Tuesday 12/6/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Basel

v

Arsenal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT S		12/5	13/5	6/5	More markets

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

KEY STAT: Arsenal have scored in each of their last nine away Champions League matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Last month’s home draw with Paris St-Germain has left Arsenal contemplating another last-16 Champions League tie against one of the favourites for the tournament, but they should still go out on a high in Basel. The Gunners can show their class here even if they do once again finish second.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsena-Arsenal double result



REFEREE: Manuel Jorge Sousa STADIUM:

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Man City

v

Celtic

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		1/3	19/4	17/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN CITY	RECENT FORM
H WH DA WA DA WH L​ Most recent​	Unknown	A DH WA WH LN WA W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in 11 of City’s last 15 league and cup games

EXPERT VERDICT: Manchester City’s 3-3 draw at Parkhead was one of the best games of the Champions League group stages, but while life should be more comfortable on their own patch, the visitors will be confident that they can make their mark. City are smarting after their defeat to Chelsea and Celtic love to attack under Brendan Rodgers.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Slavko Vincic STADIUM:

European Cup We 7Dec 19:45

Porto

v

Leicester

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		1/3	9/2	10	More markets

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

KEY STAT: There has been a total of three goals in Porto’s last seven matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester’s progress to the Champions League knockout stages has been routine but they could find it hard to break down a Porto defence who have conceded just five league goals this term. The Foxes have won one of their last six in all competitions so it would be no surprise if goals were at a premium.

RECOMMENDATION: No goalscorer
1

European Cup We 7Dec 19:45

Tottenham

v

CSKA Mosc.

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		8/15	10/3	6	More markets

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

KEY STAT: CSKA have won none of their last nine Champions League matches

EXPERT VERDICT: The Champions League dream is over for Tottenham but they should head into the Europa League on the back of a successful last group-stage match. CSKA have looked poor and the scorer of the winning goal in Moscow, Heung-min Son, can enjoy another good show against the Wembley visitors.

RECOMMENDATION: H-M Son to score
1

Europa League Th 8Dec 18:00

Zorya

v

Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		10	7/2	1/3	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ZORYA	RECENT FORM
H DA DH LA LA DH L​ Most recent​	Unknown	A WH DH WH DH WA D​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Four of Zorya’s five Europa League games have been goalless at half time

EXPERT VERDICT: Two four-goal home wins belatedly ignited United’s Europa League challenge, but they have been poor on the road, losing 1-0 at Feyenoord only scoring an consolation at Fenerbahce in the 89th minute. Zorya are out but have been resilient, only once losing by more than a goal.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

Europa League Th 8Dec 20:05

Southampton

v

H Beer Sheva

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		4/9	16/5	13/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
A LH DA LH WA WA L​ Most recent​	Unknown	A LA WH WH WA WH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both of Southampton's home Europa League games have featured over 2.5 goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Southampton’s European away form has been dismal but they are red-hot at home, beating Inter and Sparta Prague and scoring nine goals in four games. Hapoel have impressed on their group stage debut but must at least score to have any chance of progressing, and that should open them up to the counter-attack.

RECOMMENDATION: Southampton to win 3-1
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: CL Matchday 6 Odds

Tuesday, December 6

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

Paris Saint-Germain -1000
Ludogorets +2700
Draw +800
Over 3.5 +100
Under 3.5 -140

FC Basel +200
Arsenal +130
Draw +240
Over 2.5 -125
Under 2.5 -115

Dynamo Kyiv +210
Besiktas +125
Draw +235
Over 2.5
Under 2.5

Benfica +150
Napoli +180
Draw +240
Over 2.5 -120
Under 2.5 -120

Barcelona -325
Borussia Monchengladbach +750
Draw +450
Over 3.5 -105
Under 3.5 -135

Manchester City -335
Celtic +800
Draw +450
Over 3.5 -105
Under 3.5 -135

Bayern Munich -165
Atlético Madrid +450
Draw +285
Over 2.5 -120
Under 2.5

PSV Eindhoven -160
FK Rostov +425
Draw +290
Over 2.5 -120
Under 2.5 -120

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Best Bets - Tuesday
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

UEFA Champions League - Matchday 6

The effect of big money in football is no more apparent than in the final round of Champions League group games. There is very little at stake. In all but one of the eight groups, the two richest teams sit top; only Tottenham Hotspur have underperformed. Only four places in the last 16 of the competition are up for grabs.

This means that the next two nights of football will see plenty of teams fielding weakened sides. The bright side of this is that it could lead to some interesting betting opportunities, especially just after the teams are named.

Barcelona remain the 3/1 favourites to lift the trophy, followed by Bayern Munich at 7/2 and Real Madrid at 11/2. Next come Atletico Madrid at 8/1, Man City at 11/1, Juventus at an appealing-looking 14/1, Borussia Dortmund at 16/1, PSG at 22/1 and Arsenal at 25/1.

The Banker: PSG -2 vs Ludogorets Razgrad at 6/4

Ludogorets Razgrad are winless in the Champions League this year, but due to the polarised nature of Group A they are still in with a chance of a Europa league spot. Only if Basel get a better result than them (they play Arsenal at home) will the Bulgarian champions miss out on European football in the first half of 2017. So if word comes from Switzerland that Basel are losing, then it does not much matter what Ludogorets do away to PSG. They have already conceded 14 times in six group games, and were dismantled 6-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates.

PSG are recovering from a shock 3-0 defeat at Montpellier at the weekend, so even if their side has a second-string feel about it, there is plenty of reward available for players who perform well. They are a class above Ludogorets and at 6/4 should be backed -2.

The Solid Bet: Besiktas to win at Dynamo Kiev at 11/8

Normally this would look a very short price away to a tricky and talented Dynamo Kiev side, but in a very tight group the Ukrainians have ended up with just two points from five games and are now guaranteed to finish bottom. For them, this game is a dead rubber.

Not so for Besiktas. If they win, they are guaranteed to qualify; if they draw, they need Benfica to beat Napoli. The incentive for them to win is huge. They have already proved their talent with an impressive 3-2 win away to Napoli as well as four other draws. Besiktas are unbeaten in the Turkish league this year and have the firepower to get that all important win in Ukraine.

The Outsider: Manchester City to draw with Celtic at 9/2

Manchester City’s title hopes were dealt a big blow at the weekend as they surrendered a 1-0 lead to Chelsea, who counter-attacked them to devastating effect to win 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. They now face Celtic. Nothing is at stake for them. They cannot win the group and they are guaranteed to qualify.

For Celtic, the game is also technically irrelevant, but a trip down south for any Scottish team is a big event, and given their unassailable lead in the Scottish Premier League, this is a game they will take very seriously.

They held City to a thrilling 3-3 draw at Parkhead on matchday two. City will field a pretty weak team here - they looked tired towards the end of the Chelsea game. Brendan Rodgers has assembled a decent little squad at Celtic and at 9/2 they are good value to come away from Manchester with a point.

The First Goalscorer: Olivier Giroud for Arsenal at Basel at 4/1

There is still a bit at stake for Arsenal as they travel to Switzerland for their last group game. Their draw at home to PSG means that they must better PSG’s result to finish top. As the French side play Ludogorets at home, this is unlikely, but it does mean that Arsene Wenger will not pick a completely second-string side. One player who will get a chance is Olivier Giroud.

