 while going 4 for 4 from 3-point range. Indiana went 15 for 30 from beyond the arc and is among the NBA leaders in 3-point shooting at 38.8 percent.

'We're playing good,' George said. 'We're just learning and we're really far from where we started. Everything is starting to come together and we're getting a better feel for one another.'

The same can be said for the Wizards, whose three-game win streak has come after a stretch of four losses in five contests. Washington (6-4) won 97-95 at Detroit on Saturday behind 51 points from its bench.

Otto Porter paced the starters with 17 points but Marcin Gortat was a minus-22, Bradley Beal and John Wall were both minus-20 and Kris Humphries went scoreless. Nene had 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting and was a plus-24 off the bench, while Ramon Sessions had 14 points and nine assists and was plus-22.

'I thought our bench saved the day twice,' coach Randy Wittman said. 'In an 82-game season, that's what it takes. Our bench won't always play like that, and the starters will save the day, but tonight, it was the bench.'

Washington's bench is averaging 42.3 points during the win streak after contributing 32.1 per game in the first seven. Indiana's reserves averaged 28.1 in the first 11 before upping that mark to 47.5 in the last two.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel knows his team is going to need that to continue during this road-heavy part of the schedule that includes four games out west. Indiana has alternated losses and wins in its first six away from home.

"We have a heckuva tough stretch coming up," he told the Pacers' official website. "We can't get ahead of ourselves and start feeling good about ourselves. There's a lot to adjust to and implement, and see how it works against the heavyweights."

Including the 2014 playoffs, Indiana has won four of five in Washington. George Hill scored 29 and made a running finger roll with three seconds left as the Pacers won 103-101 in the last matchup there March 25.

Hill, though, has missed the last three games with an upper respiratory infection. Vogel said Hill could have played in case of an emergency Saturday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (7-6) at Hawks (9-6)

Date: November 24, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Consecutive games against the same opponent produced vastly different results for the Boston Celtics. The Atlanta Hawks have been more consistent of late, though not in a positive way.

The Hawks enter Tuesday night's game with the visiting Celtics having lost four of five, a stretch that began with a 106-93 defeat in Boston on Nov. 13 that coach Mike Budenholzer missed due to a family emergency.

Budenholzer wasn't around for long in Atlanta's most recent defeat, getting ejected midway through the second quarter of Saturday's 109-97 loss at Cleveland for making contact with referee Ben Taylor while arguing a call.

The action drew Budenholzer a $25,000 fine from the NBA but not a suspension, as the league deemed the contact to be incidental.

Atlanta shot a season-low 37.2 percent and trailed the Cavaliers by as many as 26. The Hawks were especially dominated inside, getting outscored 44-30 in the paint and outrebounded by a 51-38 margin.

"They really got hot and they were getting a lot of easy fast break points and getting to the basket," center Al Horford said. "When you're doing those things, it's kind of hard to stay in the game."

The Celtics also struggled greatly on the defensive end last time out, allowing Brooklyn to shoot 50.6 percent in Sunday's 111-101 loss that dropped them to 0-5 when surrendering 100 or more points. They're 7-1 when holding opponents under that total, including Friday's 120-95 home rout of the Nets in which Brooklyn shot 39.3 percent.

"They did a great job attacking us, let's put it that way," coach Brad Stevens said after Sunday's game. "We were not in their vicinity sometimes.'

Boston was playing without one of its top perimeter defenders in guard Marcus Smart, expected to miss at least two weeks after injuring his lower left leg in Friday's matchup.

The backcourt hasn't suffered offensively of late, with Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas each finishing with 27 points in Sunday's defeat.

Bradley finished 7 of 14 from 3-point range and is 15 of 29 over a torrid four-game stretch in which he's averaged 21.8 points.

"I think it's all about confidence and repetition," he told the Celtics' official website. "Being able to get those reps up and believing that it's going in every single time."

Bradley missed the teams' previous meeting with a lower leg bruise, but Thomas compiled 10 assists and 23 points, including 11 to help Boston outscore the Hawks 35-24 in the third quarter.

Jared Sullinger added 10 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double in five matchups against the Hawks. He had 22 points and nine rebounds in a 109-105 loss in Boston's last visit to Philips Arena on Dec. 2.

Atlanta's Jeff Teague (ankle) returned from a three-game absence to score 13 points in 26 minutes off the bench against Cleveland. Backup center Tiago Splitter will not play, however, after injuring his hip on Saturday, and forward Kent Bazemore could miss a fourth straight due to a right ankle sprain.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (9-5) at Grizzlies (7-7)

Date: November 24, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies had their longest winning streaks of the season snapped over the weekend, though their biggest struggles were at opposite ends of the floor.

