Wednesday 1/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Coppa Italia TODAY 19:45

Lazio

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Juventus

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		14/5	23/10	21/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LAZIO	RECENT FORM
HDHWAWHDAWAD​ Most recent​	0 - 2 0 - 3 1 - 1 0 - 2	HWHWAWHWAWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Juve have won 11 of their last 12 matches in all competitions

EXPERT VERDICT: Lazio have chalked up a seven match unbeaten run but they could falter against Juventus. The Serie A champions are flying at the moment and beat the hosts 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico in December. They look a decent price to advance to the next round in regulation time.

RECOMMENDATION: Juventus
2

 

[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 19:45

Leicester

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Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BBC1		15/8	—	31/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
ALHDHDADAWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 1 - 2 3 - 2 1 - 2	HWAWADHDHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in seven of Tottenham’s eight cup ties this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Punters should expect another entertaining clash between evenly-matched sides unlikely to field their first-choice defences. Neither Tottenham nor Leicester wanted this replay and the threat of extra-time and penalties could lead to a positive approach from both sides.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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REFEREE: Anthony Taylor STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 20:00

Liverpool

v

Exeter

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		1/3	9/2	10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LIVERPOOL	RECENT FORM
AWALAWADHDHL​ Most recent​	5 - 0 2 - 0 3 - 1	ALHLHLHDADAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: The average age of the Liverpool starters in the initial clash was 22

EXPERT VERDICT: iverpool’s youngsters are likely to be given another crack at Exeter in this FA Cup third-round replay, but they could be in for a tough evening. Jurgen Klopp has some reasonably talented players at his disposal but they don’t have a huge amount of experience playing together, and even less under the instruction of the German manager.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Scott keeps All-Star spot after demotion
By The Sports Xchange

John Scott will captain the Pacific Division for NHL All-Star Weekend in Nashville, Tenn., despite a recent trade out of the division and subsequent demotion out of the league.
Scott, elected to the Pacific Division captaincy in fan voting while a member of the Arizona Coyotes, was traded Friday to the Montreal Canadiens, who are in the Atlantic Division. Scott was assigned to the American Hockey League by Montreal.
The NHL said the "unique circumstance required review (and) the result of which was a determination to maintain the status quo for the All-Star weekend in order to preserve all parties' pre-existing expectations, including Scott�s desire to participate."

---Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be sidelined six to eight weeks after suffering a hand injury during Monday night's game against the Florida Panthers.
Oilers coach Tod McLellan said Nugent-Hopkins sustained a broken hand as a result of blocking a shot on a penalty kill during the second period of the Oilers' 4-2 victory.
In 46 games this season, Nugent-Hopkins had eight goals and 22 assists, including an assist before he left Monday's game.

---Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall and forward Drew Miller both have knee injuries that will keep them off the ice.
Miller's injury is more serious. He had surgery on a torn ACL and is expected to be sidelined for four to six months, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. Kronwall likely will be out for a short period, approximately two to four weeks.
The 35-year-old Kronwall leads the team's defensemen with 17 points in 45 games and also leads the team ice team at 22:45 as one of only six Red Wings players to see in action in every game this season. Kronwall also underwent surgery, opting for it before the NHL All-Star Game in order to miss fewer games.
Miller, 31, missed 14 games earlier this season with a broken jaw. The knee injury probably will end his 2015-16 season. He has only one goal and one assist this season.

---Defenseman Chris Butler was demoted by the St. Louis Blues to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
Butler, 29, made five appearances with the Blues. He has dressed in 27 games for the Wolves this season, logging 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and 18 penalty minutes.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (24-15) at Red Wings (22-14)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Red Wings are trying to track down their first division title since joining the Eastern Conference, but they need better home results to make it a reality.

They bring a season-worst four-game home skid into Wednesday night's matchup with the St. Louis Blues, who are trying to carry the success of a recent homestand into a former Central Division rival's building.

Detroit (23-14-8) hasn't finished higher than third in two seasons in the Atlantic, and that even came with a 22-10-9 home mark last season. This season, the Red Wings are 11-8-5 and their 1.13 points per game at Joe Louis Arena is down from 1.29 in 2014-15.

They've had some road success with a 5-1-1 mark in 2016, but Sunday's 2-1 shootout loss to Philadelphia accounted for the only point in their last three home games during a 1-3-2 span in Detroit.

First-year coach Jeff Blashill has the club within three points of first-place Florida, but he's not yet looking at it as a chase.

"The thing about the standings is there's lots of things you can't control," Blashill told the team's official website.

"What I look at is we judge ourselves on (five-game) segments. We have a segment board behind us in the hallway there and that point tonight allowed us to be a playoff team for this season. We keep it for the five-game segments and the cumulative and that's what we judge ourselves on, what we can control."

A little more from Henrik Zetterberg might help that along. The center has been limited to an assist in his last six games and has five points in his last 11 at home. Zetterberg's 0.67 points per game is his lowest mark since his rookie season.

Pavel Datsyuk (0.73) is also at his lowest mark since his rookie year, but he has a goal and five assists in his last three games.

"He's playing good," Zetterberg said. "He's feeling it. He's been playing well for us here for the last two months, probably our best player. He's got a lot of strength in him, he skates well and when he skates that well he's dangerous."

Datsyuk has scored in his last two games against the Blues, who have dropped the last four meetings with the previous three all going to overtime.

