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

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (4-4) at 76ers (0-7)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves in a familiar position as they host the Indiana Pacers in the second game of a home-and-home set on Friday night.

The Sixers, who lost their first 17 games in 2014-15 and their first 18 last season, remain the Eastern Conference's lone winless team at 0-7, having dropped a 122-115 overtime game to the Pacers on Wednesday night in Indiana.

Philadelphia has also lost 44 straight October/November games dating back to an overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 22, 2013.

The Sixers led Wednesday's game 109-107 when Philadelphia guard Gerald Henderson buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 6.3 seconds remaining, but Pacers forward Paul George dropped in a baseline jumper with 3.9 seconds left to tie it. George then put his team ahead for good with a 3-pointer 41 seconds into the extra period. George scored seven of his 28 points in OT to lift Indiana to its 10th victory in its last 11 games against Philadelphia.

"I just was trying to have energy plays to kind of close out that overtime," George told the Indianapolis Star. "I thought, really, the final moments in the fourth quarter and overtime, that's how we have to look."

Veteran point guard Jeff Teague, acquired from Atlanta in a three-team trade in the offseason, scored a season-high 30 points for the Pacers. After averaging 9.8 points on 24.6-percent shooting in his first five games, he is scoring 20 points a game on 57.9-percent accuracy in his last three.

"I just wanted to be aggressive and I stopped thinking so much and just played," he told the Star. "That was the biggest thing. I've been thinking a lot the first couple of games just trying to figure it out. I've been making it hard on myself."

Sixers coach Brett Brown, in his fourth season, set a franchise record for defeats with his 206th, in just 253 games. The previous record-holder was Larry Brown, who went 255-205 in six seasons in Philadelphia.

"The position that I have is so much more than that," Brett Brown told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We are trying to grow a program with a bunch of 20-year-olds. I don't even care about it nor think about it."

Forward Robert Covington led the Sixers with 23 points on Wednesday, and like Teague is emerging from a slump. After shooting 16.7 percent from the floor in his first five games, he has made 57.1 percent of his attempts the last two, including 8 of 13 3-pointers (61.5 percent).

Sixers center Joel Embiid, who missed his first two seasons as a result of two foot surgeries, rested Wednesday but is expected to play Friday. He averages a team-leading 17.6 points a game.

Philadelphia continues to be without forward Ben Simmons (broken foot), the draft's top overall pick, as well as guard Jerryd Bayless (wrist) and center/forward Nerlens Noel (knee)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (5-4) at Magic (3-5)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Gordon Hayward is not the first name that comes to mind as a potential first-time All-Star this year.

The unassuming forward, playing for the small-market Utah Jazz, has quietly posted strong numbers while toiling in seeming anonymity. He has come a long way from the bright-eyed leader of the upstart Butler team that reached the NCAA championship game in 2010.

Hayward, who missed the first six games of the season with a fractured finger, did not take long to get into his All-Star form. He scored 28 points in Sunday's win over the New York Knicks and then scored 29 points in Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Entering Friday's game against the Orlando Magic, Hayward is averaging 25.7 points and shooting 47.2 percent from the floor in three games.

"Gordon's been very important to us," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. "It helps anytime you have a good player in your lineup. Having Gordon back is certainly better than having him out. And Gordon's ability to handle the ball takes some pressure off the other guys who are playing the point for us."

Hayward is not quite the picture of a superstar to many, but he certainly helps galvanize and draw together a team with high aspirations for the season.

But Hayward is not the only one the Jazz rely on. Utah is off to a 5-4 start this season and their vaunted defense is starting to get into high gear, 10th in the league giving up 101.6 points per 100 possessions.

This is a team that relies on Hayward, along with shot-blocking savant Rudy Gobert and steady veteran hands in George Hill, Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson. They are an average offense by all measures and even with Hayward dropping in big numbers they rely on each other as much as anyone.

Hill has blossomed after his trade from Indiana to average 20.4 points and 5.0 assists per game. Rodney Hood continues his maturation, making 46.2 percent of his 3-pointers on his way to 17.9 points per game.

This kind of balanced approach is something the struggling Orlando Magic are still looking to establish.

The Magic lack that potential All-Star player and are instead relying on each other to produce offense. The team has struggled mightily on that front, posting the worst field goal percentage in the league so far this season.

"Collectively, we need to come together and play as a team. One through 15 need to be on the same page in order for us to get wins and for us to compete at a high level. We need to trust each other and trust our coaching staff."

The Magic are fifth in the league in assist rate, getting an assist on 63.8 percent of their made field goals. That would typically be a good sign of an offense moving the ball. But the team's 98.3 offensive rating is the sixth worst in the league.

The Magic struggle to score, but do have pockets where the offense flows. Most of that occurs when the team gets stops and is able to get out in transition where they have plenty of athletic players who can finish around the basket.

They have not put the puzzle pieces together, though. After winning three straight, the Magic fell to 3-5 with a second straight blowout loss, this time at home Wednesday to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Without the star, many Magic players said their margin for error is small offensively. And their struggles to generate consistent opportunities in the half-court is still a major concern.