Both will be looking to get back on track Tuesday night in Memphis.

Dallas (9-5) had won six in a row before a 117-114 loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday, and the Thunder's 52.2 percent shooting was a season-worst allowed by the defense. The Mavericks had limited teams to 94.8 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting during a six-game winning streak, and though it was just one setback, coach Rick Carlisle was bothered by the performance.

"I thought we were poor on defense the entire game," he said. "We gave up 117 points and we've been giving up under 100 on average. It's just not getting it done. I think we lost some of our defensive edge tonight and we have to get it back."

They surrendered 48 points in the paint, falling to 1-4 when they give up 44 or more. The lack of a true shot blocker could be having an effect. Tyson Chandler, who departed via free agency, led the team with 1.2 blocks per game, and the Mavericks' current leader is Dwight Powell (0.7).

Javale McGee could give them a boost in that department, averaging 1.8 for his career. He made his season debut against the Thunder and had eight points and six rebounds over 11 minutes, but no blocks.

"It felt real good," McGee, who had been sidelined by a stress fracture, told the team's official website. "The first stint I was in, I was kind of out of breath. It was definitely a blessing just being out here, period."

Deron Williams is averaging a career-high 1.5 steals and scored 20 points, two days after scoring a season-high 23 against Utah. Williams has been rejuvenated offensively for his new team, shooting 43.8 percent, up from last season's career-worst 38.7 mark. His 39.5 3-point percentage is his best since 2007-08, and his 1.9 turnovers per game are his fewest since his rookie year.

The Grizzlies' four-game winning streak came to an end in a 92-82 loss at San Antonio on Saturday. Memphis (7-7) had averaged 108.3 points in the previous four contests before taking a step back, going 1 for 9 from 3-point range and committing 17 turnovers.

Coach Dave Joerger's team is 3-5 when committing 14 or more.

"You have to get what you're trying to get offensively and right now we are a little scattered," Joerger said. "This isn't how we play."

Zach Randolph's absence didn't help matters, as the forward averaging 14.5 points missed a second straight game due to a sore right knee. Joerger also added that Marc Gasol "probably should have sat out" on the second night of a back-to-back. Gasol, scoring a team-high 15.7 points per game this season, is averaging 38.3 minutes over his last eight games. The NBA high this season is 38.9 by Houston's James Harden.

Memphis has won four of five in the series and 10 of 14 at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (6-7) at Nuggets (6-8)

Date: November 24, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Coach Doc Rivers believes a solid defense should be able to carry his team when it can't score, but that just isn't happening for the Los Angeles Clippers.

As Rivers and his two stars continue to search for answers, the visiting Clippers will try to dig out of their worst start in five years Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets.

Los Angeles was riding high with four straight victories to open the season before dropping seven of nine, a stretch that started with a hard-fought 112-108 loss at Golden State on Nov. 4.

After failing to hold a 23-point lead in Thursday's 124-117 home defeat to the Warriors, the Clippers (6-7) averaged 85.5 points on 41.9 percent shooting in losses to Portland and Toronto.

Los Angeles is off to its worst start since opening 1-13 in 2010-11. The only other time the team was under .500 during Rivers' two-plus seasons was after his first game.

"I think it's pretty normal to be frustrated. But you can't let that frustration affect us negatively going forward," forward Blake Griffin told the team's official website.

After allowing 108.9 points per game over their previous eight, the Clippers held the Raptors to 37.2 percent shooting - including 4 of 17 from 3-point range - at home Sunday. That wasn't enough to overcome their poor play offensively as they finished with a 39.2 field-goal percentage while committing a season-high 20 turnovers in a 91-80 defeat.

Chris Paul, who has missed three games during this stretch, finished with 13 points, 11 assists and five fouls Sunday when the Clippers trailed by 29 at the half. Griffin failed to score in double figures for the 10th time in 388 career games with nine points and six turnovers.

"I do think the end result will dictate our approach and our attitude and our mood and all that stuff going forward," guard J.J. Redick said. "If we win a game, that'll certainly help move things in the right direction."

The Clippers hope that happens in Denver as they go after their fourth straight win in the series. They snapped a five-game losing streak at the Pepsi Center with a 107-92 win April 4.

Redick has totaled 45 points on 7-of-15 shooting from 3-point range in the past two meetings, while DeAndre Jordan has had a combined 34 points and 43 rebounds.