St. Louis (27-15-7) is beginning a four-game trip without a regulation win over a 1-2-2 away stretch, but it's coming off a successful homestand and has won four of its last five after Monday's 5-2 win over Pittsburgh.

Paul Stastny had a goal and three assists, and linemates Alexander Steen and Troy Brouwer each added a goal and an assist. Steen had been limited to two assists in his previous six, and Brouwer had his first multipoint effort since Oct. 27.

"I think we just work for each other," said Stastny, who's scored in consecutive games. "We're getting more and more comfortable. I think we've had chances and today they started falling."

Vladimir Tarasenko also scored, and his last seven goals have either tied the game or given the Blues a one-goal lead.

"Tarasenko's goal was, again, as timely as it could be, because we were being outplayed, our goalie was standing on his head and to score that goal, that's a great sign for us," coach Ken Hitchcock told the team's official website.

It might take a little more to beat Petr Mrazek, who will try to improve on a 5-0-1 span with a 1.31 goals-against average and .957 save percentage in 2016. He's also 3-0-0 with 0.97 and .961 marks as a starter against St. Louis.

Brian Elliott has started five straight games for the Blues since Jake Allen went down with a lower-body injury Jan. 8.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (18-23) at Avalanche (23-21)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Colorado Avalanche intended to sign talented forward Ryan O'Reilly to a contract extension in the offseason. Instead, they decided the best move was to deal him.

Off to a strong start in Buffalo, O'Reilly returns to Denver looking to help the Sabres win four straight on the road for the first time in four seasons Wednesday night.

One season after O'Reilly set career highs with 28 goals and 64 points, he posted a personal-best 38 assists in 2014-15. Although he blossomed while spending his first six seasons in Colorado, the club felt it would be too expensive to keep him long-term.

The Avalanche wound up sending O'Reilly and fellow forward Jamie McGinn to Buffalo on June 26 in exchange for young defenseman Nikita Zadorov, forward Mikhail Grigorenko, the rights to J.T. Compher and the No. 31 pick in the draft.

"In the salary-cap era you have to make tough decisions sometimes," general manager Joe Sakic told the NHL's official website in June.

Signed to a seven-year, $52.5 million extension in July, O'Reilly has made an immediate impact by leading Buffalo (19-23-4) with 17 goals and 39 points. He's a big reason the Sabres are 12 points shy of matching their league-low 54 from '14-15 and have already surpassed last season's nine road wins with a 10-9-2 mark.

"He's got tremendous hockey sense," Sabres general manager Tim Murray said of O'Reilly, who turns 25 next month. "I think his hockey sense is off the charts. I think he makes everyone around him better."

Playing for his third club, McGinn is fourth on the team with 21 points. He gave Buffalo a 2-0 lead Monday at Arizona after O'Reilly assisted on Jack Eichel's goal in the 2-1 victory. O'Reilly has six goals and nine assists in the last 12 road contests.

The Sabres have yielded 10 goals to go 4-1-0 following a six-game losing streak in which they were outscored 21-8. A winner in five of seven away from home, Buffalo last won four straight on the road to open the '11-12 season.

"We can win," said Eichel, the second overall pick in 2015 who has three goals and six assists in six road games. "We know that."

Buffalo hopes its improved road play can end an 0-2-2 slide at Colorado (23-21-3), where the Avs have scored 16 times while winning four of their last five.

Colorado has not gotten much of a return on its end of the O'Reilly trade with Grigorenko recording 12 points in 40 games and Zadorov seeing action in 14 while spending most of his time in the AHL. Fighting for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference, the Avs split a two-game trip after Monday's 2-1 victory at Winnipeg.

Carl Soderberg had a goal with an assist and Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves after yielding four goals in each of his prior two starts. The Avs have given up three goals in three games but will need to improve on their 8-14-1 mark against the East.

"(Monday) was an important game for us. We need to continue," coach Patrick Roy said. "It is important because we're not doing so well against teams from the East for some reason."

Jarome Iginla's 13th goal Monday is Colorado's only power-play score in 11 chances over its previous five. The Avs, however, have killed all 12 penalties in the last four.

The Sabres have converted 25 percent (8 for 32) of their opportunities with the man-advantage in the last nine contests.

Buffalo's Chad Johnson has a 1.34 goals-against average in his last three starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (22-15) at Ducks (17-18)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Minnesota Wild's offense has dried up in stunning fashion over the past four games.

That's been a season-long problem for the Anaheim Ducks, the NHL's lowest-scoring team that had been producing more of late before struggling to generate goals again their last time out.

Scoring might be at a premium when these teams meet Wednesday night at Honda Center to close out their three-game season series.

The Wild's losing streak hit four with a 3-0 defeat at Nashville on Saturday as they were shut out for the second straight time. Minnesota (22-15-8), which has totaled three goals during its skid, has never been blanked in three in a row.

"We know that the one way to feel confident is to work for it, and to earn it, and we've done that in the past," coach Mike Yeo told the team's official website. "There were certainly some good things that we could have taken out of last game. Most nights we score two, three goals the way we played the game and the chances that we created."

The Wild outshot the Predators 13-5 in the second period and 29-25 overall. Minnesota was averaging 2.68 goals prior to the skid - 11th in the league.

"When things don't go your way, or the other goalie makes a couple of saves you start kind of thinking about it, and thinking, 'Is this going to be one of those nights, again?'" forward Jason Pominville said. "But we just have to find a way to bury some of our opportunities, and get our confidence, and get our swagger back."

