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

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

When not viewing the service plays.
Make sure to enjoy the rest of what the RX has to offer.

First time here at the RX.
Make sure to visit the Newbies Room
Click here to go there now

 

[superbeets]

Championship Fr 18Nov 19:45

Brighton

v

Aston Villa

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		4/5	12/5	15/4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BRIGHTON	RECENT FORM
A WH DH WA WH WA W​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 1	A LH DA WH WA DH W​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villa have drawn nine of their 16 league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Brighton are in the promotion mix again but they may have to settle for a point against Aston Villa. The visitors have shown signs of improvement under new boss Steve Bruce but Brighton have lost only one of their last 19 matches at the Amex and will prove a tough side to break down.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Stephen Martin STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: van Riemsdyk nets hat trick in Leafs' win
By The Sports Xchange

TORONTO -- James van Riemsdyk scored three goals and added an assist, Tyler Bozak had three assists and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Nashville Predators 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Mitch Marner had a goal and two assists, and Leo Komarov and William Nylander each scored for the Maple Leafs (7-6-3), who had 32 saves from goaltender Frederik Andersen.
James Neal and Viktor Arvidsson scored for the Predators (6-6-3).
Marek Mazanec, appearing in his third game of the season in the Nashville goal, stopped 26 shots.

Flames 1, Wild 0
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- An early power-play goal by Johnny Gaudreau held up as Calgary snapped a four-game losing skid, beating Minnesota.
Goalie Chad Johnson added 27 saves for his first shutout in 11 months for the Flames, who are struggling to score. Gaudreau's goal was just the fifth that Calgary managed in the past five games.
The Wild got 26 saves from goalie Devan Dubnyk but were blanked for the second time this season.

Jets 4, Blackhawks 0
WINNIPEG -- It wasn't quite David versus Goliath but you could certainly chalk one up for the underdog with Winnipeg's victory over Chicago.
That's what happens when one team owns the other for the past couple seasons. The Blackhawks had won four games in a row against Winnipeg and six of the past seven.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots in posting his first shutout of the season and third of his young career. The Jets were outshot 27-24.

Blues 4, Sabres 1
ST. LOUIS -- Jaden Schwartz and Kyle Brodziak scored 1:35 apart early in the third period to send St. Louis to a victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
The victory broke a three-game winless streak for the Blues while the Sabres are winless in their last five games. The Blues defeated the Sabres for the ninth consecutive time and 19th time in their last 21 contests.
Schwartz broke a 1-1 tie 44 seconds into the third period, scoring off the rebound of a shot by right winger Dmitrij Jaskin. Brodziak followed with his first goal of the season at 2:19, redirecting a pass from right winger Ryan Reaves past goalie Robin Lehner. Left winger Scottie Upshall added an empty-net goal for the final margin.

Lightning 4, Red Wings 3
DETROIT -- Nikita Kucherov's second goal of the game, with 1:10 left, gave Tampa Bay a win over Detroit at Joe Louis Arena.
Captain Steven Stamkos and defenseman Nikita Nesterov also scored for Tampa Bay, which blew a two-goal lead in the third period. Vladislav Namestnikov had two assists and Ben Bishop made 25 saves.
Defenseman Ryan Sproul got his first career goal and had an assist, Frans Nielsen, captain Henrik Zetterberg scored for Detroit. Petr Mrazek stopped 18 shots.

Panthers 4, Canadiens 3 (OT)
MONTREAL -- Aaron Ekblad scored the overtime winner to lift Florida to a win over Montreal at the Bell Centre.
It marked the first time the Canadiens have lost consecutive games this season.
Carey Price made 20 saves for the Canadiens. Roberto Luongo stopped 34 shots for Florida. Alex Petrovic, Kyle Rau and Denis Malgin also scored for the Panthers.

Senators 3, Flyers 2
PHILADELPHIA -- Erik Karlsson scored the only goal of a five-round shootout to lead Ottawa to a win over Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center.
Kyle Turris sent the game into overtime with a wraparound goal on Flyers goaltender Steve Mason with 1:59 remaining in regulation. Karlsson got an assist on the play.
The Senators also received a goal from Mark Stone in the win, which improved their record to 10-5-1 despite the fact they have scored two or fewer goals in regulation in 10 straight games.

Blue Jackets 2, Capitals 1 (OT)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In come-from-behind fashion, Columbus beat Washington in overtime at Nationwide Arena.
Just 37 seconds into overtime, Cam Atkinson buried a wrist shot off the faceoff in the Capitals zone for the game-winning goal.
Rookie Zach Werenski scored his fifth goal of the season and now has points in all eight Columbus home games.

Hurricanes 1, Sharks 0
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Joakim Nordstrom scored his first goal of the season midway through the third period to break a scoreless tie as Carolina defeated San Jose at PNC Arena.
Goaltender Cam Ward made 22 saves as the Hurricanes won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The outcome ended a three-game winning streak for the Sharks, who have won half of their road games this season but couldn't generate much at the offensive end across the final two periods.

Devils 2, Stars 1 (OT)
DALLAS -- Adam Henrique scored 44 seconds into the overtime to give New Jersey its fifth straight victory, an overtime win against Dallas at American Airlines Center.
Henrique tapped in a pass from Kyle Palmieri off the rush for New Jersey, who is now 4-3 in overtime this season. Cory Schneider stopped 23 of 24 shots for the Devils.
Patrick Eaves scored the lone goal for Dallas, who is 0-5 in overtime this season. The Stars have lost their last eight in overtime dating back to last season.

Avalanche 4, Kings 1
DENVER -- Patrick Wiercioch and Rene Bourque scored goals 22 seconds apart, Semyon Varlamov had 32 saves and Colorado beat Los Angeles.
Wiercioch also had an assist and Blake Comeau scored in his return to the lineup for Colorado. Gabriel Landeskog scored an empty-net goal to seal it.
Dustin Brown scored for Los Angeles and Peter Budaj stopped 26 shots against his former squad. The Kings wrapped up their five-game road trip 1-3-1.

Ducks 4, Oilers 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Goalie John Gibson made a season-high 33 saves and Ryan Kesler scored his team-leading seventh goal in Anaheim's win over Edmonton at the Honda Center.
Nick Ritchie, Cam Fowler and Antoine Vermette also scored while Corey Perry added two assists for the Ducks.
Leon Draisaitl scored his fourth goal and goalie Cam Talbot stopped 23 shots for the Oilers.