In many ways, the Magic's rebuild this summer was done to try to emulate what the Jazz have built. A balanced squad, based on defense and size without a clear superstar.

With Hayward beginning to emerge at a new level offensively, Utah seems set to knock down that door. Meanwhile, Orlando is still figuring itself out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (6-1) at Wizards (2-5)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Cleveland Cavaliers were in the nation's capital Thursday for a White House meeting with President Barack Obama.

They did not head home right away.

Instead, they stuck around for Friday's game with the Washington Wizards.

LeBron James and his teammates need a return to their title-winning form or a second straight loss could occur especially if John Wall keeps his emotions in check.

The Cavaliers (6-1) suffered their first loss of their season Tuesday as the Atlanta Hawks hung tough for a 110-106 win. Cleveland twice rallied from double-digit deficits in the second half, but could not finish the job despite James scoring 21 of his 23 points in the second half. Shooting only 37.4 percent from the field including 11 of 42 on 3-pointers didn't help.

"It's our game. It's what we do," James said of the numerous shots from long range. "We had some pretty good looks. We're a team that when the ball is moving and you're the recipient of it, you have to let it go. You never want to second-guess yourself."

Cleveland leads the league in 35.7 3-point attempts per game. The Cavaliers are in the top-10 in 3-point shooting percentage at 36.4 percent and have four players who make at least 35 percent from behind the arc.

Wall wishes he had another chance concerning his late game decision in Washington's 118-93 romp over the Boston Celtics.

The three-time All-Star guard was whistled for a Flagrant 2 foul against Marcus Smart in the final minutes of the blowout with the Wizards up 20 points in their best start-to-finish performance of the season.

"It was just me getting frustrated," said Wall, who was also ejected late in Monday's loss to the Houston Rockets for making contact with an official. "I had my fingers bleeding, they got stepped-on on purpose. I drove to the basket a couple times and didn't get calls. The play before that, I was dribbling and got smacked right across the face to my ear. I just let my frustration get the best of me."

Even with Wall getting frustrated, it was a satisfying night for the Wizards, especially Otto Porter.

Porter got the best of the Celtics with a career-high 34 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Washington's starting small forward made his first three 3-pointers and outscored Boston 13-8 in the first quarter. The Wizards led 34-8 entering the second period and were never truly threatened.

"Otto has been great," Washington coach Scott Brooks said. "He gives you a lot of winning basketball plays. You can look at his field goal percentage, you can look at all the things that he does; his mid-range game, his three-point shot has developed, his offensive rebounds. But what he gives you, he gives you a winning spirit, and he does that throughout the game on both ends. "

The Wizards will need plenty from Porter against the Cavaliers regardless, but especially if Bradley Beal doesn't play. Beal left in the third quarter with right hamstring tightness.

Beal had an MRI Thursday and was listed as questionable for Friday. Last year he missed 27 games with leg injuries.

Cleveland and Washington split four games last season and the road team has won 12 of the last 22 meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (5-2) at Hornets (6-1)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

TORONTO -- Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has been hot all season, scoring more than 30 points in six of his first seven games of the season.

The Raptors as a team, however, had been having a little more trouble.

They showed signs of finding their shooting range by hitting a season-high 11 3-pointers while DeRozan kept up his dazzling pace by scoring 37 points in a 112-102 victory over the Thunder on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

"I think we just kept working on it and this is the start of something, hopefully," said point guard Kyle Lowry, who had 19 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds on Wednesday. "I'm not going to get too excited about one good shooting night from 3, but we shot it well."

The Raptors (5-2) will be put to the test Friday when they visit the Charlotte Hornets (6-1), who are tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference after defeating the Utah Jazz 104-98 on Wednesday night at Turner Warner Cable Arena.

The Hornets, who are off the franchise-best start, also are being tested. After playing the Raptors on Friday, they visit the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors last season in the Eastern Conference finals before winning the NBA championship.

In defeating the Jazz, the Hornets overcame a 10-point disadvantage, the league-leading third time this season that they have come back to win after trailing by double digits. They beat the Miami Heat on Oct. 28 after trailing by 19 points and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by 13 on Nov. 2.

Kemba Walker had 21 points on Wednesday and has 20 or more more points in six straight games. He is averaging 23.9 points per game with a field-goal percentage of 46.6 and a 3-point percentage of 43.5.

An important part of the Hornets' success has been their bench, which outscored the Jazz 41-20.

"We talk about coming off the bench and providing energy," said Frank Kaminsky, who had 13 points off the bench on Wednesday. "We know it all starts with our defense and our talk and let it lead to offense. When (the bench) comes in, gets stops, pushes the ball and scores, it looks like we're doing a great job.

"It's been so much fun so far this season -- the energy's been great and our team has been doing great. Hopefully, we can keep that up for a long time."

Marco Belinelli also had 13 points off the bench on Wednesday and Spencer Hawes added 11.

The Hornets have listed center Roy Hibbert as probable for the game on Friday. He has missed the past five games with a sore right knee. Hibbert began the season as the starting center and Cody Zeller has moved into that spot since the injury.