Devan Dubnyk has posted a 1.79 goals-against average in his last four games and is expected to be in net again. He beat Anaheim 3-0 at Minnesota with 15 saves in the teams' last meeting Oct. 24, snapping the Ducks' four-game win streak in the series.

Anaheim (19-18-7) took the first matchup of the season 4-1 on Oct. 18 at home and has won 10 of 12 meetings. The Wild have scored one goal in seven of those.

A 7-2-1 stretch had the Ducks finally looking like the team that came within one game of the Stanley Cup Final last season, but the lack of offense that has plagued them throughout this disappointing season returned in a 3-2 home loss to Los Angeles on Sunday.

Though it wasn't for lack of chances - Anaheim held a 16-7 shot advantage in the third period and 32-26 overall - the club essentially hit its season average of 1.95 goals - easily the worst in the league.

The Ducks, who had scored four goals in three of the previous four contests, gave up three in the second period. They are last in the league with 1.09 goals allowed in the second.

'It's frustrating, that's for sure,' coach Bruce Boudreau said. 'I think we lead the league in fewest goals allowed in the first and third period and might be dead last in the second period. It's consistency, and we preach about it a lot. Hopefully sometime in the very near future we get that down.'

The Ducks are 4-3-0 on a homestand that concludes Wednesday.

"We're playing good teams. We're battling. We showed we could play with them," center Andrew Cogliano said of the Kings, who hold a solid lead in the Pacific Division. "They're probably the toughest team to play in the league. ... We had them on their heels a lot in the third period."

Minnesota opened a four-game road trip Saturday and is in the midst of playing seven of eight away from home. It's dropped two straight and five of six at Honda Center.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - January

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

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

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

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 2 10.5 9 UNDER
1/2 12 61.5 63 OVER
1/3 4 21 22 OVER
1/4 5 27 17 UNDER
1/5 8 43.5 46 OVER
1/6 5 26.5 23 UNDER
1/7 7 38.5 29 UNDER
1/8 6 31.5 34 OVER
1/9 10 53 47 UNDER
1/10 6 30 32 OVER
1/11 4 20.5 22 OVER
1/12 8 42.5 45 OVER
1/13 4 21.5 20 UNDER
1/14 8 42.5 37 UNDER
1/15 6 31 31 PUSH
1/16 10 52 48 UNDER
1/17 7 35 34 UNDER
1/18 5 26.5 26 UNDER
1/19 8 42.5 50 OVER
1/20 3 - - -
1/21 10 - - -
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 11 - - -
1/24 5 - - -
1/25 6 - - -
1/26 9 - - -
1/27 4 - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 No games scheduled - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- St Louis won four of its last five games. Detroit won five of its last seven.
-- Buffalo won four of its last five games. Colorado won four of last five at home.
-- Anaheim won three of its last five games.

Cold teams
-- Minnesota lost its last four games, outscored 9-3.

Series records
-- Blues lost their last four games with Detroit.
-- Sabres lost their last nine games with Colorado.
-- Ducks won four of last five games with Minnesota.

Totals
-- Five of last six Detroit-St Louis games stayed under.
-- Last seven Buffalo-Colorado games went over total.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Minnesota games.

Back-to-backs
-- None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

Count me among the many who expected the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to take a step back this season. Sure, they'd still make the playoffs because that's not all that tough in the NHL, especially in the Western Conference where there are two fewer teams than in the East. But I certainly didn't expect the Hawks to be one of the league's best regular-season teams and a top Stanley Cup contender again after losing the likes of Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp, among others, off last year's team for salary-cap reasons.

But clearly GM Stan Bowman knows what he's doing (other than giving Bryan Brickell a big extension a couple of years ago). In the trade for Saad, Bowman landed gifted second-line center Artem Anisimov. He has solidified that position, which has been a weak spot on the Hawks for years. Anisimov has 15 goals and 10 assists and has helped second-line right wing Patrick Kane get off to the best start of his career. The Hart Trophy favorite leads the NHL with 29 goals and 69 points. Bowman also got Russian KHL player Artemi Panarin on a low-cost, low-risk two-way contract, and he's your Calder Trophy favorite with 43 points (16 goals).

Last week, Bowman made sure to keep his incredibly successful head coach happy by signing Joel Quenneville to a three-year extension. He deserved a monster raise with those three Cups, and the $50 million deal that Mike Babcock got from the Maple Leafs this past offseason changed the financial landscape for coaches across the NHL.

The Hawks enter Tuesday's game at Nashville on an 11-game winning streak, which has tied the 2012-13 team for the longest in franchise history. They haven't lost since a 2-1 defeat at home to Carolina on Dec. 27 that dropped Chicago to 20-13-4. The Hawks were 13 points behind Central Division-leading Dallas then. Now Chicago has a three-point cushion atop the division and leads the West with 66 points. If you are wondering, the NHL record winning streak is 17 games, set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Chicago is back up to the second-favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +500, behind only Eastern Conference-leading Washington (+400). The Hawks are now +300 favorites to win the West. The team has quality wins over Pittsburgh (twice) and Montreal (twice) during the streak. But Chicago has had a fairly beneficial schedule. The Blackhawks are just -110 favorites for Tuesday's game at Nashville. They are 2-1 vs. the Preds this season but lost the only meeting in Tennessee, 5-1 on Dec. 10. It should be said that No. 1 goaltender Corey Crawford, having his best season, got that night off.