Rangers 7, Canucks 2
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller scored two goals apiece as New York defeated Vancouver.
Mats Zuccarello added a goal and two assists. Brandon Pirri and Nick Holden also scored -- both on the power play -- for the Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers. Jesper Fast, Kevin Klein and Mika Zibanejad added two assists apiece and Brandon Sutter and Markus Granlund scored for the Canucks.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36 shots for New York and Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 18 saves.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

In the Crease - Week 6
By Joe Williams

Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Boston 7-2 past 9 overall Los Angeles Under 9-1-1 past 11
Calgary 1-6 past 7 overall Minnesota Under 6-1-1 past 8
Chicago 8-0-1 past 9 overall Ottawa Under 8-0 past 8
New Jersey 4-0 past 4 overall Pittsburgh Over 6-2-2 past 10
Vancouver 2-9-1 past 12 overall Tampa Bay Under 4-0-1 past 5

Deserted Island
The New York Islanders head into Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with just one win over their past seven outings (1-3-3), and 2-5-3 over their past 10 outings. They were blanked Monday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and they're averaging just 1.8 goals per game over the past seven games. They dropped a 4-2 decision at Pittsburgh Oct. 27 in their first meeting with the Pens, and they're 1-3-1 over the past two seasons against the Penguins while averaging just 1.4 goals per game.

Montreal Machine
The Montreal Canadiens have dropped their past two road outings, but they have been impenetrable at home. The Habs are a perfect 10-0-0 at home while allowing a total of 12 goals during the impressive span. While that streak is impressive, they also have a unique 0-0-4 record on their past four totals. Carey Price is schedule to start between the pipes Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. Al Montoya is 1-2-1 over his past four starts, while Carey Price is 10-0-0 with a 1.40 Goals-Against Average (GAA) with a .957 save percentage and a pair of shutouts.

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, Nov. 16
The Penguins and Capitals renew acquaintances Wednesday in the nation's capital. The Caps, who play in Columbus Monday, are just 1-4 in their past five games with zero days' rest. While the Penguins have won five of the past six meetings in this series, the home team is a perfect 5-0 in the past five meetings. The under is 10-4-1 in the past 15 meetings in Washington. ... The home team has won 14 of the past 19 meetings between the Coyotes and Flames. Arizona has won four of the past five in this series, although they're just 2-8 in their past 10 trips to southern Alberta. The under is 5-2-1 in the past eight meetings in the Saddledome, and 6-1 in the past seven meetings overall in this series.

Thursday, Nov. 17
The Panthers and Maple Leafs meet in Toronto for the second time this season. The Maple Leafs won the first meeting at the Air Canada Centre Oct. 27 by a 3-2 score as Fredrik Andersen bested Roberto Luongo. It was a rare win for the Leafs, who are just 3-8 in the past 11 meetings. Toronto is also just 1-4 in their past five games at home against Florida. ... San Jose meets St. Louis for the first time this season. The teams met in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs with the Sharks winning in seven. In five regular season and playoff games in St. Louis, the Sharks won four meetings. ... The Kings host the Oilers in the first meeting this season. Los Angeles swept the five-game series last season, and L.A. is a perfect 9-0 in their past nine home games against the Oilers dating back to Nov. 3, 2011. The Kings have outscored the Oilers 37-13 during the nine-game span.

Friday, Nov. 18
The Flames host the Blackhawks for the third meeting between the teams, and first in Calgary. The Blackhawks blasted the Flames 5-1 in the most recent meeting Nov. 1, while the Flames surprised the Blackhawks 3-2 in a shootout Oct. 24 in the first matchup. ... The Rangers invade Columbus Friday night. New York swept all four meetings last season, winning both games at Nationwide Arena by a 4-2 count. The Blue Jackets have lost seven straight in this series since their last win over the Blueshirts Oct. 11, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Penguins (10-3) at Capitals (9-4)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- One night after shuffling his lines produced an overtime loss at Columbus, coach Barry Trotz and the Washington Capitals return home to face Metropolitan Division rival Pittsburgh at the Verizon Center on Wednesday night.

The Capitals (9-4-2) lost for the third time in four games, 2-1, after their apparent go-ahead goal in the third period was erased by a coach's challenge and replay review ruling that T.J. Oshie was offside.

Nicklas Backstrom, on a line with Oshie and Marcus Johansson, scored Washington's lone goal. Center Jay Beagle got the start between Alex Ovechkin and Andre Burakovsky, but Ovechkin was scoreless for the fourth straight game.

"I thought we played better, we created more chances," Backstrom said. "Just a little unlucky we couldn't get two points there."

Washington has managed just five goals in four games.

Back-up netminder Philipp Grubauer made 25 saves. Braden Holtby (7-3-1, 2.16 goals-against average) gets the start Wednesday night against Penguins. He is 5-7-2 with a 2.71 goals-against average in 14 games vs. Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh (10-3-2) hasn't played since Saturday's win over Toronto. Wednesday's meeting will be the second between the teams following the Penguins' 3-2 shootout win on opening night.

Penguins' coach Mike Sullivan has made some line changes as well, recently reuniting the trio of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel after a brief split.

"I thought they had a real strong game the other night. They generated a numerous amount of chances," Sullivan told the team's website. "Since we've put them back together the coaching staff is very pleased with the looks that they're getting and how they're playing."

Sullivan is also pleased with the play of Evgeni Malkin, who has 10 points in his last nine games (6 goals, 4 assists).

"He's one of those players in the league that has the ability to be a difference maker," Sullivan said. "He's been very good on the power play. I think he's as dangerous a player as there is in the league off the rush. He can shoot the puck as well as pass the puck."

Sidney Crosby has scored goals in seven of the nine games he's played.

Tuesday's game started a stretch that will see Washington play three of four games vs. Metropolitan Division foes.

"Obviously when you're playing within your own division, they're four-point games," Trotz told the team's website. "They're extremely important, not that the other games aren't. But you get an opportunity within your own division to have an effect on it."

Johansson leads the Capitals with seven goals and five assists for 12 points. He is followed by Ovechkin, with seven goals and four assists. Ovechkin has 27 goals and 19 assists in 45 games against the Penguins.

Crosby, meanwhile, has totaled 19 goals and 36 assists 38 games vs. Washington, while Malkin has 12 and 35 in 33 games.

Sullivan said he would wait until game day to announce if his goaltender will be Matt Murray (4-0, 1.25 GAA) or Marc-Andre Fleury (6-3-2, 3.06) as the Penguins begin a three-game road trip.

Penguins defenseman Derrick Pouliot practiced Tuesday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury Oct. 20 against San Jose and will travel with the team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (5-9) at Flames (6-10)

Date: November 16, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

CALGARY, Alberta -- Fresh off their 1-0 road win over Minnesota Wild, the Calgary Flames will look to keep things rolling when they host the Arizona Coyotes at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

Left winger Johnny Gaudreau scored the lone goal for the Flames (6-10-1) against the Wild on Tuesday night, while goalie Chad Johnson stopped all 27 shots he faced for his fifth career shutout.

After the game, Flames coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters that he's anxious to see how his players will respond less than 24 hours later in front of their hometown fans against the Coyotes.

"Sometimes those things, you can get off to a good start because you've kind of got your motor already running," said Gulutzan. "We can't look at our situation as far as a negative. We've just got to go in and do the same thing another night against an Arizona team that is waiting for us. We've got to be strong mentally now and just push through these things."