The Raptors have been without center Jonas Valanciunas for the past two games with a contusion on his left knee and is listed as day to day.

Lucas Nogueira and Jakob Poeltl have been filling in.

"Lucas was a plus-30. That was huge for us (Wednesday), coming off the bench and giving us a big plug like that," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "The other night I thought Jakob outplayed him, (Wednesday) it was Lucas' night, and that's probably the way it's going to be. A two-headed monster with those guys until (Valanciunas) gets back in."

Raptors guard/forward Terrence Ross was a late scratch on Wednesday after he sprained his right index finger in practice on Tuesday. He is listed as day to day.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (3-4) at Celtics (3-4)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Two old foes with losing records get together on the Red Auerbach court on Friday night in Boston.

"We're not the hardest playing team (anymore)," Boston guard Isaiah Thomas told reporters after the Celtics' second straight blowout loss Wednesday night. "That's what made us good, is us playing harder than other teams, being scrappier, getting all the loose balls. Rebounds don't come to us no more because we're not playing hard."

The Celtics, who face the New York Knicks in a battle of 3-4 teams Friday night, have been dealing with serious injuries, but got off to a 3-1 start before the early season roof caved in.

Playing without Al Horford and Jae Crowder, Boston has dropped three straight but that's not the worst part of it. In the three games, at Cleveland, at home against the Denver Nuggets and at Washington, the Celtics have allowed an average of 123 points -- certainly not the kind of defense coach Brad Stevens is looking for.

And they have been dominated on the boards. At one point in Wednesday's game, radio color commentator Cedric Maxwell screamed, "How about a rebound? Geeeeee." The Wizards had 19 offensive boards in that game.

The Celtics were outscored 24-23 by one player -- Emmanuel Mudiay -- in the first quarter as Denver hung 42 points on them in the first 12 minutes. The Celtics then scored eight points in the first quarter at Washington, where they were blown out from the start.

All this from a team projected into the mix for the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference.

There have also been injuries to Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk, but the Celtics won without Smart. They NEED Horford, who is making his way back from a concussion, and Crowder (sprained ankle) to be a complete team.

Horford was cleared to return to practice Thursday. He worked out lightly and is not expected to play Friday, even though it's a possibility -- while Crowder is said to be about a week away.

"He is progressing. He's feeling a lot better," Stevens said of Horford

The Knicks got to their 3-4 record with a home win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night -- and they came from 14 points down in the first half to do it.

Like the Celtics, the Knicks, who open a two-game road trip Friday night, have had all kinds of defensive problems. Wednesday, they held an opponent under 100 for the first time this season.

"We did a much better job controlling the paint," said Carmelo Anthony, who got hot in the third quarter to help put his team ahead. "The first half they were getting too much access. We made that adjustment. It was night and day from the first half to the second half."

While the Celtics have been dealing with injuries, the Knicks have been a work in progress after getting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.

The Knicks are 28th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, but the Celtics are 30th and last. Boston is also last in defensive and total rebound percentage.

"We're in a bad funk right now but we can't hold our head," said Thomas. "... We don't have that swagger no more."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (7-1) at Thunder (6-2)

Date: November 11, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It was just over a week ago that the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder faced off for the first time this season. It took place in Los Angeles and the visiting team grabbed a hard fought 85-83 victory.

The teams square off again on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and the Clippers look to avenge their lone loss of the season.

The Nov. 2 contest was up for grabs throughout, but it was Oklahoma City that found a way to make the biggest plays in the most crucial moments to snare the victory.

Despite that, the Clippers (7-1) believe they have shown an ability to put teams away and display a killer instinct that may not have been present in previous seasons.

"We're definitely trying to do that," Los Angeles guard Jamal Crawford said. "But we understand it's a long season. We'll have stretches where we may lose a couple of games in a row. So you don't want to get too high or too low over the course of the season. But you want to build good habits."

Facing the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, the Clippers didn't allow the game to come down to the final possessions. They came out and attacked Portland on their way to 111-80 victory.

Los Angeles led 61-32 at halftime and never let up. Coach Doc Rivers wants to see more of that killer instinct.

"I think we need to continue to learn how to close teams out," Rivers said. "Right now, when we get a lead it seems like they want to run it up even more. This team stays disciplined and continues to play solid, which we need to continue working on throughout the season."

Putting teams away hadn't been a problem for Oklahoma City (6-2). Before facing Toronto on Wednesday, the Thunder had built big enough leads that the starters were able to rest in the fourth quarter in the previous two games.

Against the Raptors, it was the Thunder who made mistakes in the fourth quarter that prevented them from earning the win.

"We battled and fought, the guys did," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I think it was maybe a six point game with a relatively decent amount of time left in the game. I think a lot of things for us defensively, we can look at from rebounding to pick-and-roll coverage to our transition defense where we can continue to try to get better and improve."

Against Toronto, the Thunder often got away from their inside play and settled for long three-pointers. As a team they hoisted up 34 attempts and made 12 of them.