The schedule gets much tougher for Chicago after Tuesday. It visits Tampa Bay on Thursday night in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch; the Hawks beat the visiting Lightning 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 24. The next night, Chicago goes to Atlantic Division-leading Florida; Chicago beat the visiting Panthers 4-3 on Oct. 22. And then St. Louis visits the Windy City in an NBC national TV game on Sunday night. I don't expect Chicago gets through that Florida Swing with the winning streak intact, however.

Here are some other games to watch this week:

Vancouver at Boston, Thursday: The Canucks got some bad news in that star Henrik Sedin is likely out until after the All-Star break with an upper-body injury that came courtesy of a first-period hit from the Islanders' Mikhail Grabovski on Sunday. Grabovski received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct but no suspension. Sedin has nine goals and 28 assists this season. Expect some payback on Grabovski on March 1 when the Canucks see the Isles again. Boston thinks it might have center David Krejci back for this game. He has been out since Dec. 27 with an upper-body injury. Krejci practiced with the team Monday for the first time since then.

Anaheim at Washington, Friday: The Ducks continue to limp around near the bottom of the Pacific Division and on the fringes of the playoff race but still haven't made a major shakeup of the vastly disappointing team. There has been some talk the team was looking to acquire young Jonathan Drouin, the No. 3 overall pick in 2013, from Tampa Bay as Drouin has requested a trade and is currently in the AHL. Anaheim was involved in a trade with Pittsburgh over weekend, but I don't think it solves the team's offensive problems. The Ducks got forward David Perron and defenseman Adam Clendening for forward Carl Hagelin. Perron scored in his Duck debut Sunday, a 3-2 loss to the Kings. The Capitals might clinch the Metropolitan Division by mid-February as they have a 17-point lead entering the week. They are going to be the East's top seed barring an epic collapse. The Caps could get back defenseman John Carlson here. He has missed 11 games with a lower-body injury. Carlson had six goals and 27 points in 34 games prior to the injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Noah has shoulder surgery, out 4-6 months
By The Sports Xchange

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah had surgery on Tuesday to repair his dislocated left shoulder, the team announced.
Coach Fred Hoiberg called the procedure a success. Noah is expected to make a complete recovery in four to six months.
The Bulls also announced that forward Mike Dunleavy (back) and guard Kirk Hinrich (left quad contusion) will miss Wednesday night's game against Golden State.
The 30-year-old Noah injured the shoulder during the second quarter of the Bulls' 83-77 loss to the Dallas Mavericks last Friday night when he became tangled with Dallas' JaVale McGee under the basket. He had recently returned to the court after missing nine games with an injury to the same shoulder.

---Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been cleared for full-contact practice by team orthopedist Dr. Marcus Cook.
"MKG" suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder on Oct. 3, 2015, in a preseason game at Orlando and underwent successful surgery Oct. 6. Kidd-Gilchrist has participated in non-contact practice for the past two weeks. There is no timetable for Kidd-Gilchrist's return to the active roster.
He averaged career bests in points (10.9), rebounds (7.6) and minutes (28.9) in 55 games (52 starts) during the 2014-15 season. His 7.6 rebounds per game ranked first among all small forwards in the NBA.

---LeBron James called the 132-98 loss to Golden State a butt kicking. He also urged Cleveland teammates to leave the loss Monday on the court while being aware of how much work remains for the Cavaliers to reach a championship level.
The Cavaliers trailed by 30 points in the second quarter and the lead for the Warriors jumped to 43 on a Steph Curry 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.
"It's just not the end of the world," said James, who posted a career-worst plus-minus of minus-34. "It's still a basketball game. I don't take it that far.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three-pointer: Spurs face light week
By Tony Mejia

After surviving a week that began with a road back-to-back at Brooklyn and Detroit, followed by a home dates with Cleveland and Dallas, the Spurs are off until Thursday and face a two-day work week where they’ll have to visit the Suns and Lakers. Entering the week, Phoenix had lost 12 of 13. L.A. has dropped seven of eight.

Can you say bye week?

San Antonio carries an 11-game winning streak into these game where they’ll almost certainly be double-digit road favorite. Even though they’ve got a Monday night visit to Oakland, their first game against the Warriors this season, the rationale that they’ll be looking ahead to the Golden State showdown is a little trite. It’s the NBA, not the NFL, so even if Gregg Popovich chooses to expand his rotation or give guys a night off to reduce wear-and-tear, it will have more to do with the situation that has presented itself due to light competition than anything related to the Warriors.

As a road favorite of 9.5 or more, the Spurs are a perfect 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating the Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and 76ers by a combined margin of 128 points, which includes a 129-68 demolition of Philly but also features wins of 25 or more in the three other games. They take care of business against teams they’re expected to dominate. Though they failed to cover at home against the Cavs, San Antonio is 8-3 against the number during its current winning streak and 21-8-1 ATS over the last 30 since Nov. 21. While it’s not quite the run Atlanta went on last year, the Spurs have truly been impressive considering they’ve been favored in every single one of those games.

In fact, San Antonio has laid points in every single game this season except for a season-opening loss at Oklahoma City, which is remarkable in its own right. Look for the Warriors to end that streak, since they’ll likely be favored by at least a 3-spot at Oracle, where it hasn’t lost in 19 outings this season entering its Jan. 22 date with Indiana.