Whether or not he gets the start against Arizona or if Gulutzan chooses to go back to netminder Brian Elliott, Johnson said the Flames have to bring the same intensity and focus to playing the Coyotes that they had against the Wild.

"You have to sort of refocus and you can't get too high or too low," said Johnson. "We'll just have to enjoy now as quickly as possible and then refocus for tomorrow, so it'll be a tough game."

The win over the Wild snapped a four-game losing streak for the Flames, who were without the services of Gaudreau late in the third period.

"I don't have any update on Johnny," said Gulutzan. "I know he took a couple of slashes ... we'll see when I talk to the guys, how he is."

Meanwhile, the Coyotes (5-9-0) haven't played since dropping a 2-1 decision to the Boston Bruins at home on Saturday night.

They received some good news on Tuesday when coach Dave Tippett said he expects that center Martin Hanzal and goalie Mike Smith will return to action during their quick road trip to play the Flames in Calgary on Wednesday and the Canucks in Vancouver the next night.

"They're both going to accompany us on the trip," Tippett told Fox Sports Arizona on Tuesday. "Both of them had a good, hard practise again today. If there are no repercussions tomorrow morning and they're ready to go, we'll put 'em in."

Smith hasn't played since Oct. 18 -- a span of 12 games -- since sustaining an injury to his left knee, while Hanzal has missed the past six contests with an upper-body injury.

"They're two good veteran players," said Tippett, while noting that the plan is for Smith and fellow goalie Louis Domingue to split the two games on the road trip. "Anytime you get your No. 1 goalie back, that gives your club a boost. And Marty Hanzal, we know the importance he has on our team as a centerman just to stabilize us in that position."

To make room for Hanzal and Smith on the roster, the Coyotes assigned rookie center Christian Dvorak and goalie Justin Peters to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.

If the Coyotes want to climb out of last place in the Western Conference, they'll have to find a way to replicate the success that the Flames had on the road against the Wild.

"We need to raise our desperation and compete," defenseman Connor Murphy said. "We need to turn it around before things slip away from us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Wednesday’s games

Penguins won five of last six games with Washington; three of last four went OT/SO. Over is 4-2-3 in last nine series games. Caps lost last five visits to Steel City, last four all by one goal. Pittsburgh won seven of its last nine games; they won three of last four on road. Over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Washington lost three of last four games; over is 3-2-1 in their last six games.

Arizona won four of last five games with Calgary; six of last seven series games stayed under the total. Coyotes won 2-1/4-1 in last two visits to Saddledome. Arizona lost three of last four games; five of their last seven games stayed under the total. Flames won 1-0 last night, their second win in last eight games; five of their last six games stayed under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Cavaliers hand Raptors 1st road loss
By The Sports Xchange

CLEVELAND -- Channing Frye's 3-pointer from the top of the arc off a pass from LeBron James in the final minute lifted the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 121-117 win over Toronto on Tuesday, handing the Raptors their first road loss of the season. Frye has made 11 3-pointers in his past two games.
With Oscar Robertson watching from close to the Cleveland bench, James fell one rebound shy of a triple-double with 28 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds. He had six assists in the fourth quarter alone.
Kevin Love scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Kyrie Irving added 24 points for the Cavaliers. Frye scored 21 points off the bench.
Toronto's Kyle Lowry scored 28 points and DeMar DeRozan added 26, marking just the second time in 10 games DeRozan failed to score at least 30. He began the night leading the league in scoring at 34 points per game.

Hawks 93, Heat 90
MIAMI -- Dennis Schroder led a balanced offense with 18 points as the Atlanta Hawks won their fifth game in a row by defeating struggling Miami.
Leading 89-88, Atlanta's Kent Bazemore made two free throws with 11.8 seconds left. Miami's Josh Richardson got a dunk on the other end, and Schroder's two free throws provided the final margin.
The win may have been costly for Atlanta (8-2), which suffered a potentially key injury. Center Dwight Howard left the game in the third quarter due to a left quad contusion. He finished the game with 11 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes.
Heat center Hassan Whiteside produced 19 points, 25 rebounds, two steals and one block. The 25 rebounds tied his career high and are also the most for any player in the NBA this season.

Hornets 115, Timberwolves 108
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kemba Walker scored 30 points and Nicolas Batum added 16 to key the Charlotte Hornets' second-half comeback in a victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Walker made 12 of 19 shots in scoring at least 20 points for the ninth straight game. He had six assists to surpass 2,000 in his career and added five steals and five rebounds. Frank Kaminsky came off the bench to score 20 points and hit three 3-pointers for Charlotte (7-3), which had lost back-to-back games against Toronto and Cleveland.
Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points for Minnesota (3-7). The Timberwolves hit 15 3-pointers, but Minnesota had 18 turnovers resulting in 20 points for Charlotte.

Bulls 113, Trail Blazers 88
PORTLAND, Ore -- Jimmy Butler scored 27 points as Chicago went wire to wire for a victory over Portland at the Moda Center.
Butler also had a season-high 12 rebounds and five assists for Chicago, which won its third consecutive game. Dwyane Wade contributed 19 points, five rebounds and five assists. Jerian Grant scored a season-high 18 points, and Robin Lopez had 13 points and 11 boards for the Bulls.
Damian Lillard scored 19 points and CJ McCollum added 17 for the Trail Blazers (7-5). Allen Crabbe had 15 points for Portland, which had won five of its previous six outings.

Lakers 125, Nets 118
LOS ANGELES -- D'Angelo Russell scored 32 points and Julius Randle recorded a triple-double as the Lakers defeated the Nets for the 16th time in their last 19 meetings.
Russell had one of his best games since he hung a career-high 39 points on the Nets in a 107-101 decision on March 1 at Staples. Russell scored 17 of his 19 first-half points in the second quarter, made 7 of 13 from 3-point range and 11 of 20 shots overall. Randle finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists as the Lakers (7-5).
Brook Lopez, who rested Monday in the Nets' 127-95 debacle against the Los Angeles Clippers, had 30 points and 10 rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 20 of his 29 points in the second half as Brooklyn (4-7) fell for the third time in four games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA betting road map: Extremely rough week ahead for the Raptors
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.

So far, this season, there hasn't been much difference between home and road teams (home teams are 76-74-2 ATS), or favorites and underdogs (favorites are 79-71-2 ATS) - but 'overs' are significantly outpacing 'unders' (162-140). And another trend to keep an eye on is that teams playing with same-season revenge are 13-5 ATS, including 11-1 ATS off a loss.

Spread Watch

We are three weeks into the NBA season, and many would not have guessed before the season that the two best teams - at least from the metrics - would be the Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks. But that's exactly what's happened.

