Wednesday 12/7/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Porto

v

Leicester

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		7/20	17/4	10	More markets

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

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

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

RECOMMENDATION: No goalscorer
1


REFEREE: Felix Zwayer STADIUM:

European Cup TODAY 19:45

Tottenham

v

CSKA Mosc.

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

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

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

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

RECOMMENDATION: H-M Son to score
1


REFEREE: Nicola Rizzoli STADIUM:

Europa League Th 8Dec 18:00

Zorya

v

Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		10	4	4/11	More markets

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

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

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

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Tamas Bognar STADIUM:

Europa League Th 8Dec 20:05

Southampton

v

H Beer Sheva

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		4/9	7/2	8	More markets

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

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

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

RECOMMENDATION: Southampton to win 3-1
1


REFEREE: Paolo Tagliavento STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: CL Matchday 6 Odds

Wednesday, December 7

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

Bayer Leverkusen -125
AS Monaco +315
Draw +280
Over 2.5 -130
Under 2.5 -110

Tottenham Hotspur -195
CSKA Moskva +500
Draw +325
Over 2.5 -125
Under 2.5 -115

Real Madrid -125
Borussia Dortmund +300
Draw +290
Over 2.5 -200
Under 2.5 +150

Legia Warszawa +325
Sporting CP -125
Draw +280
Over 2.5 -140
Under 2.5 +100

Club Brugge +260
FC Copenhagen +100
Draw +250
Over 2.5 -120
Under 2.5 -120

FC Porto -275
Leicester City +750
Draw +375
Over 2.5 -120
Under 2.5 -120

Olympique Lyonnais +150
Sevilla +180
Draw +230
Over 2.5 -110
Under 2.5 -130

Juventus -900
Dinamo Zagreb +2600
Draw +750
Over 3.5 +100
Under 3.5 -140


Odds to win UEFA Champions League 2016-2017 Winner (6/3/17)
Barcelona FC 3/1
Bayern Munich 7/2
Real Madrid 11/2
Atletico Madrid 8/1
Juventus 11/1
Manchester City 11/1
Borussia Dortmund 14/1
Paris Saint-Germain 22/1
Arsenal 25/1
Leicester City 33/1
FC Porto 50/1
Napoli 50/1
Sevilla 50/1
AS Monaco 66/1
Bayer Leverkusen 66/1
Benfica 100/1
Lyon 400/1
Besiktas 500/1
FC Copenhagen 500/1

Odds Subject to Change - Updated 12.4.16

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL - Matchday 6 Results

Overall Betting Results

Home Teams: 3-2
Draws: 3
Favorites: 3-2
Over/Under: 4-4

Group A

Ludogorets 2 at Paris Saint-German 2 (Draw +700)
Arsenal 4 at FC Basel 1 (Favorite +105)

Group B

Besiktas 0 Dynamo Kiev 6 (Underdog +225)
Napoli 2 Benfica 1 (Underdog +180)

Group C

Borussia Monchengladbach 0 at Barcelona 4 (Favorite -300)
Celtic 1 at Manchester City 1 (Draw +400)

Group D

Atletico Madrid 0 at Bayern Munich 1 (Favorite -185)
FK Rostov 0 PSV Eindhoven 0 (Draw +290)

Group E

AS Monaco at Bayern Leverkusken
CSKA Moscow at Tottenham

Group F

Borussia Dortmund at Real Madrid
Sporting Lisbon at Legia Warszawa

Group G

FC Copenhagen at Club Brugge
Leicester City at FC Porto

Group H

Sevilla at Lyon
Dinamo Zagreb

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Ristolainen blasts Sabres past Oilers
By The Sports Xchange

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rasmus Ristolainen scored 57 seconds into overtime to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
The game-winner came on the power play in the extra session. Ristolainen unleashed a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle, which ricocheted off the crossbar into the net.
Buffalo forced overtime with 28.3 seconds remaining in regulation on Evander Kane's second goal of the game. After Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly's hard slap shot hit the right post, Kane put home the rebound to even the score at 3-3.
Brian Gionta also scored for the Sabres. Anders Nilsson made 34 saves.
Jordan Eberle, Milan Lucic and Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers. Cam Talbot made 22 saves.

Flyers 3, Panthers 2 (OT)
PHILADELPHIA -- Wayne Simmonds scored a pair of goals for the second straight game and Jakub Voracek scored with 8.6 seconds remaining in overtime, leading Philadelphia to its sixth straight win, a decision over struggling Florida at the Wells Fargo Center.
Steve Mason turned aside 42 of 44 shots for the Flyers.
Aleksander Barkov and Jussi Jokinen scored for the Panthers, who concluded their six-game road trip with a 1-2-3 record and fell to 1-1-3 since general manager Tom Rowe took over for Gerard Gallant as head coach.

Islanders 4, Rangers 2
NEW YORK -- Scott Mayfield's first period goal gave New York a lead it would not relinquish when the host Islanders continued to thrive against the rival Rangers at Barclays Center.
Jason Chimera scored later in the first period, Andrew Ladd scored in the second and John Tavares collected a power play goal in the third for the Islanders, who have won four of five to climb out of last place in the Metropolitan Division.
Jimmy Vesey and Marc Staal scored for the Rangers, who have alternated losses with wins in their last nine games.