Conversely, the Suns have only been favored once in their last 10 games, while the Lakers have only been favored in three games all season. Point guard Tony Parker has been dealing with a hip issue, so Pop may take a cautious approach this week to ensure his availability for next Monday. Patty Mills would start if that’s the case. Everyone else is healthy and playing well, so fade them at your own risk. The big number the Spurs will be laying will undoubtedly be tempting, but taking points against them hasn’t paid off yet.

Miami not so hot

A Heat team that saw San Antonio in consecutive NBA Finals is obviously far removed from those days with LeBron James back in Cleveland, but they still fancy themselves a title contender when healthy given the collection of talent Pat Riley did manage to keep in South Florida.

After a fairly strong start that has seen Miami lead the Southeast Division for much of the season, they’ve fallen out of the top spot after a Western road swing that saw them go 2-4 and lose Goran Dragic for a few weeks due to a calf injury. The team is considerably banged up and will be back home for just one game (Tuesday vs. Milwaukee) before heading right back out on the road for another five games.

Between Jan. 8-Feb. 5, the Heat will have played 14 of 16 games on the road, likely defining whether the first half of the season that started so promisingly will wind up being a success. Miami is 8-10 straight up thus far in road games.

With Dwyane Wade playing through a shoulder injury, the x-factor is likely to be young guard Tyler Johnson, who must help take pressure off Wade with Dragic and Beno Udrih (neck) both sidelined. Miami’s next road stretch begins Wednesday night at the John Wall-led Wizards and continues Friday against Kyle Lowry and the Raptors.

Key road stretch awaits Indiana

The Pacers have also had a promising first-half of the season thus far, hitting the 41-game mark at 22-19, which is a positive since they transitioned away from the halfcourt style they had grown so accustomed to in parting ways with Roy Hibbert and David West in the offseason.
Paul George has been a dominant force and has warmed up to his new role, but his Pacers have now lost three consecutive games for the fourth time this season and will look to avoid their longest losing stretch of the season on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

Center Ian Mahinmi is attempting to return from an ankle injury and point guard George Hill remains away from the team tending to a personal matter. After playing the Suns, a four-game road swing continues in Golden State and Sacramento, games in which they’ll likely be underdogs.

With Detroit, Boston, Orlando, New York, Washington, Charlotte and Milwaukee all in the hunt for the final few playoff spots in the East, the Pacers are going to have a lot of competition that they’ll look to stay in front of to avoid a final frantic stretch where they’re trying to make the postseason. This week’s West Coast visits could dictate how the next few weeks before the All-Star break play out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (5-38) at Magic (20-20)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

It wasn't long ago when the Orlando Magic were one of the NBA's biggest surprises, and the Philadelphia 76ers were the league's favorite punching bag.

Now the Magic are searching for answers while the 76ers are no longer a pushover.

Elfrid Payton played a key role in Orlando's win at Philadelphia in November, and he'll likely be pressed into the lineup with Victor Oladipo sidelined again Wednesday night when the host Magic look to continue their dominance in this series.

After losing 62, 59 and 57 games in the previous three seasons, Orlando (20-20) jumped out to a promising 19-13 start under first-year coach Scott Skiles. That optimism, however, has faded while the club has struggled to score in dropping seven of eight.

The team's top three scorers - Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Tobias Harris - were held to a combined 22 points on 8-of-28 shooting in Monday's 98-81 loss at Atlanta. Since averaging 104.0 points during a 7-2 stretch, the Magic have scored 88.9 per game in their past eight.

"We need to figure out what we're going to do,' Aaron Gordon told the team's official website after scoring a team-high 18 points. "There's no easy answer and we're going to work. And work we will.'

It certainly doesn't help that Oladipo will miss a second straight game because of a sprained right knee. He had been averaging 20.4 points while hitting 18 of 27 from 3-point range in five games since replacing Payton in the starting lineup.

Payton returned to the first unit Monday, finishing with 16 points and five assists but also committing five turnovers. The second-year guard, who was drafted by Philadelphia and immediately traded to Orlando, led the way with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting with five assists and two turnovers in a 105-97 win over the 76ers on Nov. 7.

The league-worst 76ers (5-38) have lost 26 of the past 32 meetings and 13 of 15 in Orlando, but they're much improved from when the Magic last saw them. Since opening 1-30, they have won four of 12 games and forced overtime in their last two defeats.

Philadelphia lost one of those to Chicago before cruising past Portland 114-89 on Saturday for its most lopsided victory, then fell 119-113 in double overtime to New York on Monday. Jahlil Okafor finished with 20 points, Nerlens Noel added 18 with 13 rebounds and former Magic guard Ish Smith had 16 points and 16 assists but shot 8 for 28.

The 76ers are playing better on both ends, scoring 112.7 per game over their last three and surrendering 96.0 in regulation in their past four. They've shot 48.3 percent from the field in the last seven games after previously hitting 42.0 percent.

Smith, acquired from New Orleans on Dec. 24, has averaged 20.4 points and 8.6 assists over his last five.

"We're getting better, and the excitement to go play games gets us going again," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "I think Ish's arrival has pushed us forward."

There could be lingering hard feelings between Noel and Orlando's Jason Smith after Noel was ejected in November for retaliating when Smith elbowed him in the ribs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (23-19) at Wizards (19-21)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Success at home was one of the major factors behind the Washington Wizards reaching the playoffs last season. Their struggles on their own court are what's costing them a chance to get back there, and the Miami Heat are looking to capitalize on another visit to the nation's capital.