Despite losing his first team place to the red-hot Alexis Sanchez, Giroud’s goal record this year is still very respectable. He has become a useful substitute option for Arsenal. He scored a late equaliser at Manchester United as well as scoring a penalty against PSG. Assuming he starts he represents good value to score first at 4/1.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Rust's hat trick lifts Penguins
By The Sports Xchange

PITTSBURGH -- Bryan Rust recorded his first career hat trick, and Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel each had a goal and two assists Monday night as the Pittsburgh Penguins won a goal-fest, defeating the Ottawa Senators 8-5 at PPG Paints Arena.
It was the Penguins' third win in a row, lifting them to 35 points, tied with the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks and one behind Montreal atop the league standings.
Ottawa had been 5-1-1 in its previous seven games.
Sidney Crosby, Matt Cullen and Justin Schultz also scored for Pittsburgh. Kyle Turris, Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman and Dion Phaneuf collected goals for the Senators. Stone and Karlsson each had three points.

Capitals 3, Sabres 2 (OT)
WASHINGTON -- Marcus Johansson scored in overtime to cap a two-goal performance as Washington rallied for a victory over Buffalo.
Johansson's slap shot with 2:38 left in the extra session snapped a three-game losing streak for the Capitals. The final tally came after he tipped a John Carlson perimeter shot in for the tying goal with 6:18 left in the third period.
Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo each scored for the Sabres, who led 2-1 after two periods. Goaltender Robin Lehner stymied the slumping Capitals early, but finished with 30 saves. Braden Holtby finished with 31 saves for Washington, which hadn't won since defeating Buffalo 3-1 on Nov. 25.

Bruins 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
BOSTON -- David Pastrnak scored a spectacular goal 1:23 into overtime, giving Boston its third consecutive victory.
Pastrnak, scoring his second goal of the game and 15th of the season, broke around defenseman Michael Matheson, got goaltender Roberto Luongo down on the ice and flipped the puck home, handing Florida its first loss in six overtime decisions on the season. David Krejci got his second assist of the game on the play.
The Panthers rallied from three one-goal deficits, tying it for the last time when defenseman Jason Demers picked up a rebound off the back boards and smacked it home before goalie Tuukka Rask could recover. The goal came with 1:29 remaining and Luongo just pulled for an extra attacker.

Blue Jackets 4, Coyotes 1
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sam Gagner recorded two goals and two assists, and Columbus earned the 500th victory in franchise history.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 17 of 18 shots on goal for the Blue Jackets, who completed a season-series sweep of the Coyotes. Columbus also got goals from Nick Foligno and Zach Werenski.
Tobias Rieder opened the game's scoring for Arizona before the Blue Jackets added the final four goals. Coyotes goaltender Louis Domingue stopped 30 shots.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (14-10) at Sabres (9-10)

Date: December 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have Jack Eichel back, but they're still desperately looking for consistency -- something they would like to see when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

The lowest-scoring team in the NHL exploded for nine goals in Eichel's first two games back in the lineup last week, picking up victories over the Ottawa Senators (5-4) and New York Rangers (4-3).

They had lost the two games before that, however, along with the two games since. On Saturday, Buffalo fell 2-1 to Boston. On Monday night, the Sabres had a 2-1 lead but gave up a late goal to Washington before losing 3-2 in overtime.

"We have to try and fight our way up the standings," Sabres winger Kyle Okposo said after the loss to Washington. "You might have some lulls in the season, but we already had ours. We have to make sure we're pushing forward and doing everything we can to get two points. Getting a point is OK, but we had the lead in the third."

Eichel missed the first 21 games of the season due to a high ankle sprain and had a minor setback in the loss to the Capitals, but Sabres coach Dan Bylsma called the setback "fairly normal."

Injuries continue to be an issue for the Sabres, particularly on defense. Erik Bergdorger played in his first NHL game against the Capitals after being called up from the AHL's Rochester Americans and was Buffalo's 11th different defenseman to play this season. Zach Bogosian (knee sprain), Dmitry Kulikov (lower back), Josh Gorges (foot) and Taylor Fedun (shoulder) have all been out.

The Oilers, like the Sabres, have a young core of players and are looking to finally turn the corner after several years of struggling. With a record of 14-10-3, the Oilers have gotten off to a better start than the Sabres.

Edmonton is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota on Sunday but had won its previous two games -- 6-3 at Winnipeg and 3-2 in overtime against Anaheim.

In the overtime loss to the Wild, Edmonton avoided a scare in the second period when young superstar Connor McDavid hit his head on the ice and was pulled from the game by the league's concussion spotters to undergo the league's concussion protocol. Team doctors later determined that McDavid didn't suffer a concussion.

"I was pretty shocked, to be honest," McDavid said, according to the team's website. "I hit my mouth on the ice. You reach up and grab your mouth when you get hit in your mouth. I think it's a pretty normal thing. Obviously, the spotter thought he knew how I was feeling. He pulled me off."

McDavid has been lights out through the first third of the season. Through 27 games, he had a team-best 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists), which is 13 points more than the next-highest Oiler (Leon Draisaitl, 21 points).

"He's such an easy player to play with," Draisaitl told the team's website. "He always wants the puck and he's so fast. I don't really need to talk about how good he is. Hopefully we can keep this going."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (12-11) at Flyers (14-10)

Date: December 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA -- Thanks to the stellar play of goaltender Steve Mason, the Philadelphia Flyers enter Tuesday night's game against the banged-up Florida Panthers on a five-game winning streak, their longest since March 15-22, 2014 when Craig Berube was behind the bench.

After struggling through the first month of the season, Mason has won four in a row, sporting a much-improved 1.71 goals-against average and .945 save percentage.

"His play over the last stretch has been outstanding and he's been a strong anchor for us," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol told CSNPhilly.com. "His confidence kind of goes hand-in-hand with our team's confidence. They both feed off one another. You can see that throughout our entire game."

As a result the Flyers (14-10-3, 31 points) have moved within four points of the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers (17-8-1, 35 points).

Conversely, the injury-depleted Panthers are struggling to stay afloat under general manager-turned coach Tom Rowe. Florida dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Bruins in Boston Monday night and lost veteran defenseman Keith Yandle to a lower body injury. Hard-nosed defenseman Dylan McIlrath, acquired from the Rangers last month, is expected to take Yandle's place in the lineup against the Flyers.

The Panthers already are without leading scorer Jonathan Marchessault, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Marchessault leads the Panthers with 19 points in 25 games. They are still waiting for forward Jonathan Huberdeau (Achilles' tendon) and defenseman Alex Petrovic (ankle surgery) to return from serious injuries.

The Panthers received goals from Jaromir Jagr, Aleksander Barkov and Jason Demers in their loss to the Bruins but have struggled to score goals lately and are 1-1-2 since Rowe replaced popular head coach Gerard Gallant. The Panthers have scored just four regulation goals in their last four games and 12 goals in their last eight.

Second-line center Vincent Trochek hasn't scored in 15 games, second-line right wing Reilly Smith has one goal in 13 contests and Jussi Jokinen has one goal in 16 games.