Jordan, who ranks among the NBA leaders with 13.0 rebounds per game, could continue to dominate on the glass with Kenneth Faried - averaging a team-high 9.1 boards - likely to be sidelined for the Nuggets (6-8) because of a sprained ankle.

Denver moved above .500 with three consecutive home wins earlier this month but has since dropped four of five. The club lost its third in a row Sunday, 118-105 to Golden State.

The Nuggets have been lackluster defensively during the slide, allowing an average of 113.7 points on 50.8 percent shooting - including 39 of 74 (52.7) from beyond the arc.

"Every night it seems, no matter who we play, teams are scoring 10-12 3s and that has to change," coach Mike Malone said.

Darrell Arthur had a team-high 21 points and eight rebounds against the Warriors. Danilo Gallinari scored 19 but has shot 10 for 39 (25.6 percent) in his last three games.

Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has shown glimpses of why Denver made him the seventh overall pick in the draft, totaling 43 points and 13 assists in his last two games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (8-4) at Trail Blazers (6-9)

Date: November 24, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Derrick Rose was in the midst of one of his best games of the season before spraining his left ankle last week.

He'll look to regain the form he displayed before the injury when he makes his expected return Tuesday night, trying to help the Chicago Bulls to their first victory at Portland in nearly nine years.

Rose has missed the Bulls' last two games after coming out with 5:53 remaining in last Monday's 96-95 victory over Indiana. Before exiting, Rose had 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting with six assists and no turnovers. He also hit both 3-point attempts after entering 1 of 18 from beyond the arc.

He was a full participant in Sunday's practice and said afterward he felt good.

Chicago (8-4) got by Phoenix on Wednesday without its starting point guard but could've used Rose's services in Friday's 106-94 loss to Golden State.

The Bulls had a chance to hand the Warriors their first loss, leading by as much as 11 and tying the score at 89 with 5:44 to go. Jimmy Butler was the only Bull to score from that point on as Chicago missed having Rose as another scoring option.

Kirk Hinrich, who started at point guard with Aaron Brooks also out with a hamstring injury, had two turnovers in the final 4:35.

"(The effort has) been really good and that's what got us four straight wins, is playing with that type of effort," coach Fred Hoiberg told the Bulls' official website. "Again, we had it tonight. We were right there down the stretch. We just didn't make the necessary plays to get us over the hump and win the game. If we can keep that consistent we're going to be a good team."

Not surprisingly, Butler has shouldered more of the offense since Rose's injury, totaling 60 points in the last two. However, he has struggled mightily in six career games against the Blazers, averaging 8.8 points - his third lowest against any opponent.

As an All-Star last season, he totaled 20 points on 29.2 percent shooting in two matchups.

Rose had 31 points in the last meeting with Portland, a 115-106 home win Dec. 12 that snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series.

The Blazers have still won seven straight home games over the Bulls since an 88-86 loss in February 2007.

Damian Lillard, who had 35 points and made 7 of 11 from 3-point range in the last meeting with the Bulls, has scored at least 27 in three of Portland's last four games.

The Blazers (6-9) snapped a seven-game losing streak with Friday's 102-91 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers and followed with a 107-93 victory against the Lakers two days later.

They held the Lakers to 21.1 percent shooting in the fourth quarter after limiting the Clippers to 33.3 percent in the final period. Opponents shot 51.0 percent against Portland in the fourth during its skid.

"It's important that you make plays in the fourth quarter, and we had some good defensive stops, and made big plays," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "... Often times in this league, it comes down to the last five minutes and how you execute at both ends of the court. We did that."

Mason Plumlee had 17 points and 11 rebounds on Sunday and is shooting 64.3 percent in his last four games after shooting 37.5 in his previous three.

"I think (Plumlee) is in a good rhythm," Stotts said. "He's shooting the ball, he's passing it, he's figuring out how to make himself available on rolls."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (2-11) at Warriors (15-0)

Date: November 24, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Anyone who thought the Golden State Warriors would be content after winning one NBA title was sadly mistaken.

With Stephen Curry hitting 3-pointers at a record-setting pace and the rest of his teammates playing with a high level of intensity and focus, the Warriors have tied the NBA record with 15 straight wins to open the season.

Somehow, they have found a way to improve following a season when they won 67 games and rolled through the playoffs without ever being taken to a seventh game.

'We're trying to win another championship,' forward Draymond Green said. 'That's what we're fueled by. I think we've gotten greedy, but a good greedy. I think it's way better to be greedy for success than hungover on success. I think we're on the right end of the spectrum, which is great.'