Devils 3, Canucks 2
NEWARK, N.J. -- Ben Lovejoy's first goal of the season proved to be the winner as New Jersey defeated Vancouver at Prudential Center.
Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Devils as goaltender Cory Schneider stopped 22 shots.
Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin had the goals for the Canucks. Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves.

Predators 4, Avalanche 3
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Roman Josi snapped a tie with a five-on-three power-play goal early in the third period, and Nashville stopped Colorado at Bridgestone Arena.
Pekka Rinne made 25 saves for the Predators, 13 in the third period. Semyon Varlamov stopped 28 of 32 shots for the Avalanche, who lost their sixth straight game despite two power-play markers from Matt Duchene. Nathan MacKinnon also scored for the Avs.
Viktor Arvidsson, James Neal and P.K. Subban added goals for the Predators.

Blues 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
ST. LOUIS -- Jaden Schwartz scored 3:38 into overtime to give St. Louis a win vs. Montreal.
Schwartz had also scored the tying goal midway through the third period as the Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit. Paul Stastny added the other Blues goal.
Paul Byron and Tomas Plekanec scored for the Canadiens.

Flames 2, Stars 1
DALLAS -- Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan each had a goal and an assist, and Chad Johnson stopped 29 of 30 shots for Calgary in a win against Dallas at American Airlines Center.
Monahan scored the eventual game-winning goal with the Flames on the power play 9:49 into the third period.
Curtis McKenzie scored the lone goal for the Stars.

Blackhawks 4, Coyotes 0
CHICAGO -- Marian Hossa scored two goals, and Chicago cruised to a win over Arizona.
Scott Darling stopped all 22 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season and the third of his career. Artem Anisimov and Dennis Rasmussen added goals as the Blackhawks snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Coyotes were shut out for the first time this season. Arizona lost its second game in as many nights and dropped to 0-3-2 in its past five contests.

Red Wings 4, Jets 3 (SO)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Henrik Zetterberg scored the winning goal in the shootout as Detroit edged Winnipeg
Petr Mrazek made 31 saves for the Red Wings. He also stopped three of four shots in the shootout.
Tomas Tatar, Anthony Mantha and Thomas Vanek scored in regulation for the Red Win while Andrew Copp, Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien scored for the Jets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

In the Crease - Week 9
By Joe Williams

Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Carolina 0-4-1 past five on road Carolina Under 6-1-4 past 11 overall
Colorado 0-4-1 past five overall, 1-5-1 past seven at home Columbus Under 5-2-2 past nine overall
Montreal 12-1-1 past 14 at home Nashville Over 5-1 past six overall
Philadelphia 5-0 past five overall Pittsburgh Over 8-0 past eight overall
Toronto 4-1 past five at home San Jose Under 14-1-6 past 21 overall

Penguin Power
The Pittsburgh Penguins bludgeoned the Ottawa Senators by an 8-5 score Monday night for their eighth consecutive over result. They will travel to Sunrise to meet the Florida Panthers Thursday night. The two sides met in the Steel City Oct. 25 with the Pens coming out on top 3-2 in a push on the total. The past four meetings between the Penguins and Panthers have resulted in no overs, one under and three pushes. In the past 11 road outings the 'over' is 7-3-1 for the Pens.

Tropical Depression
The Carolina Hurricanes have had a power outage lately, posting two or fewer goals in each of their past four games, and seven of their past eight. During the eight-game span the Canes are averaging 1.6 goals per game, and it's no surprise the 'under' is 7-1-3 in the past 11 games for Carolina. The Hurricanes are also struggling to produce wins, going 2-4-1 in the past seven outings. They begin a three-game West Coast road swing Tuesday evening in Anaheim. The Hurricanes are 0-4-1 in their past five road games, and 3-7-3-2 overall on the road this season.


Looking Ahead

Wednesday, Nov. 23
The Bruins head to the nation's capital with four victories in the past five, and they're 8-2 in their past 10 games playing on a days' rest. The B's have dropped six straight meetings in this series, and they're 1-5 in their past six trips to D.C. The 'under' is 3-1-1 in the past five meetings in Washington, while going 34-16-1 in the past 51 meetings overall. For Boston, the 'under' is 5-0-2 in the past seven road games and 4-1-2 in the past seven games overall. The 'under' is 3-1-1 in the past five overall for the Caps, while going 3-1-2 in the past six at home. ... Two red hot teams square off in the Bay Area, as the Senators have won four of their past five road games, and the Sharks have won six of the past seven overall and five of the past six at home. The Sens have won four straight in the series, and the 'over' is a perfect 5-0 in the past five meetings.

Thursday, Nov. 17
The Bruins host the Avalanche, looking for their third win in the past four in this series. They won 2-0 in the first meeting Nov. 13 in Denver, as the 'under' cashed for the seventh time in eight meetings. Last season the Bruins topped the Avalanche 6-2, ending a 7-0-1 run by Colorado in Boston which dated back to March 30, 1998. The 'under' is 10-4-1 in the past 15 meetings overall, and the 'under' is 4-1-2 in the past seven meetings in Massachusetts. ... New Jersey heads to Montreal looking to hand the Canadiens just their second loss at home in regulation. The Devils enter the week just 1-4-2 in their past seven games on the road. Total bettors will be interested to know the 'over' is 5-0-1 in the past seven for New Jersey.