The Wizards attempt to avenge one of their worst home defeats of the season Wednesday night against the Heat.

Washington (19-21) went 29-12 at home last season, and it won't be duplicating that effort. The Wizards are 9-13 there, losing five of their last six - a stretch that started with a 97-75 defeat to Miami (23-19) on Jan. 3.

Washington was abysmal in nearly every facet while its four-game winning streak over the Heat ended. The Wizards shot 34.1 percent from the floor, converted 4 of 30 from 3-point range and were outrebounded 54-45.

Their defensive play let them down in Monday's 108-98 loss to Portland. Washington gave up 51.2 percent from the field - 54.8 from long range - and was at a 48-35 disadvantage on the glass.

"It was pretty much a lack of focus," said guard Bradley Beal, who had 16 points and five assists.

Having Beal at full strength could help a lot. He's missed 17 of the last 20 games with a stress reaction in his right leg and is averaging 16.3 points off the bench in the three he's played.

Beal is still not cleared to start.

"It's still a process," he said. "Still being smart with the injury. Still probably have another week or two before my minutes ramp up or whatever. I'm still listening to the doctors and trainers. I feel great after each game and during the game there's no pain so hopefully we can ramp it up."

Beal had 21 points in a 114-103 win at Miami on Dec. 7, while John Wall poured in 26. Wall, though, could only muster 14 while going 6 for 21 from the floor against the Heat earlier this month.

He was even worse Monday, connecting on 4 of 17 from the field while finishing with nine points and 10 assists. That was a dramatic drop from his season-high 36 points two days earlier in a 119-117 loss to Boston that opened this five-game homestand.

"I was frustrated," Wall said Monday. "I had some good looks that I had from the last game, and I wasn't making them. It was frustrating to me because I feel like I was letting my team down."

The Heat enter a five-game trip trying to turn around their own rough stretch, losing five of six while averaging 87.8 points.

They fell 91-79 to Milwaukee on Tuesday, two days after losing 99-74 at Oklahoma City. Miami trailed by at least 22 in each of those games while shooting 39.0 percent - 25.0 from behind the arc.

"We obviously have to work on our mental toughness right now," forward Chris Bosh said. "We're kind of weak in that area."

Goran Dragic's absence is surely being felt. The guard, who averages 12.3 points, has missed four games with a calf injury and has no time table for a return.

Bosh scored 23 against the Wizards earlier this month, while Hassan Whiteside chipped in with 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Whiteside's 4.0 blocks per game lead the league and have him on pace to top Alonzo Mourning's franchise record of 3.9 set in 1998-99.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (22-20) at Raptors (26-15)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

As the youth of the Boston Celtics has made them an up-and-coming team which fights to the end, the Toronto Raptors have held them at bay in the Atlantic Division behind experienced veterans.

One thing the teams do have in common is perimeter players driving the offense, something that could lead to three guards from this game soon being named All-Stars.

DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry try to help the Raptors win a season-high sixth straight and further show they're still the team to beat in the Atlantic as Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics head north of the border Wednesday night.

No one in Boston's regular rotation is older than 28, and the 26-year-old Thomas is the only one of its top five scorers who wasn't born in the 1990s.

The only Toronto starter not born in the '80s is center Jonas Valanciunas, and starting forward Luis Scola is 35. DeRozan is 26 but in his seventh NBA season and fourth playing alongside Lowry, a 10-year veteran.

"They have played so much together, the continuity, the offensive sets, the spacing and they understand where each other is going to be," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

DeRozan and Lowry are averaging career highs of 22.8 and 21.0 points, respectively. Both have made one All-Star appearance and would like to double that total with this year's game being in Toronto on Feb. 14.

Lowry was third among guards in the most recent balloting so he could get a starting nod, while DeRozan was sixth and could be a reserve along with Thomas (ninth place).

The 5-foot-9 Thomas is averaging 21.8 points, including 28.0 in the last six games, to lift the Celtics into playoff position and within 4 1/2 games of the two-time defending division champion Raptors (26-15).

"He's not only a dynamic scorer, but the way he's able to run the offense, the way he's been able to defend for us, his all-around game," coach Brad Stevens said of Thomas, who averages 6.6 assists. "Obviously, he's elevated our team."

The only other players with double-figure scoring averages for Boston (22-20) are 6-2 guard Avery Bradley and small forward Jae Crowder at 14.5 apiece.

Even when the Celtics lose, the games always seem to come down to the wire. Each of their last nine losses have been by single digits.

They trailed 17-2 in Dallas on Monday but fought back to force overtime, eventually losing 118-113 to have a three-game winning streak snapped.

"We try to play until the clock runs out," Stevens said. "That's a pretty consistent trademark of this team."

His team hasn't faced Toronto since a 113-103 home loss Oct. 30. DeRozan led the Raptors with 23 points and is averaging 28.5 in his last four versus the Celtics.

He had 30 on Monday while Lowry scored 13 of his 31 in the fourth quarter to lift Toronto past Brooklyn 112-100. Lowry, averaging 26.7 points in the last three games, hit seven 3-pointers and added eight assists.

After they scored at least 30 in the same game for the first time, DeRozan says he and Lowry are "extremely comfortable" taking control down the stretch.

"It's second nature now and a lot of things do not need to be said. It's a feel thing and something that comes from years of playing and knowing each other's game."