"Last year I had 60 points, so you feel you can do that again, be consistent," Jokinen told the Sun Sentinel. "Offensively, it hasn't been the start I wanted. I know it's going to come. Whether you're Sidney Crosby, Jussi Jokinen or a first-year player, you're going to struggle."

Rowe mixed up his forward lines in Boston on Monday, putting Trocheck with Jagr and Denis Malgin.

With back-to-back games, look for Roberto Luongo to be given a rest on Tuesday night in favor of backup James Reimer, who is 8-3-4 with a 3.05 GAA and an .896 save percentage this season.

The Flyers are expected to turn to Mason, who has the benefit of playing behind the NHL's third-ranked offense with 84 goals.

During their five-game winning streak, forward Jakub Voracek has one goal and five assists, Wayne Simmonds and captain Claude Giroux each have five points, and Brayden Schenn and Chris VandeVelde each have four points. Defensemen Ivan Provorov and Michael Del Zotto also have combined for four goals.

Simmonds scored a pair of goals in the Flyers' 4-2 win in Nashville on Sunday.

"He is doing what he does every night," Hakstol said. "If there is a better guy in the league in that front, whether it's on the power play or five on five, I don't know who that is."

The Flyers will be without forward Matt Read, who will be sidelined four weeks with an upper-body injury. Read has six goals and four assists in 27 games. He was injured when he was checked into his own net on Sunday.

Philadelphia recalled forward Taylor Leier from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League and sent down forward Scott Laughton.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (17-8) at Islanders (9-10)

Date: December 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- There is never any shortage of drama when the New York Islanders and New York Rangers meet. But the Islanders and Rangers each have far more on their minds than local bragging rights as as they prepare for the latest incarnation of one of hockey's best rivalries.

The Islanders will host the Rangers for the first time this season on Tuesday, when the teams are scheduled to meet at Barclays Center. The Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Saturday while the Islanders fell to the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime on Sunday.

"They're always a lot of fun," Islanders center and captain John Tavares said of the games against the Rangers. "Never any love lost in these games, so easy to get up for."

While the Rangers (17-8-1) entered Monday atop the Metropolitan Division and just two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the top overall seed in the Eastern Conference, coach Alain Vigneault expressed concern with his club's recent inconsistent ways after the Rangers scored three third-period goals to edge the Hurricanes.

"We're like all the teams," Vigneault told reporters. "We need our goaltender to be one of our best players and we need our other best players, whether they are Ds or forwards, to play at the level they're supposed to."

The Rangers have alternated wins with losses in each of their last seven games and are 4-4-1 in their last nine. Despite being in first place, they are just six points ahead of the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, who are tied for the final wild-card spot in the East.

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist discussed the playoff race Saturday when he said he believed it "is going to be a tight one until the end and there's going to be a lot of teams involved. It's going to come down to will -- How badly do you want to win every night? -- because there's so many teams that feel they should be in the race."

One of those teams is the Islanders (9-10-5), who had high expectations this season after reaching the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993. But they entered Monday tied for last in the Eastern Conference with the Buffalo Sabres.

"Haven't gotten off to a great start this season and we need the two points," Tavares said.

The Islanders crawled on to the periphery of the race by winning three straight games before Sunday's loss. They are six points behind the Bruins and Capitals -- an imposing gap, but one that is three points smaller than it was just last Monday.

"I think we've been on the right track the last five or six games," Islanders center Anders Lee said.

The Rangers will be without Michael Grabner, who leads the team with 13 goals. Grabner is attending his grandmother's funeral and is expected to return to the team Thursday, when the Rangers visit the Winnipeg Jets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (11-12) at Devils (11-7)

Date: December 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Vancouver Canucks had a rough start to the season. After winning their first four games, they lost nine straight and were shut out four times in the process.

But as the Canucks prepare to take on the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night, there's much more hope than there was a month ago.

The Canucks are 7-4-1 in their past 12 games as the embark on a five-game trip that could push them closer to a playoff spot in the West. They are four points out of a wild-card spot, partly because of the weakened conference, but that doesn't matter to the players, who are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

"We're getting wins every once in a while," Canucks center Bo Horvat said. "We need to put a string together. To lose a lot of games in a row and just win here and there is not good enough. We have to start winning more hockey games."

"Anybody can do it in this league," Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller said. "There are a lot of points out there to be had. We've got under 60 games, I guess. It's a lot of hockey. It's a lot of room to improve for us."

While the Canucks (11-12-2) have the benefit of playing in the NHL's worst division, the Devils (11-7-6) have fallen behind the pack thanks to some recent struggles.

The Devils rallied for a 5-4 win in Nashville on Saturday to snap a four-game slide, but they are a mere 2-4-3 in their past nine games. When the Devils can't find wins, usually it's because the offense can't find goals. But that hasn't been the case during their recent slump.

Cory Schneider, arguably the best goaltender in the league over the last few years, has allowed at least three goals in his past six starts. Through 18 games, Schneider has a .912 save percentage, which is 12 points below his career average.

"I think Cory Schneider's game, there's nothing to worry about here," Devils coach John Hynes told NJ.com. "Do we think he can play better? For sure. But we think that of a lot of our players. Cory Schneider has given us a chance to win games."

Schneider has a chance to right himself against his former team, who traded him to the Devils during the NHL draft in 2013.

"There are not many guys left who I played with; even the coaching staff is totally different," Schneider told NorthJersey.com. "But the staff there, the trainers and medical is still there, so it's good to see them. There are very few familiar faces. But there's still a lot of fond memories from there, so it's always a fun game to play."

Schneider has said he wants to be a goal better going forward. If he can start allowing two instead of three, the Devils can get back on sound footing.

"I think that's why he's so good because, overall as a goaltender, he's highly talented," Hynes told NorthJersey.com. "But he's got good self-awareness skills. He's always trying to improve; he wants to be better. He wants to win these games, for sure, as we all do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canadiens (17-6) at Blues (14-7)

Date: December 06, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- One of the things Ken Hitchcock values as the coach of the St. Louis Blues is the chance to play against the best teams in the NHL.

Hitchcock views those games as a great way to evaluate his team, being able to see how it compares and trying to identify areas where the Blues can improve.

Hitchcock will get another chance to do that Tuesday night when the Montreal Canadiens, with the best record in the league, make their only visit of the year to St. Louis.

The Canadiens are 17-6-2, and they have one more point, 36-35, than the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.

"One thing Montreal does that they don't get enough credit for: They use their speed, but they use it to check, and that's why they're so hard to play against," Hitchcock said. "They've got speed; every team's got speed. They've got quickness; every team's got quickness. But Montreal uses it to put pressure on you to force your mistakes, and that's the difference. That's why they have a winning record.

"They've got a great goalie; a lot of teams have great goalies. But they make you pay a price to move the puck, and they put a lot of pressure on you, and they use your speed as a checking mechanism. And that's why they're always difficult and they always will be."

As good as the Canadiens have been to start the season, most of their success has come at home, where they are 12-1-1. They are only 5-5-1 on the road but are coming off a big win on Sunday in Los Angeles, where they beat the Kings in a shootout.