Friday, Nov. 18
The Wild host the Oilers, as they look to stay hot against Edmonton. Minnesota won 2-1 in overtime Dec. 4, and they have had good luck in Northern Alberta. They have struggled against the Oilers on home ice, however, winning just one of their past four in St. Paul, while going 4-4-1 in their past nine home meetings with Edmonton. The 'under' has cashed in five of the past seven in this series. ... The Ducks welcome the Sharks to town for the third meeting of the season. Both teams have a win in two meetings in San Jose, with the Ducks coming out on top 3-2 in the most recent outing. The 'under' is 4-0-2 in the past six in this series and 6-1-2 in the past nine. San Jose has tallied a total of eight goals with Anaheim scoring a total of nine goals in the six-game span.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (12-8) at Maple Leafs (10-9)

Date: December 07, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs return home from a three-game road trip on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre when they face the Minnesota Wild, who will be wrapping up a five-game trip of their own.

Toronto finished its trip 1-1-1 and Minnesota is 1-1-2 on its tour. Both teams defeated the Edmonton Oilers on their trips.

The Maple Leafs (10-9-5) have been at their best at home (8-3-0) and Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, who was born in Toronto and once played with the Leafs, has noticed.

"I've watched their home games, and when they're on, you'd better be ready to play," Boudreau said Tuesday. "They're going to be very good, very soon. It's not going to take too long for these guys to be extremely good."

The Wild (12-8-4) has held its own in road games, going 5-5-4. When the trip ends Wednesday the Wild will have played five more games on the road than at home.

Boudreau does not want his team to suffer a letdown in its last game of a long trip.

"I hope it doesn't happen in this city," he said. "I have enough trouble winning in Toronto (4-5-3 as a coach and 0-3-1 in the past four visits) when I come, so I hope we're ready to play. We're coming off a pretty good win in Edmonton (2-1 in overtime on Sunday) and we'd like to continue this because then we'll have a good stretch at home."

The key for the Wild is the goaltender of Devan Dubnyk, who leads the NHL with a save percentage of .945 and in shutouts with four and is second in goals-against average at 1.63.

"He has given us a chance every night," Boudreau said. "He's been spectacular."

The Maple Leafs are pleased with their starting goaltender, Frederik Andersen, who played for Boudreau with the Anaheim Ducks, but are searching for a reliable backup.

They have taken a step in this direction by clearing goaltender Jhonas Enroth through waivers and assigning him to the Marlies of the AHL.

Called up from the Marlies was up 22-year-old prospect Antoine Bibeau, who will back up Anderson on Wednesday.

The long-term solution appears to be Karri Ramo, the former Calgary Flames goaltender, who has been cleared to play after recovering from a knee injury and has signed a tryout contract with the Marlies.

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock would like to be able to give Andersen more games off than Enroth enabled him to get with his lack of performance.

"I think we've given (Andersen) a pretty good workload at this point," Babcock said. "He's played 21 games. We'd like the backup to play 20 games."

The highest number of games in which Andersen has played in one season is 54 in 2014-15.

"I remember playing up to about 20 games straight," Andersen said. "That was a good learning curve, playing every night and getting used to that workload both mentally and physically. There are so many different mindsets -- playing every night, playing now and then. You've got to be able to switch your mindset every night and be ready for every shot."

Andersen struggled in his first few games of this season and had some sympathy for Enroth, who lost his job after four starts.

"I didn't get in a groove for my first four or five starts," Andersen said. "For him, it was tough. But you have to make the best of it. He's a good guy to have around."

With the Marlies, Bibeau is 6-5-5 with a 2.54 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.

Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri did not skate with the team Tuesday because he was ill. Center Peter Holland was not at the workout either as he awaits a trade.

Minnesota has reassigned right winger Zack Mitchell and defenseman Gustav Olofsson to the Iowa Wild of the AHL.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (15-10) at Capitals (14-7)

Date: December 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Two teams that won in overtime Monday meet when the Boston Bruins face the Washington Capitals Wednesday night at Verizon Center.

Boston (15-10-1) brings the momentum, in the form of a three-game winning streak.

After scoring only 21 goals in 11 games, the Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 as David Pastrnak scored two goals, including the highlight-reel game-winner.

The 20-year-old winger is third in the NHL with 15 goals in 21 games, matching the number he netted in 51 games last season.

"He's coming into his own, there's no doubt about that," Bruins coach Claude Julien told the Boston Globe. "Confidence wise, it's at its highest right now, and rightfully so ... nice goal, great way for us to finish with that goal."

Washington (14-7-3) got a similar performance in its 3-2 victory over the Sabres. Marcus Johansson continued his standout season, scoring with 6:18 left in the third period to tie it and adding the game-winner with 2:22 left in overtime to help the Capitals snap a three-game losing streak.

Johansson, whose career-high is 20 goals in 2014-15, has four goals in his last five games and 11 on the season. His third-period tally came on a power play, good news for the struggling Capitals, who rank 23rd in the league, converting 15.2 percent, well below the league average of 17.9 percent.

"That's what we need from the power play and I think the last few years, that's what we've gotten too," Johansson told NHL.com. "We have a good power play, we've gotten results from it and just hasn't bounced our way. I think we've been making it a little bit too hard and not really taking what's there."