The Clippers are 10-1 straight-up and 9-2 ATS, while the Hawks are 7-2, both straight-up and ATS. And they're the only two teams with a Net (Efficiency) Rating and a Margin of Victory over 10.0. This week, both teams have relatively soft schedules. Atlanta will play road games at Miami (Tuesday), Charlotte (Friday) and New York (Sunday), wrapped around a home game on Wednesday vs. Milwaukee. The Clippers, meanwhile, will host Memphis (Wednesday) and Chicago (Saturday), sandwiched around a road trip on Friday to the spanking-new Golden 1 Center to play Sacramento.

Of these games, I really want to fade Atlanta as a big road favorite, on Tuesday, in Miami. The Hawks are riding a 4-game SU/ATS win streak, including a 117-96 blowout of Philly in their last game. Unfortunately for Atlanta, teams that are off back-to-back wins have covered just 12 of their last 54 games, if they scored 117+ points in their last game, and their opponent is off a straight-up loss. Take Miami on Tuesday.

Total Watch

The Phoenix Suns are playing at the fastest Pace Factor in the NBA, as they are averaging 102.7 possessions per game. Not surprisingly, the Suns have gone 'over' the total in nine of 11 contests, including their last nine in a row. And their last game - a 133-120 loss at Golden State - was their highest-scoring game (253 points) of the season yet, and it went 'over' the total by a whopping 27 points.

This week, the Suns will play road games against three other teams ranked high in Pace Factor. On Wednesday, Phoenix will travel to Denver (6th in Pace), before playing Indiana (9th in Pace) on Friday, and Philly (11th in Pace) on Saturday. That game vs. Philly has all the earmarks of a high-scoring contest. Both meetings last season between the 76ers and Suns went 'over' the total, and the 76ers have played six of their last eight 'over' as well.

Injury Watch

The Minnesota Timberwolves' starting point guard, Ricky Rubio, returned from injury on Saturday to play 24 minutes against the Clippers (and then 34 minutes the next night vs. the Lakers). Rubio, who was out five games with a sprained right elbow, reached double-digits in points and assists, and added three steals in Sunday's 125-99 win, and that's great news for the young T-Wolves, who were 2-3 in his absence.

Currently, Minnesota is 3-6, and two games behind the Lakers, who occupy the eighth (and final) playoff spot in the Western Conference. But if their 26-point win over the Lakers is any indication, then we could be looking at a playoff team come April, if its players can stay healthy. Certainly, Andrew Wiggins is playing at an All-Star level. After scoring 47 points on Sunday, he's now averaging 26.3 ppg on 48% FG shooting, and has a 21.85 PER.

This week, Minnesota will host Charlotte and Philly, before traveling to Memphis for a Saturday night game. That game against Memphis should be a very good spot to step in and take Minnesota, as I feel they match-up well vs. Memphis. The two teams have already met twice this season. Minnesota coughed up a 20-3 lead, and lost 102-98 at Memphis in the season-opener for both squads. Then, six days later, the T-Wolves blew out the Grizzlies, 116-80, in a game Rubio did not play. Minnesota is 7-3 ATS its last 10 games vs. Memphis, and I would take the points with the T-Wolves in the upcoming match-up.

Schedule Watch

Sports handicappers have many tools in their arsenal, and one is the schedule. There are all sorts of factors at which to look. For example, teams often play each other with different amounts of rest. Or, perhaps, a team may be playing its third game in four nights, or fifth game in seven nights.

And, then, sometimes, it's important to consider a particular opponent which a team just played. On Friday, the Toronto Raptors will be at Denver and, on the surface, it looks like an awful spot for the Raptors. That's because it will be Toronto's third game in four nights, and it also will be coming into that game off back-to-back games vs. the league's two premier teams (Wednesday vs. the Golden State Warriors; Tuesday vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers).

Denver not only will be playing that game with revenge from a 105-102 loss to Toronto on Halloween, but the Nuggets are also 50-22 ATS at home since 1990 when well-rested, and playing a rested opponent on its third game in four nights. Denver is also 28-13 ATS its last 41 vs. the Raptors.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (9-1) at Pacers (5-6)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers will host LeBron James and the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Before the season, many experts picked the Pacers to be one of the few teams that could challenge Cleveland in the Eastern Conference. However, things haven't as well as planned for Indiana in the early going.

They come into Wednesday night with a 5-6 record, and a lot of questions on the defensive end. They're hoping that their win over the Magic on Monday was a step in the right direction, as they held Orlando to 69 points. Before that, the Pacers were giving up 108 points per game, fifth worst in the NBA.

"The defense started to come together," Myles Turner told NBA.com. "The togetherness was there. The toughness was there. The communication was there. Obviously, we have the talent on offense; but, once we're tied together on defense, our offense will spark our defense."

Despite the losing record, the Pacers are 5-1 at home this season. In recent years, Bankers Life Fieldhouse has been a tough place for LeBron James' teams to play. The Cavaliers beat the Pacers in Indianapolis in February last season. James's teams hadn't won a regular-season game in Indiana since February 2012 before that.

"Bankers Life Fieldhouse is always tough," James said. "It's been tough my whole career."

"It's a big game," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "The world champs are coming in here. It's kind of a game where you measure yourself."

Rodney Stuckey (hamstring) was a full participant in practice this week but is still expected to be out against Cleveland. He could return for the Pacers this weekend.

The Cavaliers will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. They defeated the Toronto Raptors 121-117 on Tuesday and come in with the best record in the Eastern Conference (9-1), just a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for best record in the NBA.

There has been no NBA Finals hangover from Cleveland so far this season. Nine wins in their first 10 games matches the best start in franchise history.

James is averaging nearly a triple-double. He had 28 points to go along with 14 rebounds and nine assists on Tuesday night.

"I don't really pay attention to records, but I do pay attention to the teams we are playing and what they bring to the table," James said. "It will be a good test. But we're already tested."

J.R. Smith didn't play on Tuesday night and is questionable for Wednesday with a right ankle sprain. Smith is just three 3-pointers behind Dirk Nowitzki for 15th on the all-time list.

Former Pacer Mike Dunleavy could start in his place. Dunleavy has shot 42 percent from behind the arc in his career against the Pacers, though he's off to a rough start with his new team this year.

The Cavaliers have made at least 10 3-pointers in each game this season. That will be something to watch for in this game, as the Pacers have struggled defending the three.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (2-9) at Magic (4-7)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Anthony Davis is toiling on his own while putting up gaudy numbers to start the season for the New Orleans Pelicans.

The superstar forward averages 30.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game for the 2-9 squad. He is shooting 48.7 percent from the floor, impressive for a high-usage player such as Davis.

Davis, after a year dealing with injuries and his team's own struggles, is reclaiming his spot atop the league as one of the most unique and singular talents.

Again though, the Pelicans' injury issues and his team's struggles are holding his stardom back.

New Orleans, which picked up its second victory of the season Monday night at home against the Boston Celtics, has only two other players averaging at least 10 points. The fourth-highest scorer, Lance Stephenson, was cut a week ago. The team is still hurting to score, averaging 98.9 points per 100 possessions.