The Canadiens viewed that game as an evaluation tool of their own and could view the game against the Blues the same way.

"The team definitely hasn't had a lot of success out here, so to get a win here in LA against a big, strong team who every year competes, it's important for us," left winger Max Pacioretty told NHL.com after the game. "This is a measuring-stick team ... I think teams come in and try to see what they have when they play against a team like this. It shows a lot about our character."

The game against the Blues will conclude a five-city, 12-day trip for the Canadiens. They have split the first four games.

The Blues will be without defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday night and will be out at least two weeks. He will be replaced by Joel Edmundson. Center Jori Lehtera, who was a healthy scratch for Saturday's game, also is scheduled to be back in the St. Louis lineup. Jake Allen will get the start in goal.

The Blues have been almost as good at home this season as the Canadiens, going 9-0-3 in their last 12 games. They have lost only once in regulation in 15 home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Avalanche (9-13) at Predators (11-9)

Date: December 06, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

One team is coming off a lost weekend. The other is coming off a lost homestand.

So things could be salty Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena as the Colorado Avalanche start a four-game road trip against the Nashville Predators in their third meeting in five weeks.

While Colorado (9-13-1) finished an 0-4-1 homestand Saturday night with a 3-0 loss to Dallas, Nashville (11-9-4) ate a 4-2 defeat Sunday to Philadelphia, wrapping up an 0-1-1 weekend. Making that more galling was that the Predators blew a 4-1 third-period lead Saturday against New Jersey, losing 5-4 in overtime.

"A couple of mistakes and two or three minutes cost us (Saturday)," Nashville defenseman Roman Josi said. "I thought we played a pretty good game and deserved to win (Sunday). Our special teams have got to be better -- on the penalty kill and the power play."

The Predators' penalty kill, which was flawless at home until giving up the game-tying goal Saturday, coughed up two markers to the Flyers' Wayne Simmonds on Sunday. Nashville also failed on two power-play opportunities in the first period and didn't receive another one for the game's remainder.

It was a 180-degree turnaround from the way most of the season has gone at home, where the Predators were 8-1-1 and outscoring the opposition 39-14 before the third period on Saturday.

"Everyone needs the points, no matter where you are in the standings," left winger Filip Forsberg said. "The inspiration level needs to be higher from the start, and even in the last periods."

The Avalanche's arrival in town could be the elixir Nashville needs. The Predators beat Colorado 5-1 and 5-3 last month, which constitute two-thirds of their victories away from Nashville.

While the Avalanche are 5-5-0 on the road, their upcoming trip might not provide much reason for optimism. Their other stops are Boston, Montreal and Toronto.

"Just playing horrible hockey," center Nathan MacKinnon said. "It starts with us key guys. All of us need to be better."

Adding injury to repeated insult, defenseman Erik Johnson suffered a broken fibula after blocking a shot in the second period Saturday night and will miss 6-8 weeks. To replace Johnson, Colorado called up defenseman Cody Goloubef from its AHL affiliate in San Antonio.

What's more, the Avalanche remain without captain Gabriel Landeskog (lower-body injury), who skated at practice Monday and will make the trip but will miss his ninth straight game Tuesday night. Colorado has managed just 49 goals in 22 matches and is putting only 29.2 shots on net per game.

"We all want to make a difference, but unfortunately we're not getting it done," forward Jarome Iginla said.

Semyon Varlamov (5-11-0, 3.02) will get the start in net for the Avalanche, while Pekka Rinne (10-5-4, 2.18) figures to get the call for Nashville. Rinne was the NHL's First Star for November but allowed five goals on just 22 shots against New Jersey.

This is the last game of a three-game homestand for the Predators, who head to Dallas on Thursday and Arizona on Saturday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (12-11) at Jets (13-13)

Date: December 06, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The suddenly surging Winnipeg Jets have returned home from a surprisingly successful road trip to face the slumping Detroit Red Wings.

The Jets won a pair of tough Central Division games on Saturday and Sunday -- 3-2 against the Blues in St. Louis and 2-1 over the Chicago Blackhawks.

One can excuse Jets fans if they were surprised by the weekend's results as their team failed to score a single point on a disastrous five-game road trip last month.

The Red Wings, meanwhile, have lost four of their last five games but hope a 4-3 overtime road victory over the Metropolitan Division basement-dwelling New York Islanders is a sign of good things to come.

The win boosted Detroit's record to 12-11-3 and 27 points, but it sits in the bottom half of the tightly bunched Atlantic Division but currently outside of the playoff picture by a couple of points.

The Jets (13-13-2) and Red Wings face off Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. (EST) at the MTS Centre.

Wings coach Jeff Blashill saved special praise for his captain, Henrik Zetterberg, 35, who contributed his sixth goal of the season in the winning effort Sunday.

"Zee has been real good all year. He just continues to go. He's one of those funny players that the more ice time he gets, the more juice he has in his legs," he said in the post-game scrum.

Blashill is hoping for a little payback against the Jets, who scored four goals in the third period to beat the Red Wings 5-3 in Detroit on Nov. 4.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 of 26 shots in Chicago -- many of which were of the nail-biting variety as the Blackhawks threw everything at him in a last-minute push, which included a 6-on-4 advantage during a power play and their goalie on the bench -- to improve his record to 10-9-0.

Winnipeg's weekend was made even more challenging by the absence of its leading scorer, center Mark Scheifele, who missed both games with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

Center Bryan Little has scored three goals in four games since returning after missing the first six weeks of the season. Both he and Scheifele have only played two full games at the same time this year.

Little said both games this weekend were stressful, right up until the end.

"Especially (Sunday) night. Those are four hard-fought points and points that we need right now against good teams. It was definitely closer and much stressful than we would have liked it but it doesn't matter now, we got it done," Little told the Winnipeg Sun.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (13-13) at Stars (10-10)

Date: December 06, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

DALLAS -- The Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars both had big victories over the weekend, making Tuesday's matchup at American Airlines Center a battle of two teams showing good form.

Calgary (13-13-2) blitzed the Anaheim Ducks 8-3 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday.

First-year Flames coach Glen Gulutzan, who coached Dallas from 2011 to 2013, said, "Well, you don't get too many games in the NHL where you can breathe. I thought eight different goal scorers is good, too. It's good for team morale; it's good for confidence for the whole group. I thought everybody played a solid game."

The Flames, who have won three straight and five of their past seven, got a goal and an assist each from Sam Bennett, former Star Alex Chiasson and Matt Stajan in that win over the Ducks.

"I think this can boost our offense," Chiasson said of the Flames' offensive outburst against Anaheim. "Maybe we get a little more confidence. We've got eight games until Christmas, and this is a real important stretch for us as a team. It's nice for us to get everyone on the scoring page and build some confidence for the next little bit."

Stars coach Lindy Ruff, whose team ended a 1-2-1 road trip with a 2-0 win at Colorado on Saturday night, was also impressed with Calgary's onslaught against Anaheim.

"They are playing well," Ruff said. "Their goaltender, (Chad) Johnson, has really played well for them, has kind of taken over, so this is going to be a real hard test. We're coming off a tough grind on the road and coming against a team that has been really going well."