Washington's offense could get help against the Bruins with the possible return of winger T.J. Oshie. He scored eight goals and four assists in the first 17 games before missing the past seven with a shoulder injury.

"I don't think it's official," Oshie said of his return after practicing Tuesday. "I still have got to talk to (coach Barry Trotz) and everything. But yeah, I got into a real practice for a change here and felt pretty good out there, so we'll see where we go."

Trotz said the decision on Oshie's return will be made Wednesday. Washington is 3-3-1 minus the winger.

"Without a doubt, I think Osh in that diamond spot is as good as anybody in the National Hockey League," Trotz said. "I think he's tenacious. I think he understands that position, especially on our power play."

Alex Ovechkin has 17 goals and 21 assists in 39 games against Boston and Nicklas Backstrom has 26 assists in 28 games.

Goalie Braden Holtby is 9-2 with a 1.57 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage when facing Boston.

Bruins netminder Tuuka Rask (14-4-1, 1.68, .939) struggles versus Washington, going 1-8-4 with a 2.92 GAA and .899 save percentage. Meanwhile Anton Khudobin is 4-2-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .923 save percentage in his career versus Washington.

The Bruins have gotten mixed news on the injury front the past few days.

Injured winger Frank Vatrano skated with the team for the first time this season during Tuesday's practice. He had eight goals and three assists in 34 games as a rookie in 2015-16.

"This is the first time I've had an injury and hopefully it's the last time, but you never know playing this sport," Vatrano, who suffered torn ligaments in his left foot, told the Boston Globe. "I've never been off the ice this long so it's been a learning process for me."

On the flip side, the Bruins announced that winger Matt Beleskey, injured in Saturday's win over the Sabres, will be out six weeks with a knee injury. He had two goals and three assists in 24 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (15-9) at Sharks (15-9)

Date: December 07, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The San Jose Sharks should be well-rested since playing their last game. One of their star players, however, may be on the sideline for a little longer.

Logan Couture's status is up in the air for Wednesday night, when the Sharks play host to the Ottawa Senators.

San Jose (15-9-1) is wrapping up a stretch in which it plays seven of eight at home with the only road game down the coast in Los Angeles. The Sharks won six of seven coming into the Wednesday contest after topping the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 Friday.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the team was given a rare weekend off before hitting the ice again for practice on Monday. The newspaper reported that several players, including Couture, took in Sunday's NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills.

That outing came one day after Couture underwent a minor surgical procedure to have one of six screws removed from his ankle, the Mercury News reported. He had the hardware put in while undergoing surgery in October 2015 on a broken leg.

"I tried to put my skate on (Tuesday) and it was still a little sore, so we'll see in the next couple of weeks," he told the Mercury News. "I'm sure it's going to feel a lot better once it settles down. But should be good. Good to go (Wednesday)."

Couture scored six of his nine goals over the past nine contests, and he ranks third on the club with 16 points.

On Tuesday, the club recalled forward Kevin Labanc from the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. Labanc, 20, has two goals and two assists in 12 games with the Sharks this season.

Sharks goaltender Martin Jones was selected as the league's third star of the week Monday, and he could get the nod against Ottawa. Jones surrendered only three goals while recording three wins last week, pushing his total this season to 13 victories.

Jones won in his only career appearance against the Senators while with the Kings in 2013.

Ottawa (15-9-2) kicked off a four-game road trip with an 8-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

"You could tell, really, from the first period that it was going to be one of these games," said Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson, who tied a career high with four points (goal, three assists). He leads the team with 18 assists and 24 points.

Karlsson has four goals and five assists in nine career games versus San Jose.

Three Senators -- Ryan Dzingel, Mark Stone and Kyle Turris -- are tied for the team lead with four goals on the road.

Turris is the club's top goal-scorer overall with 11, including three game-winners. Stone set a season high with three points (goal, two assists) in the loss to the Penguins. Dzingel, though, has not scored in his past four games away from Canada's capital city.

Citing coach Guy Boucher, the Senators tweeted Tuesday night that Mike Condon will get the start in goal Wednesday. In two carer games (one start) versus the Sharks, Condon is 0-1-0 with a 4.06 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage.

Condon, who has two shutouts among three wins and a 1.77 GAA in five games since joining the Senators in a trade with Pittsburgh on Nov. 2, may see plenty of playing time in the near future. The Ottawa Sun reported that starting goaltender Craig Anderson will not be with the team over the next three games in California. Anderson will again be with his wife, who is undergoing throat cancer treatment.

The team recalled Andrew Hammond from AHL Binghamton on Tuesday. He has surrendered six goals in two NHL games this season.

Ottawa is 5-2-1 in its past eight games overall.

The Senators and Sharks meet for the second and final time this season Dec. 14 in Ottawa.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (10-10) at Ducks (12-9)

Date: December 07, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Carolina Hurricanes will miss one of their leaders when they begin their road trip in California on Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.

Center Jordan Staal, one of the team's three alternate captains, has not recovered from a concussion he suffered Nov. 27 in a 3-2 victory against the Florida Panthers. Staal skated at the Hurricanes' training complex in Raleigh, N.C., on Monday but as coach Bill Peters told the Raleigh News & Observer, "it didn't go great."