Toronto, which opened a seven-game homestand Monday, has won eight of 10 at Air Canada Centre.

Boston has lost four of five on the road, but the defeats were by an average of 5.8 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (28-11) at Nets (11-31)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Cleveland is in a 10-day stretch with plenty of strong opponents, but its next game is a much-needed break.

After a lopsided defeat to the top team in basketball, the Cavaliers head to Brooklyn on Wednesday night to take on a Nets team piling up losses against just about any level of competition.

The Cavaliers (28-11) are coming off Monday's 132-98 home loss to Golden State, in which they fell behind by 30 in the first half and allowed the lead to grow to as much as 43. It came four days after a loss in San Antonio, and Cleveland follows this game with home contests against the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago.

"Obviously, you want to play well against the top teams and we haven't done that," said LeBron James, who has averaged 18.8 points and shot 41.7 percent in Cleveland's last four losses. "We're 0-3 against the top two teams in the West and 0-1 against the Bulls so far. We have to play better basketball. We have a long way to go. Tonight was an example of how far we need to go to get to a championship level. We have to continue to get better."

Cleveland's top three scorers - James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love - were held to a combined 11 of 32 and 27 points.

J.R. Smith had 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting before being ejected in the third quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul, the latest in a series of punishments handed down for the shooting guard. He also arrived at the arena less than an hour before tip-off.

"He got very frustrated tonight with what was happening," coach David Blatt said. "... That does concern me. That's not a situation he can allow himself to get into because he's an important player for the team, and what he does and what happens impacts the team."

Smith has been more important lately, averaging 18.0 points and 43.9 percent from 3-point range over the last eight games. Meanwhile, backcourt mate Irving has been inconsistent and shot 36.3 percent in his last five games, and Love has been held to 9.8 points and 29.8 percent in his last four.

"We've got to do a better job helping (Love)," Blatt said.

The Cavs have won five of the last six meetings with the Nets, including a 90-88 home victory Nov. 28 to open the season series with Love scoring 26 points and hitting 6 of 11 from 3-point range.

Brooklyn (11-31) might welcome such a close loss. The Nets have dropped three in a row and eight of nine with the defeats coming by an average of 15.6 points. In Monday's 112-100 loss in Toronto, they fell despite shooting 51.3 percent and making 13 of 24 from 3-point range.

Each opponent on the three-game skid has topped 50.0 percent overall while the Nets have a minus-5.3 turnover margin.

"It seems like the same old story," interim coach Tony Brown said. "We get down late in stretches of the game, some of the things we were doing really well, we started turning the ball over late."

It's overshadowed some improvement from Joe Johnson, who had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting. He's averaging 15.8 points on 58.7 percent in his last six games after posting marks of 11.0 and 36.4 in his first 36 games.

The Nets have lost 11 of 12 at home, while the Cavs have won seven of eight on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (18-23) at Knicks (21-22)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Carmelo Anthony is still hobbled by a sprained right ankle, but the New York Knicks' leading scorer is expected to play through it again.

Kristaps Porzingis is looking to do the same, but his status isn't quite certain.

With the rookie possibly out for the first time, Anthony will try to lead the Knicks to a six-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz.

New York (21-22) has lost all four games without Anthony this season, and he battled through his latest injury to hit a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left to force overtime Monday against Philadelphia. The Knicks emerged with a 119-113 win after two OTs, while Anthony finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a season-high 49 minutes.

"I was going to take that, take that one regardless," said Anthony, who missed the two previous games - losses to Brooklyn and Memphis.

Another gutsy effort from the star forward may be needed if New York is without Porzingis. A sore foot kept the forward on the bench for the overtimes Monday after he scored 16 points with 12 rebounds.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Porzingis said. "I expect to be back on Wednesday. I'm young, I recover quick."

The Knicks aren't nearly as positive, declaring him questionable against Utah (18-23). Porzingis wasn't very effective in a 106-85 loss to the Jazz on Dec. 9, getting four points and three rebounds in a season-low 13 minutes.

The rest of New York's starters weren't much better, combining for 27 points with Anthony's 12 leading the team. He averaged 36.3 over his three previous matchups.

Arron Afflalo, who had four points at Utah last month, is looking to build on his 25 from Monday. The guard has a 24.5 scoring average over the last four home games.

"There's a tone, a level of aggression, a mindset that he plays the game with," coach Derek Fisher said. "Works really hard on both ends of the floor. He's been invaluable to us so far."

The Knicks are on their longest winning streak at MSG since taking the final 10 games of 2012-13. However, they've dropped three straight to the Jazz, including a 102-100 home defeat as Trey Burke hit a fadeaway at the buzzer Nov. 14, 2014.

Gordon Hayward had 33 points in the most recent visit to the Garden, and he had 24 while making 9 of 14 from the floor against the Knicks last month. The forward is coming off a season-high 36 points while Burke poured in 25 off the bench Monday, but the Jazz lost for the ninth time in 10 road games - 124-119 in double overtime to Charlotte.

Utah has also dropped eight of 14 overall with Derrick Favors sidelined by back spasms. He's listed as doubtful for Wednesday and his return could provide a boost since he's averaged 23.3 points and 10.7 rebounds over the last three meetings with New York.

Rudy Gobert missed the most recent one with a knee sprain that kept him out for 18 games. He's been back for seven games and seems to be shaking off any lingering effects, totaling 32 points and as many rebounds with seven blocks over the last two.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (22-19) at Rockets (22-21)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

There was a time when Houston's Dwight Howard could teach a thing or two to Detroit's Andre Drummond in the post, but the torch seemed to be passed in November.