That included guard Victor Oladipo, who was 5 of 9 from behind the arc.

"I'm just ready to shoot at all times, just waiting for it," Oladipo said. "When it comes to me I just try to be aggressive."

Even though they had an easy night Wednesday, guard Chris Paul says that doesn't give the Clippers an advantage.

"I don't think one has anything to do with the other," Paul said. "I'm glad we didn't go into triple overtime. But we know how tough it is to play in Oklahoma City. Those guys have been playing extremely well. For us, it's something that Doc (Rivers) has harped on since day one. It's a business trip for us and we have to go there with a single mindset and win it Friday night."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (4-4) at Spurs (5-3)

Date: November 11, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

You won't find San Antonio's veteran-laden roster or its venerable coach pushing any panic buttons just because the Spurs have lost three games in a row at home.

But there's certainly something amiss with one of the NBA's most consistent teams.

The Spurs will look to get back on track Friday night against the Detroit Pistons at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The three-game home losing streak is just San Antonio's second in the past seven seasons and first since December 2014 when it lost three straight home games in overtime.

It has been since Jan. 19-31, 2002, early in the second year of the George W. Bush's first term as President since the Spurs have lost four straight at home.

"When games are 80, 90, 100 points, there are a lot of mistakes both ways," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Wednesday after a 101-99 loss to Houston. "If you win the game, you made a lot of mistakes; if you lose the game, you made a lot of mistakes."

San Antonio (5-3) has seven new players on its roster and it's taking a while for all the pieces to fit together with the seamless efficiency the Spurs regularly employ.

It hasn't helped that starting guards Tony Parker and Danny Green haven't played together yet this season. Green missed the first seven games with a left quad injury and Parker was held out for the third straight game and fourth time this season on Wednesday against Houston because of right knee soreness. He's questionable for Friday's game.

"We're trying to figure out who we want to have on the court and who should be together," Popovich explained. "We obviously haven't figured that out yet. The effort is there and the willingness is there. So over time, making things more habitual and more organized will help us."

Detroit (4-4) might be the perfect opponent at this point of the season for San Antonio. The Pistons have been impressive and are undefeated at home, but they have are 0-4 away from the Detroit suburbs. They come into the Alamo City off a 107-100 loss at Phoenix on Wednesday.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a season-high 27 points for the Pistons and Andre Drummond had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit, which lost to the Los Angeles Clippers by 32 points on Monday.

Drummond has the most double-doubles in the NBA (119) since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. That's 17 more than runner-up Pau Gasol, who now plays for San Antonio.

"We gave the game away," Drummond said of the loss to Phoenix. "We came back in the fourth quarter with some strong plays. Then, after a timeout, we didn't come back with the energy we had to get us back in the game. It got them going and the rest is kind of history."

The Pistons went 0-2 against the Spurs last season. The teams will play one more time this season, at Detroit on Feb. 10. The Pistons have lost three of the last five games against the Spurs in San Antonio and six of the last nine overall to the Spurs.

San Antonio leads the all-time series between the teams with 53 wins in 86 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (4-6) at Trail Blazers (5-4)

Date: November 11, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Darren Collison could be in the starting lineup for the first time on Friday when the Sacramento Kings visit the Moda Center to face the Portland Trail Blazers.

The veteran point guard made his 2016-17 debut Tuesday night, coming off the bench to help Sacramento (4-5) beat New Orleans 102-94.

Collison, who missed eight games due to an NBA suspension after pleading guilty to misdemeanor domestic battery, had nine points and four assists while playing 28 minutes off the bench.

"Darren did a great job," first-year Sacramento coach Dave Joerger told reporters. "He has worked hard and stayed after it, spending time with coaches, learning and making sure he was up to speed on everything."

"It's tough playing your first game after everybody already has their legs under them," Collison said. "I didn't look like I was losing a lot of breath or was tired or out of shape. I would have loved to play more, but I know what coach (Joerger) was thinking. It just felt good to get on the court."

The Kings have won two in a row, thanks in part to a greater focus at the defensive end.

"It takes awhile to learn to play that hard (defensively) on a nightly basis," Joerger said. "We are learning that, and I am impressed."

"It's not something you can just come out and do," said Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, who ranks ninth in the NBA in scoring (25.8) to go with 8.6 rebounds per game. "It's a mindset. It takes a lot of energy and effort and also a lot of focus. You can talk it, but you have to go out and perform in on a nightly basis."

Portland (5-4) will be coming off its worst performance of the season - heck, one of the worst in franchise history - in a 111-80 drubbing by the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night at Staples Center.

The Blazers trailed 36-16 after one quarter, 50-18 midway through the second quarter and 93-45 late in the third quarter.

Said Portland coach Terry Stotts: "We had trouble scoring all night. (The Clippers) were good on the perimeter. They were good on the ball. They were good rebounding. They were good at the rim. They were good in transition. It was a frustrating night."

"We got our (butt) whooped," said guard Damian Lillard, who made 1 of 10 shots from the field and had only one assist in 28 minutes. "(The Clippers) played fresh. They wanted it more than we did. They did what they had to do. We weren't making shots. We didn't execute well. That seemed to spark their energy.