Staal will have missed seven consecutive games once the trip ends. Carolina faces the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night and finishes the trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

Staal's absence puts more pressure on an offense that scored only 58 goals, the second-lowest total in the Eastern Conference. In their past five road games, the Hurricanes have only seven.

"We have to find a way to score more," Peters told NHL.com. "We've got to be willing to do the right things in order to score. I want to see more guys in the blue paint. I want to see guys making it harder on the goaltender. If we do that, we'll be successful."

For Carolina defenseman Justin Faulk, doing the right things goes beyond getting more guys in the blue paint of the goal crease.

"It's not necessarily just the guys in front," Faulk told NHL.com. "It's getting shots from the inside, being able to work to get inside the dots and create chances 'in the house.' To generate more offense and score more goals, we've got to be able to work our way inside and make it tough on them."

Backup goalie Eddie Lack will also stay behind because of a concussion but forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Ryan Murphy will make the trip. Lindholm missed the past two games because of a lower-body injury, and Murphy finished his conditioning assignment with Charlotte of the AHL.

Meanwhile, the Ducks are concerned about goalie John Gibson and left winger Rickard Rakell, their second-leading goal scorer. Both missed Sunday's 8-3 rout by the Calgary Flames. Gibson had the flu while Rakell nursed an upper-body injury. Both skated in Tuesday's practice, with Rakell wearing a non-contact jersey.

"I'm starting to feel better," Rakell told NHL.com and added that he is "just taking it day by day, hoping it gets even better tomorrow."

If Rakell cannot play, Nick Ritchie likely would take over his spot on the Ducks' top line with center Ryan Getzlaf and right winger Corey Perry.

Anaheim's quest for consistency collides with a quick opponent seeking only its fourth road win this season.

"We're going to have to be ready for a Carolina team that can really skate and push the pace of play," defenseman Cam Fowler told NHL.com. "They have an aggressive style of play. Some teams will set up in a neutral-zone trap or a controlled forecheck, but they don't really do that. If they have an opportunity to pressure the puck, they will. They rely on their skating to get them back into games."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - December

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

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

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

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
12/1 12 64.5 70 OVER
12/2 2 10 8 UNDER
12/3 12 63 58 UNDER
12/4 7 36 40 OVER
12/5 4 21 30 OVER
12/6 9 49.5 49 UNDER
12/7 4 - - -
12/8 10 - - -
12/9 6 - - -
12/10 10 - - -
12/11 8 - - -
12/12 2 - - -
12/13 10 - - -
12/14 4 - - -
12/15 8 - - -
12/16 7 - - -
12/17 10 - - -
12/18 6 - - -
12/19 5 - - -
12/20 12 - - -
12/21 2 - - -
12/22 10 - - -
12/23 12 - - -
12/24 No games scheduled - - -
12/25 No games scheduled - - -
12/26 No games scheduled - - -
12/27 10 - - -
12/28 5 - - -
12/29 12 - - -
12/30 4 - - -
12/31 11 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Wednesday’s games

Minnesota won its last six games with Toronto; they won 2-1 in both of last two games in this building. Last nine series games stayed under. Wild lost three of last four games- three of those four went OT/SO. Over is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Maple Leafs lost five of last seven games, but they’ve won three of last four at home. Under is 4-3 in their last seven games.

Bruins lost their last six games to Washington, outscored 18-4. Boston lost last three visits here, outscored 9-1. Under is 5-0-1 in last six series games. Bruins won four of last five overall, with three of last four games going OT/SO. Under is 4-1-2 in their last seven games. Caps lost three of their last four games but won five of last seven at home. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five games.

Ottawa won its last four games with San Jose, winning 4-3/4-2 in last two visits here. last five series games went over total. Senators lost three of their last four games overall; under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Sharks won six of last seven games, outscoring opponents 19-9; they’re 5-1 in last six home games. Under is 4-0-3 in their last seven games.

Anaheim won seven of last nine games with Carolina; over is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Hurricanes lost three of last four games in this building. Carolina lost five of last seven games; they scored six goals in last four games. Under is 6-1-2 in their last nine games. Anaheim is 3-5 in its last eight games, losing last three at home, all by 3-2 scores. Three of their last four games stayed under total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Spurs remain perfect on road
By The Sports Xchange

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points as the San Antonio Spurs topped the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-91 on Tuesday at Target Center to improve to 13-0 on the road.
Leonard shot 11 of 15 for San Antonio (18-4), which trailed at the half before rallying to keep its flawless road record intact. Guard Patty Mills chipped in 15 points, five assists and four rebounds off the bench for the Spurs.
Minnesota (6-15) got 25 points from guard Zach LaVine, who has scored 20 or more points nine times this season. The Timberwolves' second-year big man Karl-Anthony Towns had an off night, shooting just 3 for 16 from the floor for 11 points.
Towns did grab 14 boards but his 11 points were tied for his second-lowest total of the season.

Knicks 114, Heat 103
MIAMI -- Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 35 points to lead New York over undermanned Miami.
Anthony's outburst was the most points scored against Miami by any player this season, and the Knicks' 114 points were also the most against the Heat.
Miami point guard Goran Dragic scored 29 points -- the most during his tenure with the Heat (7-14).
New York's win was marred by the loss of point guard Derrick Rose, who scored 10 points before departing in the third quarter due to back spasms. He did not return. The Knicks (12-9) won the rebounding battle 53-46 against Miami.