The Warriors have a chance to break the record they currently share with the 1948-49 Washington Capitols and 1993-94 Houston Rockets when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

After downplaying the chase of the record at the start of the season, Golden State has embraced it.

'Now that we're here and have tied the record, it's a huge accomplishment,' Curry said. 'You never know if you'll ever be in this position again. We have a great group and to be able to be in position to do something that hasn't been done in the history of the NBA with all the great teams and all the great players who have played in this league, that's special.'

The only team standing in their way is the Lakers, who have the second-worst record in the NBA with just two wins in 13 games.

Lakers coach Byron Scott said the Warriors are the best team he's seen in a while and star guard Kobe Bryant said stranger things have happened than a team playing as poorly as the Lakers beating one as dominant as the Warriors.

'We might go up there and we might play like gangbusters up there,' Bryant said Sunday in Los Angeles. 'You never know.'

The Warriors have gotten to this point with the help of a late game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime in a home win against Brooklyn, a comeback from 23 points down to beat the Los Angeles Clippers and plenty of blowouts.

They have outscored the opposition by 14.4 points per game, the most at this point of the season since the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls followed up their record 72-win campaign by outscoring their first 15 opponents by 16.5 points on the way to a 14-1 start the following year.

'They've just been consistent,' said LeBron James, who lost to Golden State in the finals last season with Cleveland. 'Think the most impressive thing is the way they've been playing at a high level for so long. I think it comes with a lot of health. They've been healthy. They've been the most healthy team I've ever seen in NBA history and they have great talent. Those guys all play for one common goal and that's to win and that's all that matters.'

Golden State has the depth to overcome whatever injuries the Warriors have had. Starting center Andrew Bogut missed six games with a concussion, guard Klay Thompson has been dealing with a stiff back that forced him to miss one game and key reserve guards Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa have also missed time.

Golden State has also done all of this without head coach Steve Kerr, who has been sidelined since training camp because of complications from offseason back surgery.

'It would be more impressive if they were doing all this without Steph,' James said. 'Then there would be a conversation to talk about.'

Instead, Curry has been a driving force to the success under interim coach Luke Walton. Curry is on pace for a record-setting 404 3-pointers and his 490 points through 15 games are the eighth most in the league in the past half-century.

Curry and his teammates see no reason to slow down now.

'You want to keep it going and the only way you can do that is by staying sharp, staying focused and bringing effort every night and that's the mentality that we have,' Curry said. 'That's the reason we're 15-0. It's the reason why last year we had a 16-game winning streak. We built up a winning mentality and confidence in each other. We want to bottle that up and ride the wave as long as we can.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David

Oddsmakers opened Golden State as a 17-point home favorite against the L.A. Lakers on Tuesday and you could argue that the line should be higher. The Warriors (15-0 straight up, 10-5 against the spread) have been unstoppable thus far and betting against them hasn’t been a sound investment.

If you’re a little hesitant to lay the wood with Golden State, it’s certainly understandable. The Warriors are 4-3 ATS as a double-digit favorite this season. However, they’ve won five of the last six against the Lakers and four of those wins by 19, 17, 23 and 21 points.

The Warriors have been so dominant this season that their odds to win the Western Conference are now 11/10 (Bet $100 to win $110) and they continue to get shorter numbers (2/1) to repeat as champions in the NBA Finals.

The Pacific Division odds are “off the board” because their lead is too high and we’re still in the first month of the season!

Listed below are the odds and games for the next seven days but you can place wagers on games all the way up to the end of the year (12/31/15).

Nov. 24 - Lakers 15/1
Nov. 27 - Suns 13/4
Nov. 28 - Kings 9/1
Nov. 29 - Jazz 4/1

If you believe Los Angeles can get the job done Tuesday at Oracle Arena, then you better grab those 15/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $1,500).

Bettors that don’t believe the Warriors will lose in the near future can take a shot that Golden State will start 32-0 at 18/1 odds.

An upcoming seven-game road trip that starts in Utah next Monday and ends on the East Coast won’t be easy for Golden State but if they remain unbeaten after that trek, the only test that looks somewhat tough after that will be a Christmas battle at home versus Cleveland.

We have five other games on tap for Tuesday and here’s my quick handicap.