"It was a rout. They pretty much just came out and handed it to us. We didn't bring it. No excuses."

Portland went without starting power forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who strained his left calf in the win over Phoenix. Aminu's status is questionable for the game against the Kings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

You have to love the dysfunctional Knicks. Team president Phil Jackson is a devotee of the triangle offense that helped him win 11 titles as a head coach with the Bulls and Lakers. Yet he goes out and hires a coach this offseason in Jeff Hornacek who has no ties to that offense in his playing or coaching career. Already Jackson has expressed his displeasure with the few times the team runs the triangle, which is usually only after dead balls. Hornacek has said that Jackson told him he'd have the freedom to tweak the offense how he saw fit. And also this week, assistant coach Kurt Rambis, another triangle guy who was in the running for the head coaching opening after finishing up last season in that role after the Knicks fired Derek Fisher, was unofficially promoted to "defensive coordinator." Five years ago (pre-Jackson) the Knicks hired a defensive coach to assist Mike D'Antoni, and that was Mike Woodson. And within a season, Woodson was the head coach. This isn't going to end well in Gotham, and I believe more and more each day that Jackson will return to the Lakers in some front-office role next year to be with his girlfriend Jeanie Buss. Jackson does have an out in his contract.

Pacers at 76ers (+5, 212.5)

These teams played Wednesday night in the first of a home-and-home, and the 76ers were without excellent rookie Joel Embiid simply for rest. Indiana kept the 76ers winless with a 122-115 overtime victory. Paul George had 28 points, seven in the OT. The 76ers led by as many as six points with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Jahlil Okafor had a chance to win it with three seconds left by missed a baseline jumper. Robert Covington led Philly with 23 points; he had totaled 32 all season entering the game. Meanwhile, Indiana has won three straight in Philadelphia.

Key trends: The Pacers are 5-1 against the spread in the past six meetings. The "over/under" is 8-2 in Philly's past 10 vs. the East.

Early lean: 76ers and over.

Cavaliers at Wizards (TBA)

Cleveland was the last of the unbeatens to fall on Tuesday, 110-106 at home to Atlanta. The Big 3 of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 76 points but obviously got little help. The Cavs shot a whopping 42 3-pointers and made only 11. Washington ended a two-game losing streak with a 118-93 home blowout of Boston on Wednesday. Otto Porter blew up with a career-high 34 points to go with 14 rebounds. It was 34-8 after one quarter! The news wasn't all good, however. Oft-injured Bradley Beal left with right hamstring tightness, so I'm sure he's out a while. These teams split four meetings last year, each going 1-1 at home.

Key trends: The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the past five. The over is 5-1 in the previous six in D.C.

Early lean: TBA for Beal and to a lesser extent John Wall, who tweaked a knee but it's not thought to be serious.

Raptors at Hornets (TBA)

Toronto bounced back from a surprising home loss to the Kings with a 112-102 win in Oklahoma City on Wednesday. DeMar DeRozan had 37 points. Kyle Lowry added 19 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. Center Jonas Valanciunas missed his second straight game with a left knee contusion. Charlotte won a fourth in a row Wednesday, 104-98 over Utah. Kemba Walker led with 21. Top reserves Jeremy Lamb and Roy Hibbert remain out. Toronto won two of three vs. Charlotte last season, with the Hornets winning their lone home game.

Key trends: The home team is 9-4 ATS in the past 13 meetings. The over is 7-2 in the previous nine in Charlotte.

Early lean: TBA for Valanciunas. Like the Hornets and under regardless.

Jazz at Magic (TBA)

Utah's two-game winning streak ended in a 104-98 loss in Charlotte on Wednesday. The Jazz led most of the way. Gordon Hayward had 29 in a losing effort, but the Utah bench was dominated by the Hornets' reserves. Orlando lost a second in a row Wednesday, 123-107 at home to Minnesota, which had lost eight straight at the Magic. Orlando swept Utah last season in two low-scoring games. The Jazz averaged 92.5 points in the two.

Key trends: The road team is 7-1 ATS in the past eight. The under is 5-2 in Orlando's past seven overall.

Early lean: Suppose this TBA is for George Hill, who has missed the past two for Utah. Not sure he's worth that. I like the Jazz and under no matter.

Knicks at Celtics (TBA)

New York beat the visiting Nets 110-96 on Wednesday, rallying from a 14-point deficit. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points and Kristaps Porzingis 21. Boston lost its third straight Wednesday, 118-93 in Washington and didn't even bother to show up down 26 points after one quarter. The Celtics' eight points were their fewest in the first quarter since scoring seven against the Milwaukee Bucks in 1974. Jae Crowder missed a third game in a row and Al Horford a fourth, but Horford seems close to returning from his concussion. Boston won three of four last year vs. the Knicks and has taken the past three at home.

Key trends: The Knicks are 6-0 ATS in their past six on Friday. The under is 4-1 in the previous five meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Horford.