Magic 124, Wizards 116
WASHINGTON -- Elfrid Payton scored 22 of his career-high 25 points in the first half as surging Orlando won despite a career-high 52 points from Washington's John Wall.
Payton made his first nine shot attempts, and he finished 3 of 3 on 3-point tries for the Magic, who posted their highest point total of the season. Orlando (10-12) went 4-1 on its road trip after losing four in a row.
Wall became the fourth NBA player to score 50 or more points in a single game this season. He made 18 of 31 shots, including 5 of 8 3-point attempts, and he added eight assists. The 3-time All-Star scored 33 points in the second half with 18 in the fourth quarter for the Wizards but received little help thru three quarters. Bradley Beal had 19 points for Washington (7-13).

Pistons 102, Bulls 91
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Tobias Harris led a balanced attack with 22 points and Detroit rebounded after squandering a 17-point lead and downed Chicago.
Andre Drummond supplied 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons (12-11), who have won four of their last five games. Marcus Morris had 13 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in 12 points, and Ish Smith added seven points, five rebounds and 10 assists off the bench for Detroit.
Jimmy Butler carried the Bulls (11-10), who were playing their fourth game in five nights, with 32 points, six rebounds and four assists. Dwyane Wade tossed in 19 points and added seven assists, while Taj Gibson had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago.
Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo, who returned after serving a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, chipped in 10 points.

Grizzlies 96, 76ers 91
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Center Marc Gasol posted a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds as Memphis held on to defeat Philadelphia.
The 76ers led 77-76 going into the fourth quarter and went on a late 8-0 run to go up 91-89 with 1:57 to play after a jumper from forward Dario Saric, who had 17 points and seven rebounds.
But Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph (12 points and 14 rebounds) stopped the run and tied the game at 91-91 with a putback at the 1:25 mark. Two free throws from Gasol and one from Tony Allen put the lead at 94-91. The 76ers' Nik Stauskas (12 points) missed a corner three with 3.9 seconds to play that would have tied the game.
Memphis (15-8) extended its winning streak to four games while the 76ers (4-18) lost their eighth straight.

Jazz 112, Phoenix 105
SALT LAKE CITY -- Gordon Hayward scored 27 points while Rudy Gobert added a career-high 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks to help Utah claim a victory over Phoenix.
Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson added 13 points apiece for Utah and Shelvin Mack chipped in 12. The Jazz (14-9) won for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Devin Booker scored 21 points and Brandon Knight added 15 off the bench to lead Phoenix. The Suns (6-15) rallied back from a 23-point deficit in the second half, but never led. Phoenix fell to Utah despite out-rebounding the Jazz 41-35 and finishing with a 54-38 edge in points in the paint, a 17-8 edge in second chance points and a 15-4 edge in fastbreak points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA betting road map: Russell Westbrook is on a historic run
By BIG AL MCMORDIE

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

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

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

Spread Watch

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

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

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

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

Totals Watch

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

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

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

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

Injury Watch

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

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

Schedule Watch

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

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

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three-pointer: Short-handed strife
By Tony Mejia

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

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

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

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

Paul Millsap, Hawks

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

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

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

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

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

Mike Conley, Grizzlies

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

Yes, that’s potentially crippling.

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

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

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

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

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

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (12-11) at Hornets (12-9)

Date: December 07, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

A little deja vu would suit the Detroit Pistons just fine Wednesday night.

Due to a scheduling quirk, the Pistons are playing in Charlotte for the second time in just over a week. The Pistons cruised to a 112-89 victory in the first meeting behind Tobias Harris' 24 points.

That win kicked off a quality stretch for the Pistons, who won for the fourth time in five games Tuesday by downing the Chicago Bulls 102-91 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

"It's good to get a win for every reason possible," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said after his team topped the Bulls. "You've got to get every one you can get, and certainly when you're heading on the road, it's even better."

Detroit gave away a 17-point lead to Chicago but outscored the Bulls 31-19 in the fourth quarter. The Pistons (12-11) bounced back from a loss to the visiting Orlando Magic on Sunday.

"Every game is important, but after dropping one at home, we definitely wanted to get this one," Detroit forward Jon Leuer said. "Guys had a sense of urgency to come up and bring the energy and bring the defensive effort. That's what helped us get the job done."

Point guard Reggie Jackson is questionable to play at Charlotte. He appeared in just his second game this season Tuesday after recovering from knee tendinitis, and he scored seven points in 18 minutes.

That decision on his status likely will be made Wednesday morning.

"There hasn't been a blanket statement that he won't play back-to-backs, but I also haven't gotten assurances that he will, either," Van Gundy said.

If Jackson sits, Ish Smith would start -- as he has most of the season -- and Beno Udrih would serve as the backup.

The Hornets (12-9) expect to have power forward Marvin Williams back in the lineup. He missed the past six games with a hyperextended left knee, but Charlotte went 4-2 in his absence.

"We miss him a lot in so many different areas," coach Steve Clifford said. "A lot of it is just his versatility defensively. But we've had enough to win."

That included a 109-101 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Guard Kemba Walker led a balanced attack with 19 points, and swingman Nicolas Batum contributed 14 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.