Davis takes a lot of attention, but he needs help. The good news is he may very well get it soon.

Wednesday's game in Orlando may very well be the last one for Davis without former All-Star guard Jrue Holiday running alongside him. Holiday has been out the entire training camp and preseason to be with his wife, U.S. Women's Soccer star Lauren Holiday, after the birth of their child and surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.

The Pelicans announced Tuesday that Holiday will return to the team for Thursday's practice and play Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters Holiday has been working out twice per day and appears in great shape as he rejoins the team.

It is something the Pelicans desperately need.

"It will probably take him a couple of games to get back, but as long as he is on the floor it's going to be good,' Davis told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "When you are missing one of your guys and they come back around, it's always a happy feeling."

Holiday averaged 16.8 points per game and 6.0 assists per game in 65 games last year for New Orleans. Adding him back to the lineup will be a major benefit and support to Davis and the Pelicans' fledgling offense.

Until he returns, they can take solace in playing another team that is struggling as much as they are.

The Magic (4-7) scored only 69 points against the Indiana Pacers in a 19-point loss Monday. Their 33 percent shooting continued to crater their league-worst 41.0 percent shooting this season. Like the Pelicans, the Magic rank near the bottom of the league in points per 100 possessions.

"We had a few games now where we just can't score, we can't find a rhythm offensively," Magic center Nikola Vucevic told the Orlando Sentinel following Monday's game. "I don't know the exact reason for it. We're getting good shots. Maybe we can get better shots."

Magic coach Frank Vogel called his team's performance Monday "very disappointing," especially after scoring 119 points in Oklahoma City the night before in an emotional victory.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (2-7) at 76ers (1-9)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Veteran point guard John Wall appears to be getting healthier. The struggling Washington Wizards can only hope to say the same.

Wall, who leads the team in scoring (22.3) and assists (8.3), underwent surgery on both knees in May and has not played games on consecutive days in the early stages of this season. CSN Washington reported Tuesday, however, that Wall is approaching the point where such restrictions might be lifted.

Washington, which is 2-7 and in last place in the NBA's Southeast Division, plays the first half of a back-to-back Wednesday night on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers (1-9). The Wizards host the New York Knicks on Thursday.

Bradley Beal, the Wizards' other starting guard, has missed the last two games with tightness in his right hamstring. He practiced Monday, however, and told the Washington Post he hopes to play versus Philadelphia.

"It's not great," said Beal, the Wizards' second-leading scorer (15.4). "It's not 1,000 percent, but it's pretty close."

Without Wall and Beal, the Wizards dropped a 106-95 decision to Chicago on Saturday night. After the game, starting center Marcin Gortat told reporters that Washington has "one of the worst benches in the league right now."

The Washington Post reported that Gortat apologized to his teammates Monday, and that coach Scott Brooks was quick to extinguish the brushfire.

"I look at things from a whole," Brooks told the newspaper. "When I played, I was a backup, and I didn't like to be divided. We don't have two teams here, we have one basketball team, and right now we're not happy and content on being 2-7."

Brooks, in his first year with the Wizards after seven as the Oklahoma City Thunder's head coach, spent 10 seasons in the NBA as a reserve point guard, the first two of those with Philadelphia.

The Sixers beat Indiana in overtime last Friday for their lone victory of the season, snapping a 44-game losing streak in October/November games. They fell 117-96 the next night in Atlanta, and were beaten 115-88 Monday night in Houston, running their road losing streak to 20 contests. That equals the second-longest skid in franchise history.

"Tonight, we just didn't really fight," veteran guard Gerald Henderson told the Philadelphia Inquirer after the loss to the Rockets. "As a defense, you need to be locked in ... on their individual players, their tendencies, and all that stuff.

"We got physically (and) just effort-wise, dominated."

Rookie center Joel Embiid continues to excel, averaging team highs of 18 points and 7.3 rebounds despite being limited to 24 minutes a game as a precaution. Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, missed two seasons while recovering from a pair of foot surgeries.

Philadelphia will be without forward Ben Simmons, the top overall pick in the 2016 draft, until at least January following foot surgery. Center/forward Nerlens Noel (knee surgery) and guard Jerryd Bayless (wrist) have also yet to play this season, though the latter was assigned on Monday to the Sixers' NBA Development League team, the Delaware 87ers. He hopes to return by the end of the month.

The Wizards have been without backup center Ian Mahinmi (torn medial meniscus, left knee) through their first nine games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (5-4) at Hawks (8-2)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- The Hawks are the home team against Milwaukee on Wednesday, but it is the Bucks who will be playing after a good night's sleep in Atlanta.

The Bucks have been idle since a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in Milwaukee on Saturday, while the Hawks are playing the second half of a back-to-back after stretching their winning streak to five games with a 93-90 victory Tuesday in Miami.

The Hawks (8-2) are 2-0 in the finale of consecutive games this season, following up a loss at Washington with a home victory over Houston and starting their winning streak with victories at Cleveland and at home against Chicago.

Atlanta, though, could be without Dwight Howard against the Bucks (5-4).

The center sustained a left quad contusion late in the third quarter Tuesday against the Heat and didn't return.

After the victory, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer didn't rule out Howard being able to play against the Bucks. That may be a reach, however.

"Dwight took a knee to his knee area or just above his knee," Budenholzer said. "There's some swelling, and we'll just have to be aggressive in treating him and hopefully getting him ready to play (Wednesday). We'll just see how the next 20 to 24 hours go."

Howard was to get treatment on the trip back to Atlanta and will have more Wednesday before a decision is made on his status. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the injury was "super painful."

One of the keys to the Hawks' good start this season has been their bench, and Mike Muscala likely would get the start if Howard can't go against the Bucks.

Muscala scored 14 points in 22 minutes against the Heat, going 6 of 7 from the floor. He also had five rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Howard would be a major loss if he can't play, though, especially on defense. The Hawks struggled mightily trying to contain Heat center Hassan Whiteside after the 6-foot-11 Howard left, with Paul Millsap finally having to take the role.

Howard, who has been rejuvenated after signing with his hometown Hawks, had 11 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes for his eighth double-double. He came into the Heat game averaging 15.2 points and 12.4 rebounds.

Bucks coach Jason Kidd wouldn't mind at all not having to face Howard.

"He's playing like he did earlier in his career," the coach told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's dominating. They're looking for him and they're finding him. He causes a big problem. You put shooters around him, and he causes an even bigger problem."

The Bucks won the first two of their three games against the Hawks last season, with both victories requiring overtime.

Jabari Parker had 28 points and 13 rebounds in a 117-109 double-OT win in Atlanta after Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 28 points and 16 rebounds to lead a 108-101 victory at Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo, a 6-foot-11 native of Greece, is off to a breakout start as a 21-year-old in his fourth NBA season. He leads the Bucks in scoring (21.3), rebounds (8.3), blocks (2.1) and steals (2.0) while ranking second in assists (5.3).