Clippers at Thunder (+2.5, 202)

NBA TV game. Los Angeles won its fourth straight Wednesday, 111-80 over Portland -- all four of those wins are by double digits. Blake Griffin had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Chris Paul added 19 points. The Clippers were up 32 in the first half. No starters played in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City lost 112-102 at home to Toronto on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook had 36 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but was just 9-for-26 from the field and had eight turnovers. Los Angeles will be looking to avenge its only loss, which was 85-83 at home vs. the Thunder on Nov. 2. Westbrook had 35 points, including a key jumper with 18.7 seconds left. The Clips hit just one shot in a 5 1/2-minute span late in the fourth quarter.

Key trends: The road team is 11-5 ATS in the past 16 meetings. The over is 4-0 in the previous four in OKC.

Early lean: Clippers and over.

Pistons at Spurs (-10.5, 196)

Detroit lost a second consecutive game Wednesday, 107-100 in Phoenix, blowing an 11-point lead. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons with a season-high 27 points, but the Detroit bench combined for just 21 points. San Antonio lost yet again at home Wednesday, 101-99 to Houston. Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points for the Spurs but missed his final two shots, either of which could have tied the game. It's the Spurs' first three-game home losing streak since December 2014. Tony Parker missed a third game in a row with a sore knee but is close to returning. San Antonio swept Detroit last year.

Key trends: The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 9-2 in the Spurs' past 11 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

Kings at Trail Blazers (-6, 210)

Second of a back-to-back for Sacramento as it looked to win a third game in a row Thursday at home vs. the Lakers. Portland's three-game winning streak ended in a 111-80 loss at the Clippers on Wednesday. The Blazers were down 29 at the half. Damian Lillard was held to a season-low eight points. Ditto C.J. McCollum. Portland has won six consecutive games over the Kings and also taken six straight home contests in the series. McCollum averaged 24.8 points in the four-game sweep last year.

Key trends: The Kings are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 7-0 in the Blazers' past seven at home.

Early lean: Blazers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Friday’s games

Indiana won its last six games with the 76ers (5-1 vs spread); three of last four series games went over total. Pacers won their last three visits here, by 11-27-13 points. Indiana is 0-4 on the road, 0-2 as road favorites- over is 6-2 in their games. Philly hasn’t won yet; they’re 3-2 against spread as a home underdog, Under is 3-2 in 76ers’ home games.

Orlando won three of last four games with Utah; last three series games went over. Jazz won three of last four visits to Orlando, in series where visitor won five of last seven games. Utah won four of its last six games; favorites covered five of its six road games. Magic is 3-5, losing last two games; underdogs covered all four of their home games. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games.

Cavaliers won five of last seven games with Washington; four of last six series games went over the total. Cavaliers are 3-2 in their last five visits here. Cavs are 6-1 this year, winning their two road games by total of four points- they’re 1-1 as a road favorite. Washington is off to a 2-5 start, splitting their four home games; three of their last four games stayed under.

Toronto won four of last five games with Charlotte; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Raptors lost three of last four visits here. Toronto won four of last five games overall; they won both their road games by 10 points each. Over is 4-3 in Raptor games. Hornets won their last four games, are 3-0 as a home favorite this season. Four of last five Hornet games went over total.

Celtics won six of last seven games with New York; four of last five series games stayed under the total. Knicks lost last three visits to Boston by 21-1-9 points. Celtics lost last three games, allowing 123 pts/game; they’re 2-1 as home favorites. New York lost three of last five games; they’re 1-2 as road dogs. Under is 4-3 in Knick games, 3-4 in Boston games.

Oklahoma City beat the Clippers in LA 8 days ago, their 4th win in last five series games. Clippers lost four of last five visits here, with last four of those going over total. Clippers won/covered seven of first eight games, last four in row; they’re 2-0 as road favorites. Four of last five LA games stayed under. Thunder are off to a 6-2 start, 4-1 at home; five of their last six games stayed under total.

Spurs won four of last five games with Detroit; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Pistons lost four of last five visits to Alamo (3-2 vs spread). Detroit is 0-4 on road (4-0 at home); over is 3-1 in their road games- they’re 0-2 as road underdogs. San Antonio lost three in row at home for first time in two years; they’re 1-3 as home favorites. Four of Spurs’ last five games went over.

Portland won its last six games with Sacramento, covering four of last five; seven of last eight series games stayed under. Kings lost last four visits to Portland but covered three of those four games. Trailblazers won three of last four games; they’re 2-2 at home, 1-1 as home favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under. Kings lost tough game at home with Lakers last night; they’re 2-4 as road underdogs. Four of their last five games stayed under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lafayette Leopards (6-24) at Villanova Wildcats (35-5)

Date: November 11, 2016 6:30 PM EDT

Villanova is set to take its first official step in defending its national championship when it plays host to host Lafayette on Friday (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 2) at the Pavilion in Villanova, Pa.

The Wildcats defeated North Carolina on April 4 for their first national title since 1985. They begin the 2016-17 season ranked No. 4 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Villanova will on campus with an expected raucous sold-out crowd to be in attendance Friday.

It is a new season with a number of new faces.