"The thing I liked is even when things weren't going our way on the road, they were very locked in and positive with each other in the huddles," Clifford said. "That's the way it has to be."

Clifford hopes that with his club at full strength, the Hornets can establish themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

"That's why you'll see teams in these first 20 games not do as well (and then) will take off, because they'll develop that mentality that you need," he said. "Every team has a different intensity level, and they have to find it before they can play well consistently. Sometimes it takes 20 games, sometimes 15, sometimes longer."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (12-9) at Magic (10-12)

Date: December 07, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics have built an identity the last few years under Brad Stevens as a tough-minded defensive team.

His offensive brilliance with a mismatched roster without a star has always had the stout defense as a backdrop.

To take that next step, Boston added Al Horford to Isaiah Thomas, hoping they would propel the club to the top of the Eastern Conference. They believed Horford would only bolster their defense.

Horford has indeed helped, notwithstanding the failed tip-in at the buzzer against the Houston Rockets on Monday. Boston is sitting at 12-9 and in third in the packed Eastern Conference.

The defense, though, has been slow to develop.

In 2015, the Celtics finished 12th in defensive rating on their way to a surprise playoff berth. Last year, Boston finished fourth in that metric.

This year, however, Boston is 17th in defensive rating, giving up 105.1 points per 100 possessions. Boston is still winning, but the team has struggled to bring its defense to the elite level that it one of the rising teams last year.

The defense has improved recently. In the last 10 games, the Celtics are 11th in defensive rating, giving up 104.8 points per 100 possessions. Boston is still carving out an identity with the new players on the roster.

The Celtics' opponent Wednesday, as they wrap up a three-game trip, has found that identity in the last month.

While the Celtics have been trying to elevate their defense, the Orlando Magic have become one of the top defenses in the league.

Orlando had given up just 94.3 points per 100 possessions in 10 games before a 124-116 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Magic have risen to third in the league as defense has become a key part of their identity.

No player has embodied that improvement more than Nikola Vucevic, who had a reputation as a poor defender but has quickly become one of the biggest defensive stalwarts for the Magic this season.

"Everybody has been really so hard on my defense," Vucevic told the Orlando Sentinel. "I think there is no player in this league that does everything. So there are areas that I do really well defensively (and) some areas that I need to improve, and I think I did improve on those this year. I never felt like my defense was that big of an issue. It was just all the media making a big deal out of it."

The Celtics will hope to get their defense back on track against the Magic. They may have to do it without Thomas. The All-Star point guard missed Tuesday's practice with a pulled groin, but he told The Boston Globe he still hopes to play Wednesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (8-13) at Nets (5-15)

Date: December 07, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The last two times the Denver Nuggets faced the Brooklyn Nets, they wound up with frustrating one-point losses.

If the Nuggets defend like they did in the second half Monday in Philadelphia, a last-second shot might not be a concern.

Defending consistently is a question mark for a team that has allowed less than 100 points three times and is in the bottom 10th in points allowed and defensive rating.

The Nuggets continue their East Coast road trip Wednesday night and look to snap a five-game losing streak to the Nets.

Brooklyn is 6-2 in the last eight games in the series and the five straight wins equal its longest winning streak in the series (also Feb. 17, 2002 to March 10, 2004).

On March 5, Brook Lopez hit the game-winning tip-in with four-tenths of a second left in overtime to give Brooklyn a 121-120 win in Denver. On Feb. 8 in Brooklyn, Joe Johnson hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Nets a 105-104 win.

Denver assured there would not be any dramatics during Monday's 106-98 win the 76ers. The Nuggets stopped a three-game losing streak and won for the second time in seven games by forcing 14 turnovers in the second half.

Besides the active hands, the Nuggets had multiple contributors offensively. Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 24 points, rookie Jamal Murray added 22 and Will Barton contributed 16 of his 22 in the fourth.

"I was just trying to be aggressive," Gallinari said after going to the foul line 11 times. "So I thought I did a good job with that. I'm just glad we got this 'W' because we needed it more than anything."

Gallinari is averaging 17.3 points in his last four games after missing three contests with a bruised thigh. Barton has posted consecutive 20-point games for the first time this season while Murray came alive after shooting 28 percent (7-of-25) in his previous four games.

"You have to take a deep breath, enjoy the win and understand why you win," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "When we win is when we defend at a high level for four quarters. We have lot of different guys that can step up and help you win. It's nice to get on that bus to New York City off a win."

Since Lopez's overtime game winner in Denver, the Nets are 8-32 in their last 40 regular-season games. Brooklyn won three of its last 20 games last season and is 5-15 this season.

The Nets were 4-5 on Nov. 12 but have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Brooklyn snapped a seven-game losing streak with last Tuesday's double-overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Clippers but has collapsed at various points in the second half in its last three losses.

The latest instance might have been the worst. The Nets were handed a 118-113 loss to the Washington Wizards on Monday as they squandered a 15-point halftime lead, allowed 35 points off 22 turnovers and scored 15 times in the third quarter.

"The third quarters are kind of crazy," Nets guard Sean Kilpatrick said. "It has to be a situation where everyone wants to take the third quarter seriously. We (get) lax in the third quarter and that's when teams come back and bite us."

It was the 10th time this season the Nets have been outscored by double digits in a third quarter and the 16th instance they committed at least 15 giveaways.