Dallas (10-10-6) is 6-3-2 at home and will face a Flames team that is 7-6-2 on the road. And even though the Stars took only three of a possible eight points on their four-game trip, the feeling in the room is that they easily could have won two of those games.

"Against Detroit (on Tuesday, a 3-1 loss), I thought we played well," said center Tyler Seguin, who leads Dallas with 27 points. "We didn't execute. We had chances to score, got our looks and didn't. Against (Pittsburgh, a 6-2 loss on Thursday), we played well until the last four or five minutes there. It was a 6-2 loss, but it was a game that was right there if we wanted it. We could have taken it; we just didn't."

The Stars will continue to be without three key veterans for Tuesday's game. Veteran forward Jiri Hudler, out the past 17 games due to illness, went through his first practice with teammates on Monday but is still a bit away from returning to game action.

"I really think he's going to need some real good, hard practices and conditioning after practice," Ruff said of Hudler, who was signed to a one-year contract last offseason. "He's had some hard skates; he's been up and down. The reports have feel good one day and not so good the next day. I want to make sure he's up to speed before he gets back in."

Defenseman Johnny Oduya has missed seven straight games with a lower-body injury, but it appears the veteran blueliner could return later this week.

"Johnny's doing pretty well. I think he'll skate with us in the morning (Tuesday)," Ruff said. "I think we're looking at him sometime later in the week."

However, the news isn't so favorable on veteran forward Patrick Sharp, who has re-entered the league's concussion protocol after missing Saturday's win in Colorado.

"We don't know if this is still lingering from the first time," Ruff said. "In the Pittsburgh game, he was going backwards and got just a little bit of a (whiplash), nothing major, but was really slow to get up inside that game and just didn't feel right."

Ruff said Dallas will recall a player from its AHL affiliate in Cedar Park, Texas, but that roster move wasn't to come until Tuesday morning.

The Stars, who defeated the Flames 4-2 in Calgary on Nov. 10, are beginning a stretch in which they will play nine of 14 games at home -- a run Seguin knows he and his teammates must capitalize on.

"Obviously, we have a lot of home games coming up. We have to take advantage of that," Seguin said. "You want to play hard at home. We've had a decent record there, so we want to keep going."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (8-12) at Blackhawks (16-8)

Date: December 06, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane knows that he and his teammates need to ignite a sleepy offense.

But Kane doesn't want to waste too much energy worrying about Chicago's recent struggles. The Blackhawks have scored zero or one goals in five of their last eight games.

"Sometimes, you think too much about creating offense, and that works to your disadvantage," said Kane, who leads the team with 26 points in 27 games. "I think (we need to) play a little bit simpler of a game, myself included. ... That's the best way to get scoring chances and get shots in this league is try to get it back to the point, get to the net, and hopefully get some screens."

The Blackhawks (16-8-3) will try to return to the basics when they host the Arizona Coyotes (8-12-4) on Tuesday night. The game marks the first of three meetings this season between the teams.

Chicago is hoping to avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season. Depleted by injuries to captain Jonathan Toews (upper body) and goaltender Corey Crawford (appendectomy), the Blackhawks have dropped back-to-back games against Philadelphia and Winnipeg.

Crawford will remain sidelined for at least a couple weeks, and the timetable for Toews' return is uncertain. Neither player will be on the ice to face the Coyotes, but teammates refuse to use their absence as an excuse for recent struggles.

"It's a team game," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "I think we just weren't good enough the last couple games."

Arizona also has struggled, albeit without significant injuries. The Coyotes are winless in their past four games (0-2-2) and will play on short rest after a 4-1 loss at Columbus on Monday night.

Like the Blackhawks, the Coyotes have endured prolonged slumps on offense this season. Arizona has scored three-plus goals in only 10 out of 24 games this season.

Right winger Radim Vrbata leads the Coyotes with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 24 games. Vrbata's five-game point streak ended Monday when he was held scoreless against the Blue Jackets.

The matchup in net likely will feature Chicago's Scott Darling against Arizona's Mike Smith. Darling is 4-2-1 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average in nine games. Meanwhile, Smith is 4-2-3 with a .930 save percentage and a 2.64 GAA in 10 games.

Smith, 34, is coming off one of the best performances -- certainly the busiest -- of his career. The Ontario native set a franchise record with 58 saves on 60 shots Saturday in a home game against the Blue Jackets. Smith's 58 saves also marked the most by any goaltender in the NHL this season.

"He has been a key guy for us," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said during an interview Monday with Fox Sports Arizona. "We need him to play well. We're still trying to find our footing as a young team, and he has certainly been a backbone for us."

Coyotes veteran Shane Doan is sitting on 399 career goals. The 40-year-old is on the cusp of becoming the eighth active player and the 93rd player in NHL history to score 400 goals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - December

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
12/1 12 64.5 70 OVER
12/2 2 10 8 UNDER
12/3 12 63 58 UNDER
12/4 7 36 40 OVER
12/5 4 21 30 OVER
12/6 9 - - -
12/7 4 - - -
12/8 10 - - -
12/9 6 - - -
12/10 10 - - -
12/11 8 - - -
12/12 2 - - -
12/13 10 - - -
12/14 4 - - -
12/15 8 - - -
12/16 7 - - -
12/17 10 - - -
12/18 6 - - -
12/19 5 - - -
12/20 12 - - -
12/21 2 - - -
12/22 10 - - -
12/23 12 - - -
12/24 No games scheduled - - -
12/25 No games scheduled - - -
12/26 No games scheduled - - -
12/27 10 - - -
12/28 5 - - -
12/29 12 - - -
12/30 4 - - -
12/31 11 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Tuesday’s games

Oilers won four of last five games with Buffalo; under is 3-2-1 in last six series games. Edmonton won last three visits here, all by one goal. Oilers lost four of last six games; they split pair of OT games last two times out. Under is 4-2 in their last six games. Buffalo lost four of last six games, losing last two 3-2/2-1; Sabres split their last six home games (under 3-2-1).

Home side is 7-3 in last ten Florida-Philly games; Panthers lost three of last four games in this building. Under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Florida lost four of last five games after an OT loss in Boston last nite; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Flyers won last five games, allowing a total of 10 goals- they won three in row at home. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five home games.

Islanders won four of last five games with the Rangers, who lost 3-1/2-1 in last couple of visits here. Over is 2-0-1 in last three series games. Rangers are 0-4 in game following their last four wins; they’re 3-2 in last five road games (over 4-1). Islanders won three of last four games but they’re 2-3 in last five home games. Under is 3-2 in their last five home games.

Devils won their last three games with Vancouver, which lost 4-3/4-2 in last two visits here. Over is 2-0-1 in last three series games. Vancouver won three of its last four games; they’re 3-2 in last five road games. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five games. New Jersey lost seven of its last nine games; five of its last six games went OT/SO. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.

Blues lost three of last four games with Montreal; over is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Canadiens lost three of last four games in this building. Montreal lost four of last six road tilts; they’re 2-2 on current road trip. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. St Louis won seven of its last nine games, six of last seven at home. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games.

Nashville won four of last five games with Colorado; last six series games went over the total. teams split last four series games played here. Avalanche lost their last five games, all at home, outscored 20-10; under is 4-2-4 in their last ten games. Nashville lost three of its last four games, losing 5-4/4-2 in last two home games. Five of their last six games went over total.