"The challenge is really our ego and staying humble and hungry and getting better," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "No matter what you did last year, everyone is a different person this year. So we have different challenges, and we lose two outstanding leaders on the floor and three walk-ons who were great leaders. We have challenges, and if we recognize the challenges and don't concentrate on our accomplishments, we have a shot."

The Wildcats will open this season without steady point guard Ryan Arcidiacono and center Daniel Ochefu, two key pieces on last season's national championship team that finished 35-5.

However, there's plenty of talent returning to the Main Line, led by senior forward Kris Jenkins, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer of the national championship game against the Tar Heels. Jenkins averaged 13.6 points and converted a Big East-leading 100 3-point baskets last season.

However, in Villanova's 94-49 exhibition win over the Indiana University of Pennsylvania last Saturday, Jenkins didn't start because he missed a targeted weight leading up to the game.

Jenkins proved his mettle through the regular season and the entire NCAA Tournament, and he realizes this is a new beginning.

"It is already behind me," Jenkins said of last season's championship. "You know we're focused and ready to go this year. We have a lot of things that we're working on and continuing to get better at. We have a good team here, and we want to be the best team we can be by the end of the year. So you know we're all focused on that."

The Wildcats return three starters from last year's team, including senior guard Josh Hart, a preseason All-American. Hart averaged 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds last year. Sophomore guard Jalen Brunson averaged 9.6 points and earned a spot on the Big East All-Freshman Team.

After reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15, Lafayette lost three 1,000-point scorers and slipped to 6-24 overall and 3-15 in the Patriot League last year. The Leopards lost to Navy in the first round of the Patriot League tournament.

Lafayette will be guided mostly by senior point guard Nick Lindner, a two-time captain who has scored more than 1,000 points and handed out more than 400 assists in his career.

The Leopards must replace five seniors, led by Bryce Scott, who landed in the record books in a variety of offensive categories. Scott made 213 career 3-pointers and was a 40.7 percent career 3-point shooter.

"We can definitely put some guys on the floor that can shoot and score, but that might not equate to our best defensive unit," Lafayette coach Fran O'Hanlon said. "Our problems have come in defense and rebounding, and it will only get better if our big guards can take advantage of matchups on the wings. We're not big inside, so that puts pressure on our guards to rebound."

With a young group, the Leopards must open the season on the road against the defending national champions. Not an easy task.

"Villanova will be a great experience for our guys," O'Hanlon said. "Obviously, it's a formidable opponent. It's like playing Alabama in football. Playing in an environment like that will be a hot ticket. Everybody wants to see the banners raised. It will be a great night."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Evansville Aces (25-9) at Louisville Cardinals (23-8)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Louisville coach Rick Pitino said he specifically picked out the 13th-ranked Cardinals' early-season schedule to provide maximum competition for his talented roster.

Pitino said he and his staff chose out-of-conference games against teams that had talent returning, veteran leadership and a good RPI.

Enter Evansville.

The Purple Aces travel to Louisville for a Friday clash (7 p.m. ET) at the KFC Yum! Center.

"What we did was, we wanted people who had at least three starters back when we were scheduling, we wanted teams with experience and we wanted teams we thought would be a Top 100 RPI team," Pitino said. "And when you watch Evansville on tape, you realize they are so well-coached."

Why all the focus on schedule the "right" kind of teams?

"We made it a goal of ours to have the No. 1 schedule in the nation," Pitino said. "We also wanted to have our best recruiting class, and we obviously want to reach our potential come March. And playing a tough schedule does that for us."

As good as the Louisville coaches think Evansville will be, the Aces were picked just ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll.

"I think our guys understand," Aces coach Marty Simmons said. "They hear the talk and people know that we lost a great group of young men through graduation. We've got a really good group, and they want to do really well. I think they'll use it as motivation."

Evansville finished the 2016 season 25-9, its best season in decades, falling to Northern Iowa in the championship of the Missouri Valley tournament.

The Aces notched wins last season against Belmont, UC Irvine, Murray State and Illinois State. Their games against major conference teams last season were a 74-64 loss vs. Providence and an 89-76 at Arkansas.

Senior guard Jaylon Brown leads Evansville's returners. He averaged 10.8 points per game last season and is the floor general for the Purple Aces.

He will square off against Louisville's leader, junior point guard Quentin Snider, whom Pitino recently described as the only returning player who has proved something in a national game.

Louisville's lineup is fairly inexperienced, but Evansville has to make up for the loss of its leading scorer, leading rebounder and leading shot-blocker.

Friday night will be the debut -- or rather return -- of a classic brand of Pitino basketball. The Cardinals coach recently said he is in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career, and he wants to go out while coaching his favorite brand of basketball -- up-tempo, full-court press and man-to-man defense. It was the style Pitino had during his final two seasons at Kentucky in 1996 and 1997.

The Louisville coaching staff installed the faster system during the offseason, and the Cardinals' first two exhibition games were played at a much faster pace than their fans are used to seeing.

Pitino said he expects Louisville's early-season games to be very fast-paced -- and a little sloppy.