"We show them a lot of film," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We have a phrase, play with the pass. It's real important when they do something, you've got to make that next pass and you're got to make that next read and it's decision making."

Eleven of those games with at least 15 turnovers have occurred since Jeremy Lin injured his left hamstring in the first half Nov. 2 against Detroit. Since Lin was hurt, the Nets are 3-12 and the team is being cautious with his return.

Lin has yet to participate in a full practice and has only done shooting drills so far.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (7-14) at Hawks (10-12)

Date: December 07, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks are changing their lineup in an effort to change their results.

Atlanta has sent slumping forward Kyle Korver to the bench and replaced him with Thabo Sefolosha in hopes of ending a seven-game losing streak. The change began on Monday and is expected to carry over into Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat at Philips Arena.

"We are in a tough stretch and we have to try anything to try to get this going again," Korver told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I'll do my best, whatever the role is."

Sefolosha is one of the team's best defensive players but averages only 7.2 points. He scored six points as a starter on Monday in a 102-99 loss to Oklahoma City. Korver, averaging 8.8 points, came off the bench to score 15 against the Thunder.

Atlanta (10-12) started the season 9-2 but has lost 10 of its last 11 games and is 10th in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta's longest losing streak last season was three games.

"None of us would have expected this (after the 9-2 start)," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We all have high expectations and high standards. So this is a little bit of uncharted waters or unexpected."

Miami (7-14) hasn't been a hot team, either. The Heat dropped a 114-103 decision at home to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. Miami has lost two straight and six of its last nine.

Miami point guard Goran Dragic had a season-high 29 points and seven assists in the loss Tuesday. Forward Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points, which pushed him over 2,000 career points, and added 14 rebounds. Whiteside has led the team in rebounds in each of their 21 games.

The Heat has five players who are injured and didn't play against the Knicks: Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson, James Johnson, Justise Winslow and Luke Babbitt. Fatigue was a factor against the Knicks; Miami used only nine players, and five played at least 33 minutes.

"Right now there are a lot of moving parts, guys coming in and out of the lineup," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We're not a team that can designate a specific rotation, so it's changing rapidly and you have to keep yourself ready."

This will be the second meeting between the Hawks and Heat. Atlanta won 93-90 in Miami on Nov. 15. The Hawks had six players in double figures that night, with point guard Dennis Shroder scoring 18 points, including two free throws with 5.9 seconds remaining. Miami's Waiters missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game.

Miami won three of the four meetings between the two teams last year and prevailed in both visits to Atlanta.

Atlanta isn't close to the franchise record for longest losing streak. The Hawks lost 16 straight in 1976.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (10-13) at Rockets (14-7)

Date: December 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- Lakers center Tarik Black on Monday night added his name to a long list of wounded rotation players whose absence is undermining the promise that marked the first few weeks of this season in Los Angeles.

Black suffered an ankle sprain in a 107-101 home loss to the Utah Jazz, increasing the number of sidelined rotation players to five for the Lakers (10-13). Relatedly, the Lakers have dropped three consecutive games, four of six and six of eight as they ready for their second meeting with the Rockets on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

When the Lakers topped the Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 26, it seemed to mark the start of something surprising. But one by one, the Lakers have succumbed to injuries, with Black following guards D'Angelo Russell (left knee), Jose Calderon (right hamstring) and Nick Young (calf) and forward Larry Nance Jr. (right knee) to the injured list. The Lakers' momentum has suffered in lockstep with the lost bodies.

"Just continue to play, continue to work," Lakers guard Lou Williams said. "It's still early in the season. We've hit a little turbulence right now and hit a little rough patch. We've got to have other guys step in and we've got to continue to compete."

The Lakers were forced to utilize a patchwork lineup against the Jazz, starting rookie forward Brandon Ingram at point guard. The experimentation was borne out of necessity and strategy, with the Lakers attempting to employ a personnel package capable of switching everything defensively. A similar gambit might be required against the Rockets, whose pick-and-roll proficiency has yielded the third-ranked offense in the NBA.

For Ingram, opportunities abound with Russell and Calderon unavailable.

"It's great for him. It's absolutely great for him," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "To be able to call plays and bring the ball up and play from that position whether he struggles or has a good game, it's still great learning opportunities and experience for him."

The Rockets (14-7) thought they'd been made whole with the news that the front office had matched the Brooklyn Nets' offer sheet for restricted free agent forward-center Donatas Motiejunas, at least until his agent -- former Bulls guard B.J. Armstrong -- declared Tuesday that Motiejunas would not show for his mandatory physical.

Assuming that the issue is resolved, Motiejunas provides the Rockets something they've lacked in his absence: A big who can pass and help facilitate their offense. Motiejunas posted a career-high 12.2 assist rate last season. Currently, second-year forward-center Montrezl Harrell leads all Houston big men with an 8.0 assist rate.

"That's where he'll fit in," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He will move the ball a lot. Most of our guys move it toward the rim, which is good. I like that. It's hard to get into specifics with what he can do because he's not with the team but his role will be a good one. He knows how to play so I can't see why it would be anything but positive."

Added Rockets guard James Harden on what Motiejunas brings to the table: "His passing. He's versatile. He's smart, playmaking. He's not one-dimensional. Hopefully he can get acclimated in our system and be ready to go."