In Milwaukee's 106-96 victory over Memphis on Saturday, Antetokounmpo bounced back from a couple of so-so games with 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks in 30 minutes.

"It felt good," Antetokounmpo said after the victory. "My teammates wanted me to get back in rhythm, and I did whatever it took to get back in rhythm. They told me from day one they need me."

The Hawks placed six players in double figures against the Heat and have had at least five reach that level in every game except one.

"I just feel like we have a lot of guys who are playing well right now, a lot of guys playing with a lot of confidence," Budenholzer said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (2-7) at Celtics (5-5)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas tied his career high with 37 points for the Boston Celtics at New Orleans on Monday night.

In New York, Harrison Barnes registered his fourth straight 20-point game for the Dallas Mavericks.

The individual efforts, however, didn't lead to victories and the teams meet at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

"I think we're at a time where as a team each person has to look at individually what they can do," Barnes, who won a ring with the Golden State Warriors last season, said after the Mavs, again playing without Dirk Nowitzki, lost 93-77 to the Knicks.

Thomas, the Celtics' little giant, put on a one-man show in the fourth quarter in New Orleans, only to have the Pelicans emerge with just their second win in 11 games.

"I don't feel like we played as well as we should have," Avery Bradley said after his team fell to 5-5. "Even myself -- I don't feel like I came out and made shots in the second half and it hurt our team. It can't just be Isaiah; it has to be other guys that are out there making plays for each other and making shots."

Nowitzki has missed the last four games for the Mavs (2-7) with an Achilles injury, joining teammates Deron Williams and Devin Harris on the sideline. He went through an extensive working in New York pre-game but just wasn't ready. It didn't sound like Wednesday would be any different.

"The biggest issue is just the running. I'm not a big runner at this stage of my career, but I can't really go up and down yet," Nowitzki said Monday. "I haven't really done a full practice, so I'm just not quite there yet. But the good thing is it's getting better.

"Since sitting out last week, obviously, I'm doing more and more. We've increased the load, so I'm getting closer. But unfortunately, we just couldn't pull it off tonight."

Owner Mark Cuban told the Dallas Morning News: "You play the hand you're dealt. I think he's really close. He's feeling better. We just don't want to rush anything. There's no reason to. We'll wait until they're healthy."

While Dallas has been missing its aging star and two others, the Celtics have been without Al Horford (concussion, seven games) and former Mav Jae Crowder (ankle, six games). Both were close, but Crowder is out Wednesday and Horford is a possibility to return.

"We're trying to be as smart as we can about this," Horford said. "I just want to make sure that when I'm ready to go I'm good to go."

Thomas scored 37 Monday despite a sore middle finger on his left hand. He also had seven assists while going 13-for-29 from the floor.

"I just don't have the same feel I have when it's not swollen, so a lot of my layups and (shots) come off my hand wrong," he said. "I'm just trying to slowly figure it out and adjust. It's tough, but there's no excuses, so I'll figure it out."

Said coach Brad Stevens: "Isaiah's super tough. He always has nicks and bruises because of the way he plays, but he's a tough guy."

Thomas, who has had at least 20 points in all 10 Boston games, is eighth in the NBA with a 26.9 scoring average and is 10th with 6.6 assists. He is averaging the same number of rebounds and turnovers -- 2.8.

Barnes, who signed a $94 million contract with the Mavericks, was shaky in the preseason. But he has been coming on. He has raised his scoring average to 22.3 points per game, to go along with 5.9 rebounds.

The Mavericks swept the two-game season series with the Celtics for the third straight year in 2015-16 and bring a seven-game series winning streak into this game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (6-5) at Knicks (4-6)

Date: November 16, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Detroit Pistons answered questions about whether they could find a capable replacement for Andre Drummond in their frontcourt.

The New York Knicks answered inquiries about whether they can defend.

Now comes the follow-up for both teams.

Drummond may be out with a sprained right ankle Wednesday when the Pistons visit the Knicks, who are coming off their best defensive showing of the young season.

Drummond missed his first game due to injury since March 19, 2014. He had an MRI, which revealed no structural damage, and did not practice Tuesday. The injury is not serious and if he does not play in New York, Drummond will likely return Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without the league's leading rebounder, the Pistons recorded a 104-88 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday night. Drummond's absence was compensated for by Aron Baynes finishing with 20 points (one shy of his career high) and eight rebounds.

"I put it back on everyone else. Everything they got me, I was in great position," Baynes said. "All the way through the team, they got me great looks and I just had to finish. On a couple of them, I didn't, so I still have some work to do."

Technically Baynes' comments are accurate since seven of his eight baskets were within 6 feet of the rim.

"He's a starting center in the NBA. He's just playing behind an All-Star," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You look around at all the starting centers and Aron's a starting-caliber center in the league, so it's not surprising he played as well as he did."

Now comes a chance for Detroit to play well on the road. While the Pistons are 5-0 at home and each win has been by double-digits, the road has been a significant different story.

"Our defense at home has been great," Van Gundy said. "I'm not quite sure why we haven't been able to duplicate that on the road yet, but we're locked in at home."

Detroit was 0-5 on the road before taking a 15-point lead through the first quarter of Saturday's 106-95 road win against the Denver Nuggets. During their first six road games, the Pistons have allowed 105 points per game while averaging 94.3 points.

In their seventh road game, Detroit will encounter a team that gave up less than 100 points for the second time this season. The Knicks are 4-6 after getting a 93-77 victory over the Dallas Mavericks Monday night.

A week after naming former interim head coach and current assistant Kurt Rambis as "defensive coordinator," the Knicks held a team under 80 points for the first time since April 11, 2015, at Orlando and the first time at home since Dec 11, 2013, against the Chicago Bulls.

Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony had 24 points apiece and the Knicks took control over the final eight-plus minutes of the third quarter. During the second half Joakim Noah watched from the bench as coach Jeff Hornacek moved Porzingis to center while using Justin Holiday extensively at small forward.

"I got to figure out ways to be effective on that end of the floor," Noah said.

Noah had six rebounds and was scoreless in 16 minutes. Noah has reached double-figures once and has been held scoreless twice, but any changes in the starting lineup are not occurring based on one half of Porzingis playing center and Anthony playing power forward.

"I don't think so. Noah does a nice job in there defensively," Hornacek said. "It may depend on the team (we're playing). Maybe we can go there (small) a little bit more often. But we're not, just because we were good in the second half doesn't mean we're going to change it."

The move worked as Porzingis exploited his height advantage on Andrew Bogut while the Knicks gave up a season-low 26 points in the paint.

"I'll keep playing the four if they play me at the four," Porzingis said. "And if I'm at the five, I'll try to be as productive as I can at the five."

Detroit took the first meeting with the Knicks when Tobias Harris scored 25 points in a 102-89 home win on Nov. 1. Drummond had nine points and 13 rebounds but has eight career double-doubles against New York.