Having turned back the clock in recent weeks, Howard will try to avenge that meeting and lead the Rockets to a 10th straight home win over the Pistons on Wednesday night.

Given their similar bruising style and inability to hit free throws, Drummond drew comparisons to Howard when he came out of Connecticut in 2012. Now he's enjoying a breakout fourth season with the Pistons (22-19), leading the league with 15.5 rebounds per game and ranking second among all centers with an average of 17.6 points.

Drummond announced his arrival as a budding star Nov. 30, finishing with 24 points and 13 boards despite going 4 for 18 from the free-throw line while helping Detroit pull out a 116-105 home win over the Rockets. He had his way with one of his idols as Howard battled foul trouble and ended up with just eight points and 10 boards.

"I remember when he was a little bit younger and he said I was his favorite player. That meant a lot to me and I'm really happy for his success," Howard said. "He's doing a great job down in Detroit. He's playing really good basketball. ... I'm real proud of him and the progress he's made in the last couple of years."

Howard, who is in his 12th season, has made progress of his own over the past three weeks. He's averaged 20.6 points and 14.7 rebounds while posting 10 straight double-doubles - the NBA's longest active streak - despite dealing with back and oblique injuries. It's his longest double-double string since a 14-game run late in 2012-13.

Howard is coming off his first career 35-point, 25-rebound effort with 36 and 26 in a 140-132 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. He also went 14 of 18 on free throws and is shooting 69.6 percent from the stripe in his last five games.

James Harden, the league's second-leading scorer at 27.5 per game, had 20 as the Rockets lost for the second time in three games after a season-best five wins in a row.

Harden, who had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against the Pistons, is averaging 28.3 points, 9.0 assists and 7.3 boards over his last six in the series.

The Rockets (22-21) will try to bounce back defensively as they go after their 20th win in the past 23 home meetings. They let the Clippers hit 22 3-pointers, but Detroit hit just 5 of 26 from long range in Monday's 111-101 home loss to Chicago.

Drummond had his fifth straight double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Reggie Jackson and Ersan Ilyasova scored 19 apiece as the Pistons lost their third in four games and failed to build on Saturday's 113-95 home win over NBA-leading Golden State.

"I'm happy where we are in terms of making progress, we've just got to be more consistent," coach Stan Van Gundy told the team's official website. "If you're consistent in terms of winning every night, then you're San Antonio or Golden State."

The Pistons have allowed 104.5 points per game in their last four after giving up 91.2 over a five-game span. They held Houston to 39.8 percent shooting Nov. 30.

Jackson was a handful for the Rockets, finishing with 31 points and eight assists.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (38-4) at Bulls (24-16)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


The Golden State Warriors have experienced far different results on the first two stops of their road trip against Eastern Conference contenders. The third and final matchup is with a team trying to prove it isn't slipping from the East's elite.

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The Warriors look to avoid their third loss in a week Wednesday night when they face the Chicago Bulls, who just started life without Joakim Noah.

Golden State (38-4) dropped two of three last week for the first time since the NBA Finals, concluding with an uncharacteristically poor offensive showing in Saturday's 113-95 loss to Detroit to open this trip.

The Warriors avoided consecutive losses for the first time this season in resounding fashion, though, pounding East-leading Cleveland 132-98 on Monday. The NBA's highest-scoring team followed a season-low 36.2-percent shooting performance by making 54.1 percent overall and 19 of 40 3-pointers. They held a 30-point advantage in the first half and led by as many as 43.

The starters sat out the final quarter, but Stephen Curry still scored 35 points and Draymond Green added 16, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help Golden State snap its two-game road skid.

"The first three quarters, that's who we know we can be," interim coach Luke Walton said. "They were absolutely phenomenal. We can't really ask to play much better than that."

Losses in three of five games hasn't happened for the Warriors in the regular season since December 2014, but they close their trip at a place where they haven't won much in the last 14 years.

Though Golden State has taken three of the last five overall matchups, Chicago has won 11 of 13 at the United Center dating to February 2002.

The Warriors took the first meeting this season 106-94 on Nov. 20 behind 27 points from Curry. The Bulls were paced by Jimmy Butler's 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, but Derrick Rose, backup point guard Aaron Brooks and Bobby Portis didn't play.

Chicago (24-16) dropped three straight from Jan. 9-12 but has since won two of three after a 111-101 victory at Detroit on Monday.

The Bulls are looking for their first winning streak since rattling off six in a row Dec. 28-Jan. 7, a stretch that seemed to return them to their status as a top contender in the East. But after allowing opponents to average 98.2 points during that run, Chicago has surrendered 105.8 in six games - and its defense suffered a hit when Noah left Friday's 83-77 loss to Dallas with a dislocated shoulder.

The center will miss four to six months after surgery, likely costing him the rest of the season. Chicago, though, is 9-2 without the former Defensive Player of the Year.

"I'm not going to say that we're over him or we don't need him. We need him for sure," Rose said. "But we're professionals. We know that once someone goes out, somebody has to step in and do that job, and we believe in everybody on this team."

The Bulls were outrebounded 50-38 by the Pistons for their first disadvantage on the boards in 12 games. Chicago leads the league with 48.8 rebounds per game while Golden State is close behind at 46.5. Noah was averaging 8.8 boards.