Winnipeg won seven of last ten games with Detroit; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Red Wings lost three of last four visits to Manitoba. Detroit won three of its last four road games; five of their last seven games overall went OT/SO. Wings’ last three road games stayed under total. Winnipeg won four of its last five games; under is 4-2-2 in their last eight games.

Road team won seven of last nine Calgary-Dallas games; Flames won three of last four games in this building. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Calgary won five of last seven games; they lost 2-1/5-3 in last two road games. Under is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Dallas Stars lost three of last four games but they’ve won three of last four at home; under is 4-1 in their last five home games.

Chicago scored 20 goals in winning its last four games with Arizona; Coyotes lost three of last four visits to the Windy City. Last three series games went over total. Arizona lost its last four games, outscored 13-7; they lost four of last five road games. Under is 5-1 in their last six games overall. Blackhawks are 3-5 in last eight games, losing 3-1/2-1 in last two; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Thompson nets 60 in Warriors win
By The Sports Xchange

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Klay Thompson exploded for 23 of his career-high 60 points in the second quarter Monday night, propelling the Golden State Warriors to a 142-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Thompson, whose previous career high had been 52 last season against the Sacramento Kings, hit 21 of his 33 shots and went 8-for-14 on 3-pointers. That helped Golden State complete a two-game season sweep of the Pacers.
The 60-point performance was the first of the NBA season, and first since Kobe Bryant poured in 60 in his career finale last April.
The last NBA player to score more than 60 points in a game was LeBron James, who had 61 against Charlotte on March 3, 2014.

Thunder 102, Hawks 99
ATLANTA -- Russell Westbrook's triple-double streak continued, as did the team streaks of Oklahoma City and Atlanta.
Westbrook had 32 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists as the Thunder won to stretch their winning streak to six and extend the Hawks' stretch of losses to seven.
It was the sixth consecutive triple-double by Westbrook and his 11th of the season in 22 games. The streak is the longest in the NBA since Michael Jordan did it over seven consecutive games in 1989.

Cavaliers 116, Raptors 112
TORONTO -- LeBron James scored 34 points, Kevin Love had 28 points and 14 rebounds and Cleveland defeated Toronto to end a three-game losing streak.
Tristan Thompson also nabbed 14 rebounds and had six points for the Cavaliers, who ended a season-beat six-game winning streak by the Raptors.
The Cavaliers opened a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Raptors cut the lead to four with two seconds left when Kyle Lowry hit three free throws.

Grizzlies 110, Pelicans 108 (2OT)
NEW ORLEANS -- Marc Gasol hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime and then nailed a 17-foot fadeaway jumper over the outstretched arms of Anthony Davis to lift Memphis to a double-overtime win over New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center.
Gasol scored 28 points and also grabbed a critical rebound with 3.8 seconds left after Davis drove through the middle of the lane and missed a scoop shot.
After the officials called a jump ball, Davis beat Gasol for the ball, but Langston Galloway's attempt at a game-winning 3-pointer from the right corner missed.

Wizards 118, Nets 113
NEW YORK -- John Wall collected 25 points and 10 assists as Washington rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to defeat Brooklyn.
Bradley Beal added 18 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:27 remaining as Washington outscored the Nets 67-47 in the second half. Otto Porter Jr contributed 18 points before fouling out, Markieff Morris had 16 and Marcin Gortat added 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Brook Lopez scored 25 points for the Nets (5-15), who have lost three in a row since last Tuesday's double-overtime win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Sean Kilpatrick added 21 for Brooklyn, which led by 16 late in the first half.

Nuggets 106, 76ers 98
PHILADELPHIA -- Danilo Gallinari scored 24 points and Jamal Murray and Will Barton added 22 apiece as Denver beat Philadelphia.
Barton contributed seven of his points in the final 49.7 seconds and Wilson Chandler notched all 10 of his in the fourth quarter, lifting Denver to just its second victory in the last seven games.
Sergio Rodriguez scored a season-high 17 points for Philadelphia, which lost its seventh straight. Dario Saric and Ersan Ilyasova also finished with 17 apiece, with each adding eight rebounds.

Jazz 107, Lakers 101
LOS ANGELES -- Gordon Hayward scored 23 points, and Utah held off Los Angeles for a victory at Staples Center.
The Jazz also got 16 points from Rodney Hood, 14 points and 17 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 12 points from Boris Diaw. All five Utah starters scored in double figures.
Lou Williams had 38 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Lakers, who lost their third in a row. Williams just missed posting back-to-back 40-point games. He had 40 against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Trail Blazers 112, Bulls 110
CHICAGO -- In the times this season when Portland has struggled, defense has typically been at the center of the troubles.
But coach Terry Stotts has also seen glimpses of improvement, which gives him hope. While he concedes the defense remains a work in progress, there are instances -- like the Blazers' effort in the fourth quarter -- when he knows the attention to detail is paying off.
Damian Lillard scored 30 points and C.J. McCollum added 24 as the Trail Blazers rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off Chicago.

Rockets 107, Celtics 106
HOUSTON -- James Harden matched a franchise record for free throws without a miss and Houston held on for a victory over Boston at Toyota Center.
Harden finished with a game-high 37 points on 8-of-14 shooting, adding 18 free throws to his scoring line. He added seven rebounds and eight assists and nailed a 3-pointer with 54.8 seconds left that provided Houston with the winning margin.
The Celtics had two shots at the basket in the waning moments, including a driving layup from center Al Horford that rolled off the rim just before the final buzzer.

Spurs 97, Bucks 96
MILWAUKEE -- Just when it looked like San Antonio's road winning streak would come to an end, the Spurs found a way to flip the script.
Kawhi Leonard scored 16 of his team-leading points in the fourth quarter to lead the Spurs to a victory over Milwaukee, improving San Antonio to a perfect 12-0 away from home this season.
The Spurs needed to mount one of their biggest comebacks of the season to get to that point. They had scored just nine points in the second quarter and 35 points in the first half to go into the locker room down 13 at the break.

Hornets 109, Mavericks 101
DALLAS -- Kemba Walker scored 19 points and Charlotte finished strong to beat Dallas at American Airlines Center.
The Southeast Division-leading Hornets rallied from 11 points down in the third quarter and held off a late Mavericks rally to sweep the season series. Both Charlotte wins have come in the last five days.
The Hornets finished their 97-87 victory at home on Dec. 1 with a 9-2 run. Charlotte claimed the rematch by outscoring Dallas 34-23 in the final period.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA betting road map: Russell Westbrook is on a historic run
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.

Last season, we witnessed history, as the Golden State Warriors sprinted out to a 24-0 start, en route to 73 wins, the most ever for a regular season. Now, this season, we're witnessing, perhaps, another historical feat as Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double (28 ppg, 17 rpg, 12 apg) - the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1963-64 to average a triple-double this late into a season.

Let's take a look around the NBA to see what else has been going on, and how the upcoming week looks.

Spread Watch

After two great regular seasons (though perhaps over-achieving ones) under coach Mike Budenholzer, and a decent start to a third, the Atlanta Hawks have suddenly fallen off a cliff.