Indiana at Washington: We shouldn’t be surprised but the Pacers look legit. After staggering to a 0-3 start, Indiana has gone 8-2 and more importantly, they’ve covered nine of 10 games. The Wizards are in solid form too, winners in their last three games. These teams split their four-game set last season with the Wizards winning the first two meetings in November and the Pacers grabbing the contests played in the spring. Three of the four games were decided by four points or less, the other by seven. The ‘over’ went 4-0 but the totals ranged from 182 ½ to 193. Tuesday’s total is hovering around 204 ½ and Washington has been a great ‘over’ bet (4-1) in D.C. this season.

Boston at Atlanta: The Hawks opened as 3 ½-point home favorites for this game and this line shows the new-found respect for the Celtics, who were catching double (+7, +7.5) in last year’s games in Atlanta. Boston came up short in both games but managed to cover one. These teams met this season already in Boston as the Celtics defeated the Hawks 106-93 at home on Nov. 13 as 1 ½-point underdogs. Prior to Sunday’s loss at Brooklyn, the Celtics had won three straight on the road. Atlanta has gone 6-1 this season when it scores over 100 and Boston’s defense has been shaky lately.

Dallas at Memphis: No early line on this game due to the status of Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (knee). The Mavericks have been a pleasant surprise this season (9-5 SU, 9-5 ATS), especially on the road (5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS). Memphis started out slow with a 3-6 mark but have gone 4-1 in their last five and that winning run started when the team added point guard Mario Chalmers via trade from Miami. Dallas is coming off a 117-114 loss at OKC on Sunday and the team has responded well off setbacks, going 3-1 this season. The Grizzlies won and covered three of the four encounters against the Mavericks last season. The ‘over’ went 3-1 in these games and that’s not surprising for this pair, with the ‘over’ on an 8-2 run the last 10.

L.A. Clippers at Denver: Pick your poison for this matchup. The Clippers have dropped three straight and five of six while the Nuggets are mired in a 1-4 stretch. Both L.A. (104.5) and Denver (104.9) haven’t been great defensively which gives you more of a reason to stay away. Los Angeles won three of four against Denver last season, but the Nuggets saved some face and covered in two of the losses. Even though these teams like to run at times, the ‘under’ has gone 8-2 in the past 10 games and that includes a 4-0 mark to the low side last season.

Chicago at Portland: This is a very tricky game and I would’ve leaned to the Bulls in this spot but I don’t trust them as favorites (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS) just yet. Chicago did put up a good fight to Golden State but couldn’t close and lost 106-94 last Friday. The Bulls haven’t played since then and could be a big rusty while the Trail Blazers have won two straight, which includes a 107-93 win at the L.A. Lakers on Sunday. Prior to the wins, Portland had dropped seven straight so it shows you that it’s a streaky team. Knowing the Bulls haven’t won at Portland since 2007 makes me lean to the host in this spot. Plus, Portland is 2-1 as a home underdog this season. Total bettors should note that even though the Bulls are trying to run more this season, the ‘under’ is 9-3 (75%) in their first 12 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Warriors go for record 16-0 start Tuesday night
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Golden State Warriors can make history Tuesday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers when the defending champions go for their record 16th straight win to open the season.

Fans wanting to purchase tickets to see the 15-0 Warriors try to set the record at Oracle Arena for the best start in NBA history will face steep prices.

VIP seats were being listed for as much as $5,264 each as of Monday morning on Warriors.com, where the team directs fans looking to purchase resale tickets through Ticketmaster, according to San Jose Mercury News. An upper level seat could be had for as little as $263.

StubHub had sellers offering courtside seats for $4,558 each and a standing-room only ticket for as little as $249.

Guard Klay Thompson scored 21 points, guard Stephen Curry had 19 points and seven assists in Sunday night's 118-105 win over the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday night.

The Warriors are the third NBA team to start the season 15-0 and the first defending champion to do so. The 1948-49 Washington Capitals and the 1993-94 Houston Rockets also began with 15 straight wins. The Rockets went on to win their first of two consecutive NBA titles that season.

"It's kind of a quiet confidence that we don't feel like we're going to lose anytime soon," Curry said after Sunday's win. "The way we're playing ... we can get even better.

"It's a huge accomplishment. Obviously, coming off a championship and taking care of business 15 straight times to start the season -- couldn't ask for a better start."

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has not been on the team's bench to start the season as he remains out because of complications stemming from back surgery. Luke Walton has served as the interim head coach

"I think it truly speaks to what Steve Kerr came in and did, because it's just a reflection of the system and the atmosphere he built when he got here last year," Walton said Sunday night. "And all we're doing is following his leadership.

"You can see the joy that they have when they play basketball, so for teams like that to have success is great."