The Knicks have won 11 of the last 13 meetings at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (8-2) at Raptors (7-3)

Date: November 16, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The schedule does not get any easier for the Toronto Raptors after they took a hard-fought 121-117 loss to the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

The Raptors, who dropped the Eastern Conference final to the Cavaliers last season, returned home Wednesday to face the Golden State Warriors at Air Canada Centre.

The Warriors were NBA finalists last season, losing a seven-game series to Cleveland after winning the championship the season before.

"The computer that spit out the schedule, I'm going to find it and break it," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

The Raptors (7-3) also lost to the Cavaliers 94-91 at the ACC in their second game of the season, Oct. 28.

Casey feels the games are too early in the season to draw conclusions.

"It's good for us; it's not a measuring stick," Casey said. "I think we're still trying to get our rotations down as far as what we want to do in certain situations, who we want to guard, who can do what in certain situations. (We are) still trying to figure those things out a little bit. It's that part of the year. I'd rather go ahead and get these (games against) two of the best teams in the league in now and go from there."

The Warriors arrived in Toronto on a four-game winning streak in which they outscored the other teams by a total of 68 points.

Golden State (8-2) faces a test of its own on a four-game trip that opens in Toronto and is followed with visits to the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers in a six-day span. The four Eastern Conference teams have a combined record of 22-18.

"The challenge gets bigger now," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We're playing playoff teams on the road, East Coast and all of that. It's not going to be easy, but it's coming at a good time, and we're going to embrace it."

Stephen Curry said, "Obviously on the road, it'll expose us to different challenges and we'll see where we are. I think we're ready for it."

Curry remains the catalyst for the Warriors even with the addition this season of Kevin Durant.

"(Curry) kind of gets us started almost every game," Durant said, "when we need an extra surge of energy, coming down to make shots. But also making the right play, scramble for guys. He's just doing it all to be a complete player."

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, who had 28 points and nine assists Tuesday, said he took no solace in being a tough opponent for the Cavaliers.

"I'm not encouraged by any loss," Lowry said. "We want to win every single game."

Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan failed to score 30 points for only the second time this season when he was held to 26 on Tuesday. DeRozan has been the main story on the Raptors this season.

"He is mature," Casey said. "He's a man now, as opposed to a kid getting beat up in those situations, and the officials respect him now; whereas, three or four years ago they probably would let the veterans get away with a lot of stuff. The game has slowed down for him, and I see that as being the biggest change for him."

Toronto forward DeMarre Carroll did not play for the second game in a row Tuesday as he continues to come back from right knee surgery.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (6-4) at Thunder (6-5)

Date: November 16, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- After starting the season with a 6-1 record, the Oklahoma City Thunder were being looked at as the surprise team in the NBA. A week later, the Thunder are in a tailspin, riding a four-game losing streak.

That is the situation that awaits the Thunder (6-5) when they play host to the Houston Rockets (6-4) on Wednesday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The latest loss came Monday night when Thunder traveled to Detroit on the second night of a back-to-back. Near the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, Oklahoma City allowed the Pistons to go on a 23-6 run. It was an uphill battle from that point on, and Detroit emerged with a 104-88 victory.

"Defensively we started with really good energy," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "In fairness to our guys, you can always expect on a back-to-back that you're going to be a bit leg weary. Generally that's going to affect your offense. Sometimes on back-to-backs you can't put stock or onus on having a great offensive output, but you have to hang your hat on your defense."

Oklahoma City's defense is getting precipitately worse, but it hasn't just been against teams such as the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder's last two defeats came at the hands of the Orlando Magic and Detroit, clubs that rank in the bottom seven in the NBA in scoring. Each team managed to score over a 100 against the Thunder.

"We're one of the top teams in the league when we play defensively," Thunder guard Russell Westbrook told The Oklahoman. "So I'm not really worried about who's playing and who's not."

Having issues with defense, however, is not a good problem to have with the Rockets in town. Houston is 10th in the league in scoring at 107.8 points per game and fifth in 3-point shooting at 37 percent.

Houston has not had a problem putting up points this season. The Rockets are coming off a 115-88 plastering of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

"I thought they came out with the right intensity, they came out the way they should have," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We talked about it and came out in the second half the way we should have. That way we got some good rest. I saw a lot of good things."

The Rockets might get even stronger Wednesday with the possible return of guard Patrick Beverley, who has been out since the preseason after undergoing left knee surgery.

Beverley and the Thunder have a history that goes back to when he crashed into Westbrook's knee during the 2013 postseason. Westbrook ended up with a torn meniscus that cost him the rest of the postseason. Thunder fans catapulted Beverley to the top of their most hated list, which he has held onto since then.

Against the 76ers, Rockets guard James Harden posted 33 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. He is now one of only three players in history to average at least 30 points and 10 assists through 10 games. Harden was also named Western Conference Player of the Week.

However, Harden seems to be more focused on making sure his team plays the right way.

"We're getting better game by game, and defensively we're getting better and offensively has been better, too," Harden told ESPN.com. "We take it one game at a time. These next three games will be extremely tough; we'll be all right as long as we continue to do the things we've been working on."

Asked his assessment of the Thunder in the wake of Kevin Durant exit in free agency, Harden said, "It's Russ. It's Russ, and it's a one-man show."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (3-8) at Nuggets (3-7)

Date: November 16, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Denver Nuggets' promising start has quickly gone south just 10 games into the season.

Denver beat New Orleans and Boston on the road on its way to a 3-3 start, but nothing has gone right for the team since. Four straight losses have the Nuggets in the basement of the Northwest Division heading into Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Suns.

Now the Nuggets (3-7) will play the next four weeks without starting shooting guard Gary Harris. Harris, who didn't play Sunday in a loss at Portland, is out with a foot injury suffered Saturday in a loss to Detroit. Harris started the season on the injured list with a groin injury, but this one is a big blow to a team struggling on both ends of the floor.

Harris provides offense and strong perimeter defense, but what the Nuggets need right now is to find cohesion. That missing element is a little surprising because the team bonded during training camp in Omaha, Neb., and during a ton of time on the road during the preseason.

"It is surprising because you would think we'd have a better start because of how we got closer in training camp," point guard Emmanuel Mudiay told The Denver Post. "We're closer as a team this year than we were last year off the court. But, on the court, we have to keep working. We have to stay together."

Harris' absence at the start of the season was mitigated by Will Barton moving into the starting lineup. Barton, however, is nursing a severely sprained right ankle and coach Michael Malone said he could miss 4-6 weeks, which would put his return nearly at the end of November.

Denver also made a roster move Tuesday, waiving little-used guard/forward Jarnell Stokes.

The injuries could give rookie Jamal Murray a chance to shine. He is shooting 44 percent from 3-point range over the last five games and seems to have settled down after a rough start offensively.