The Hawks opened the 2016-17 campaign with a 9-2 SU and 8-3 ATS record, and they were outscoring foes by 9.63 ppg, which ranked third behind the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. But since then, the Hawks have won just once in 10 games (2-8 ATS), and have lost by an average of 15 ppg. And their last two defeats were stunning, as they fell 121-85 as a 1.5-point home favorite vs. Detroit and 128-84 as an 8.5-point road underdog against Toronto.

During this 10-game stretch (since November 18), Atlanta has the worst Offensive Efficiency (91.8) and ninth-worst defense in the league.

This week, Atlanta will host the OKC Thunder on Monday, and Miami on Wednesday, before traveling to Milwaukee on Friday. I actually love the Hawks to get off the schneid on Monday vs. Russell Westbrook & Co., as they'll be playing with rest vs. an unrested foe. And over the past 27 seasons, rested NBA teams have covered 63% of the time off a loss by 40+ points, if they're not getting 7+ points in the current game.

Totals Watch

When a new coach takes over a team, that team will often take on that new coach's identity, and one of the easiest ways to take advantage is with Over/Unders. A great example of this has been coach Scott Skiles' teams (Suns, Bulls, Bucks, Magic). They would be great 'under' bets, especially early in the season, as he forged his defensive style.

Similarly, Frank Vogel has the Magic playing exceptional defense in this, his first season, at the helm in Orlando. Last season, Vogel's Indiana Pacers ranked No. 3 in Defensive Efficiency, and played at the ninth-slowest pace. They went Under in 51 of their 89 games (57.3%).

This season, Vogel's Magic currently rank fourth in Defensive Efficiency (104.11), and are surrendering just 97.0 ppg. They're also playing at the sixth slowest pace in the league. Not surprisingly, 16 of their 21 games have gone 'under' the total, including their last four, and 10 of their last 11.

This week, the Magic will alternate road and home games vs. the Wizards, Celtics, Hornets and Nuggets. Their game on Tuesday, at Washington, seems like the best bet of the four to go 'under,' as both previous meetings this season between these two division rivals went 'under,' as well as seven of the last nine. Additionally, 56.3% of division games have gone 'under' this season.

Injury Watch

The Los Angeles Lakers got off to a surprisingly strong start under first year coach, Luke Walton. They opened with a 7-5 record before hosting the San Antonio Spurs on November 18. Shortly before game-time, it was announced that then-leading scorer D'Angelo Russell wouldn't play due to a sore left knee. Russell attempted to play in LA's next game, Nov. 20, vs. Chicago, but scored just eight points, on 3-for-11 shooting. After that game, it was announced Russell would miss at least two more weeks following a platelet-rich plasma injection.

Over this stretch of 10 games without Russell fully healthy, the Lakers have gone 3-7 SU and ATS. Even worse: Nick Young (ankle), Larry Nance, Jr. (knee) and Jose Calderon (hamstring) are also now out of action. The Lakers don't have enough quality depth to sustain injuries to key players, so they're off my list of teams to play on until Russell and Young get back on the court later this month.

Schedule Watch

The Toronto Raptors are currently playing the best basketball in the league. After they lost to the Clippers on November 21, which dropped their record to 8-6, the Raptors have gone 6-0 SU and ATS, with an average margin of victory (MOV) of 23 ppg. Of course, this hot stretch has coincided with a relatively soft schedule, as the Raptors were favored by more than eight points in four of those six games. Still, they covered the spread by an average of 15.33 ppg, and they currently rank No. 3 in the league in MOV (+8.70) and Efficiency Rating (+9.32).

However, the fact that Toronto has gone 0-4 straight-up (though 2-1-1 ATS) in its four games vs. elite teams (Cavaliers (twice), Warriors, Clippers) is not lost on this author. Thus, Toronto's upcoming game on Monday night, at home, vs. the Cavaliers is perhaps the most important game in the Eastern Conference yet this season. If Toronto is going to be able to get past the Cavaliers in the playoffs next May, they need to set a positive tone with at least one victory in this regular season.

I think they will defeat Cleveland, as it falls into a 155-93 ATS 'momentum' system of mine which plays on certain teams off three SU/ATS wins, in which it scored 105+ points in each game, as well as a 117-70 ATS system, which plays on certain .600 (or better) teams in a revenge role.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three-pointer: Short-handed strife
By Tony Mejia

Hornets star Anthony Davis walked off the floor after New Orleans’ loss on Sunday, getting no time to process a tough 101-92 loss at Oklahoma City because he needed to undergo x-rays on a sprained right foot.

Fortunately, the news was positive and the NBA’s leader in scoring (31.7) and blocked shots (2.8) didn’t miss any time, playing a season-high 48 minutes in the Pelicans double-overtime home loss to Memphis on Monday night. Other teams haven’t been as fortunate in keeping their catalysts healthy.

There are just some players that teams can’t do without. Even though he’s been with the team for just a few months, Boston badly missed Al Horford’s presence at both ends of the floor while he dealt with the lingering effects of a concussion. The Celtics went 4-5 in his absence. Bradley Beal missed three games in the mid-November, all Wizards losses, before returning to spark a resurgence by scoring 30 or more points in four of his last eight games. Paul George has dealt with lingering ankle pain and missed three games to try and get healthy, returning at Staples Center on Sunday to hit a dagger of a 3-pointer to wrap up Indiana’s second win over the Clippers last week. The Pacers may have gone 2-1 without George, but trust me, they missed him.

With December basketball in full swing, there are three major catalysts who continue to have health issues that generating terrible headaches for coaches and teammates.

Paul Millsap, Hawks

Millsap missed three games with a hip injury and entered the week a game-time decision for Monday’s encounter with Oklahoma City. He was cleared before tip and ended up playing a team-high 39 minutes, stuffing the stat sheet with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in a 102-99. The All-Star forward hadn’t bothered with an MRI all last week according to head coach Mike Budenholzer, which suggests his hip ailment is a nagging issue that could linger throughout the next few weeks if he doesn’t get proper rest.

The Hawks have been among the Eastern Conference’s top teams in each of the past two years, but they unquestionably became Millsap’s team after Horford and Jeff Teague departed this past offseason. Dwight Howard came on board and Dennis Schroder has taken on greater responsibility at the point, but Millsap is the driving force. His strength makes him a tremendous, versatile defender. His will and skill extend far beyond the points and rebounds he racks up.

Howard’s leadership has always been called into question, but it wouldn’t be fair to put the Hawks struggles on him. He’s still carving out his role and has been an asset on the floor, but expecting to put the burden of ending a run that has seen 10 losses in 11 games and began when Millsap was actually available is unrealistic. The Hawks are a rudderless ship and need their anchor back full-time, healthy and ready to go.

Over the weekend, the sinking ship actually sank with losses against the Pistons and Raptors by a combined 80 points. It hasn’t helped that Kyle Korver is shooting just 21 percent from 3-point range all season, going 0-for-6 in the blowout losses. He’s 8-for-26 during Atlanta’s seven-game losing streak they’ll take into Wednesday’s home date with the Heat.