If he does start, Murray will face a strong Phoenix backcourt led by Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker. The young guards have played well despite Phoenix's 3-8 record.

The Suns are one of the more exciting young offensive teams in the league. They've lost four of their last five but got center Tyson Chandler back in the loss to Golden State on Sunday after he was away from the team following his mother's death.

"Tyson brings a lot of fire," Suns guard Devin Booker told The Arizona Republic. "He's a vocal leader for us. We need that. He's been there. In those tough games, he knows what to expect."

The Suns' poor record aside, they have the talent to be good in the future. At least that's what current Golden State coach and former Suns general manager Steve Kerr thinks.

"If you look four or five years ago with the Warriors, when Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) were really young, they hadn't quite turned the corner," Kerr told sfgate.com. "Eventually they did with (coach) Mark (Jackson), and getting (Andrew) Bogut, becoming a great defensive team. I like what the Suns are doing. It's a team that's going to be interesting to watch over the next couple years."

The Nuggets are concerned about the current Phoenix team, as well as their own. Malone changed his starting lineup two games ago, inserting Kenneth Faried at power forward and bringing Nikola Jokic off the bench. It hasn't produced a win, but the hope is it will soon.

"I think I need to have more fun out there," Jokic told The Denver Post. "I think I just need to relax more. And then everything will be a little better."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (8-3) at Kings (4-7)

Date: November 16, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The San Antonio Spurs are only now getting used to having their starting five perfectly healthy. Not that it's kept them from navigating the road unblemished during the season's first three weeks.

The Spurs carry a 5-0 road mark into Wednesday's contest at Sacramento, a place where they've already won once this season. Danny Green, a 10.6.-point-per-game scorer in 16 games against Sacramento, missed San Antonio's first nine contests, including its 102-94 victory here on Oct. 27.

That marked one of nine games the Spurs (8-3) endured without their forecasted starting five. All three losses came without 19-year veteran Tony Parker, who sat with a knee injury.

Parker, Green, Kawhi Leonard (25.5 points per game), LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol did not take the floor together until Nov. 12 in Houston. On Wednesday, they'll be starting together for the third straight game -- the Spurs have won three straight since Parker returned.

"Tony is Tony," teammate Manu Ginobili told the San Antonio Express-News after the Spurs' 94-90 home win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. "He's been the point guard of this team for 16 years. It's not something where he can take 10 days off and we're not going to feel it."

The Spurs next get to see how strong their road magic is over the next three weeks. San Antonio kicks off a stretch in which it will play nine of 12 games away from AT&T Center. Five of the next six are on the road.

"It's always tough to play on the road," Leonard told reporters. "We've just got to focus in, as always."

The Heat weren't good for the Spurs' renewed health. Green took a knee in the groin and missed the second half. Center Dewayne Dedmon, averaging 4.9 rebounds in 13 minutes per game off the bench, sprained his left knee in the third quarter after colliding with Justise Winslow.

Green is questionable to play against the Kings, but Dedmon is out. Dedmon put up a season-best 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks while helping defend Kings center DeMarcus Cousins in San Antonio's earlier victory.

Cousins and his teammates haven't played since Saturday, and coach Dave Joerger used the four-day break to run through an offense that his players have been working to learn since camp. The break is their longest this season, not counting the All-Star break.

Sacramento nearly climbed all the way out of a hole it created by losing five of its first seven, but the Kings blew a 19-point lead in a home loss to the Lakers, then fell in overtime at Portland the next night. Now, the Kings (4-7) will fall a season-worst four below .500 if they lose to the Spurs, a team that has beaten them seven consecutive times.

Cousins is scoring 26.6 points per game, the ninth-best mark in the NBA, but the Kings have won only when they've defended. Three of their four wins have come when they've held an opponent under 100 points, and opponents were shooting 45 percent and turning over the ball an average of 11.3 times.

But Sacramento turns over the ball a lot, too. The Kings committed 15 against Portland, leading to 25 points, and have averaged 13 turnovers in their seven losses.

"I think some of them are just careless," Joerger told the Sacramento Bee. "The long passes, I love the fact that guys are out running, and we're looking for our teammates. Those are good. But we're not completing them. Nothing bad happens if you don't throw that pass. Something bad can happen if it doesn't get there."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (5-5) at Clippers (10-1)

Date: November 16, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Despite being the NBA's hottest team, the Los Angeles Clippers believe there is room for improvement.

"At the end of the day, we like us, but as good as we are playing now, we could be playing a lot better," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I think that our guys believe that this is a different group, and it is. The bench is immensely different, and we have an amazing chemistry."

The Clippers will shoot for their eighth consecutive win Wednesday night when they mix it up with the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center.

Owners of the league's best record, the Clippers (10-1) have dominated at home, winning five of six. Their home margin of victory is an average of 25.2 points per game. Overall, they have outscored the opposition by 183 points, the largest differential in the NBA.

On Monday, the Clippers pounded the Brooklyn Nets 127-95 at Staples. Point guard Chris Paul led the way with 21 points, nine assists and five steals. The Clippers had 21 steals for the game.

"For us, it's just about doing the right things consistently," said Clippers guard Jamal Crawford, who came off the bench to score 17 points against the Nets. "No matter who we are playing, we're all just working on us, so that's good for us."

Defense has been the most consistent asset, as the Clippers lead the league in points allowed (92.2 per game) and points differential (plus-16.6). Los Angeles also is tops in opponents' field-goal percentage at 40.9 percent.

On offense, the Clippers are averaging 108.8 points per game, which is fourth best.

Never known for its scoring prowess, Memphis has struggled on offense. The Grizzlies average 97.5 points per game, tied for 26th in the NBA. They are allowing 101.9 points (11th best).

The Grizzles (5-5) are in the midst of a four-game road trip. After a 106-96 setback at Milwaukee to open the swing, they bounced back with a 102-96 decision Monday over the Jazz at Utah. It was the Grizzlies' first win away from home after three defeats.

"I feel like this is the best four quarters we've put together," first-year Memphis coach David Fizdale said. "They want to win. They really want this, and we worked really hard over the last couple of days to clean things up."

Memphis center Pau Gasol added, "The first half was really good as far as percentage goes. The second half we became a little more static but were able to find the open guy and execute a little bit, especially down the stretch."

In addition to Gasol, Memphis is getting a lift from several of its veteran players, most notably 39-year-old forward Vince Carter, who is averaging 19 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor in the past three games.

"I just love the guy," Fizdale said, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "How can you not root for one of the great citizens of this league? Everyone respects him. The locker room will do anything for him."

Memphis guard Tony Allen (right groin) sat out his third consecutive game Monday. Brandan Wright (left ankle) has yet to play this season. Neither is expected to be available against Los Angeles.

Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (left heel contusion) missed the past two games. Johnson said he expects to return for the Memphis game.

The Clippers defeated the Grizzlies 99-88 in the teams' initial meeting this season on Nov. 4 at Memphis.