At this point, the Hawks become the top fade target in the NBA, coming in 1-6 ATS during this latest run of futility. Because of their success dominating against the number over the past two years, spreads may be friendlier with unassuming teams from Miami, Milwaukee and Orlando on tap over the next week. Those teams have issues of their own, but unless Millsap continues to look like his normal self and stays in the lineup, they’ll pale in comparison to the baggage Atlanta is carrying.

Mike Conley, Grizzlies

Conley is entering his second week of inactivity after being diagnosed with fractures of his lower back following a Nov. 28 home loss to Charlotte. The point guard is not expected back until the first week of 2017 at the earliest.

Yes, that’s potentially crippling.

While Marc Gasol has put Memphis on his back in lifting it to wins over the Magic, Lakers and Pelicans, all three games came down to the final possession and displayed how tough life is going to be without Conley (19.2 ppg, 5.7 apg). Rookie Andrew Harrison has taken over as the starter while veteran Toney Douglas has been signed thanks to the NBA’s hardship rule to help rookie Wade Baldwin IV in a backup role.

This puts the Grizzlies in a significant predicament made only worse by the fact that Chandler Parsons, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and James Ennis are also out with numerous issues, hence that aforementioned injury exemption. With the second part of a back-to-back scheduled against Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia on Tuesday, Memphis again has an opportunity to stay afloat by thriving through this tough time.

Gasol had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the win in New Orleans on Monday, playing 46 minutes, the most he’s toiled in a regular-season game since Dec. 2014. That’s is a 31-year-old 7-footer coming off a broken foot last season playing playoff-type minutes just to beat one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.

Harrison’s jump shot is still a liability and the offense won’t be crisp as a result. He missed 10 of 13 shots but remains first-year head coach David Fizdale’s best option to fill Conley’s shoes. Inexperienced wings like Troy Daniels, Troy Williams and rookie forwards Jarell Martin and Deyonta Davis are getting minutes. Third-year forward JaMychal Green, who became a rotation guy just last season, may as well be a 10-year veteran at this point.

For the Grizzlies, December has become entirely about not digging themselves too big a hole to climb out of before Conley, the player who landed the NBA’s richest contract for a reason, is able to return. The next 10 days following the 76ers game will be unforgiving, starting with home games against the Trail Blazers and Warriors this weekend and a home-and-home against the Cavaliers to open next week.

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks

Nowitzki, a former MVP, has long been the Mavericks’ heartbeat, but he appears to be in the midst of his final season despite signing a 2-year, $50 million deal he signed over the summer. Thus far, he’s spent the bulk of it on the bench modeling sport coats. The German future Hall of Famer played three of the first five games this season but has missed 15 of the next 17 entering Wednesday’s game against Sacramento and has been ruled out indefinitely due to a sore Achilles tendon.

Rick Carlisle is a fantastic coach and has generated improvement from a roster filled with a balance of veterans and youth, but he needs Nowitzki back to set the example. While the 38-year-old Nowitzki has seen his best days, he was still a dependable shooter who seemed to save his best for clutch situations before going down. He spaces the floor, creating balance and inspiring confidence, so it’s no surprise that Dallas has stumbled to the Western Conference’s worst record without him.

The Hornets rallied from down 11 points in Dallas on Monday, posting their second win over the Mavs this month to sweep the season series. With Deron Williams just getting back in the flow and J.J. Barea also out, Carlisle has been searching for catalysts and even turned to Seth Curry’s shooting touch before watching him go down with a knee issue.

The only bright spot is that Nowitzki’s absence has made it easier for offseason acquisition Harrison Barnes to assert himself, but illusions over the Mavs making a 16th playoff appearance in 17 seasons look to be fading away. Third-year forward Dwight Powell is shooting 63 percent over the past five games and has averaged 16 points over the last two, hitting 7-of-11 shots in each. Still, he’s not Nowitzki. Never will be. Seeing what he and guys like current starting forwards Barnes and Dorian Finney-Smith can do with extended minutes is only part of the plan if you’re rebuilding, something Dallas still wants no part of.

“Obviously the bigger the hole gets the tougher it is to fight out in a tough West, but with D-Will hopefully being more healthy and playing more minutes again, hopefully we can sneak by and get some wins here in December,” Nowitzki said late last week. “We’ve got a better schedule and I think we’ve had one of the toughest, if not the toughest schedule in November… hopefully get J.J. back soon, hopefully I’ll be back soon and then we can run off some wins. That’s the only way I look at it and everything else is nonsense.”

With Nowitzki himself not sure how long his Achilles issue will keep him out and the Mavs having strung together consecutive wins only once this season, playoff talk seems nonsensical too. Dallas had a run of four consecutive covers ended by the Hornets and has lost 11 of 13 entering the Kings game. Currently in a stretch where they’ll play seven of nine in Dallas, the Mavericks must take advantage of this portion of the schedule regardless of who they have available.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (9-12) at Wizards (7-12)

Date: December 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Orlando Magic have conjured up a winning formula on the road, which is where they remain Tuesday night for their third meeting this season against the Washington Wizards.

The Magic (9-12) are 3-1 on their current five-game road trip, including Sunday's 98-92 victory at the Detroit Pistons. Before this surge, Orlando dropped four in a row. One of those losses doubled as Washington's first road win of the season. The second came Monday night as the Wizards (7-12) rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit for a 118-113 win at the Brooklyn Nets.

Washington and Orlando each own a win in the series with the victories coming on the road. The Wizards took the previous meeting 94-91 on Nov. 25 as John Wall had 26 points and 10 assists in Orlando.

Serge Ibaka, acquired by Orlando in a blockbuster trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, stuffed the stat sheet against the Pistons with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals.

"There's no question he's an elite big man. He's one of the best two-way bigs in the game," Magic coach Frank Vogel said. "There's no other way to put it. He's shooting the ball from the perimeter, he's scoring in the post and he's really trusting the pass. He's buying into the hot-potato type of mindset, where the open man gets the shot every time. And he's a force on the defensive end."

The big man sank 2 of 4 from deep against the Pistons and is shooting over 40 percent on his 3-point attempts this season.

"I'm getting better every day," Ibaka said after the latest win. "I'm working and working, and also my teammates trust me, as do the coaches, and that's one of the keys, too. They try to give me the ball early in the game, like tonight, and that's something that really gives me that confidence to play my game."

The Magic ended a seven-game losing streak in Detroit after earlier this season snapping a 12-game skid against the Wizards. Orlando won 88-86 win on Nov. 5 in Washington behind 18 points from Jeff Green.

Wall's fourth-quarter flurry against Brooklyn ensured the Wizards would return home with at least one win after back-to-back heartbreaking road losses against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. The point guard scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter.

"Just played harder, more aggressive," Wall said about Washington's second-half turnaround. "Competed like we did the last couple of games and we started to do that in the second half."

Bradley Beal had 18 points, including a 3-pointer that gave Washington 107-106 lead with 3:27 remaining. Wall scored the next five points for the Wizards, who outscored the Nets 32-15 in the third quarter.

"We want to be a two-way team. It's definitely a good 12 minutes, probably one of our best 12 minutes of the year," coach Scott Brooks said. "But we can't play 12 minutes of solid defensive basketball. It comes down to being solid throughout the game."