"Interesting enough, William and Mary and Evansville will play up-tempo, they screen a lot and their ball movement is great, and they play like us with a lot of motion," Pitino said.

The coach said Louisville fans will have to be patient with the Cardinals as they will be turning the ball over and making a few more mistakes early in the season as they get used to this new approach.

"Am I a little nervous and apprehensive? Yes I am," Pitino said. "Even after 40 years of coaching, I'll still be nervous, but I'll be the only one, everyone else will be fine, but I'll be nervous."

Louisville returns Snider, power forward Jaylen Johnson and post Mangok Mathiang as players with starting experience. A pair of super sophomores, shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and small forward Deng Adel, are back, too.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dartmouth Big Green (10-18) at Rhode Island Rams (17-15)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Rhode Island held an open-air fanfest prior to its Rhody Madness opening to preseason practice.

"We want our games to be the celebration this year at home," URI coach Dan Hurley told the Providence Journal. "What we went for was a carnival-type atmosphere -- maybe some strange things happening outside where people can see some things they wouldn't normally see on a daily basis."

In other words, fun -- and Rhody should be able to have plenty of it this season.

The Rams start the season 23rd in the AP poll and open things up at home against Dartmouth on Friday night.

The expectations are there.

"I think it means we've put together a strong, high-level program," Hurley told the newspaper. "Obviously there are things we've got to accomplish during this season, certain markers: conference championship, an NCAA Tournament. This team has got things that we want to do this year."

Last season, they lost top player E.C. Matthews to a knee injury in the first game. In March, Hassan Martin was shut down after dealing with a variety of physical troubles. Both are back. Both made the Atlantic 10's preseason second team, and Matthews was named to the preseason watch list for the Lute Olson Award that goes to the top college player who has played at least two years.

The Rams, who went 17-15 last season (9-9 A-10), have a nice warmup, with games against Dartmouth, Marist and local rival Brown. But then they have an important weekend at the Mohegan Sun casino in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Nov. 19 and 20.

URI, picked to finish behind only Dayton in the conference, opens that tournament against Cincinnati, which just missed the opening Top 25, before playing the winner/loser of No. 1 Duke and Penn State. That means a win over Cincinnati leads the Rams into a likely game against Duke.

Jared Terrell and Jarvis Garrett, who led the team in scoring after the injuries, are back and now slip into more complementary roles.

"I think we check most of the boxes," Hurley said. "Veteran team. We have shooting. We've got guard play. We've got depth. We've got size. Great culture. We've got leadership.

"It's the best team in terms of talent and depth I've had since my second year at Wagner. That's exciting."

Dartmouth, playing for new coach David McLaughlin, was picked to finish sixth in the Ivy League. Dartmouth went 10-18 last season, 4-10 in conference play.

"I am very excited to be a part of this league and the tradition and history that comes with it," McLaughlin said during a preseason Ivy League conference call. "I've always prided myself as a head coach on being an expert on my team coming into the season, and that's a work in progress.

"While it's exciting at times, it can also be frustrating. In practice, we are talking about how we want to be defined (by those) who see us play on a regular basis. We have to embrace fatigue right now, meaning we have to know how we are going to execute on back-to-back days and on the road early in the year."

The Big Green host Fairfield and Marist after the opener, two of their three home games in the first 11 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Michigan State Spartans (29-6) at Arizona Wildcats (25-9)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Arizona-Michigan State game is one of the top matchups on college basketball's opening weekend. And it's almost impossible to say how it will play out.

The 10th-ranked Wildcats and No. 12 Spartans are national powerhouses just starting the process of reinventing their rosters, while dealing with injuries and other concerns, as they tip off their seasons Friday night from Honolulu in the Armed Forces Classic, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

"They have some new guys, they have some old guys," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said of Arizona. "Where we are a little bit weak right now is that our old guys don't have as much experience as theirs. But I like our new guys a lot."

Arizona has four new starters, including two true freshman starters -- guard Rawle Alkins and power forward Lauri Markkanen, a 3-point shooter and NBA lottery prospect who was the team's leading scorer with 21 points in its final exhibition game against Chico State on Sunday.

Izzo is set to unleash what is called his finest recruiting class, a four-man group led by wing Miles Bridges, who had 53 points and 15 rebounds in two exhibition games. Forward Nick Ward and guard Cassius Winston will be key parts of the rotation, and guard Joshua Langford is expected to play after missing both exhibitions due to a hamstring injury.

Michigan State -- also replacing four starters from last season -- will be without big men Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling due to knee injuries. That leaves Ward, at 6-8, as the team's tallest player.

Arizona, meanwhile, will be without returning leader scorer Allonzo Trier due to reported ongoing eligibility issues; coach Sean Miller has not commented on those. The Wildcats also lost redshirt freshman forward Ray Smith to a third ACL injury during the first exhibition. He has retired from basketball.

Miller was down to seven scholarship players in the second exhibition but said sophomore post player Chance Comanche should be good to go after serving a suspension due to academics. Comanche (6-11) joins a front line that includes 7-footer Markkanen, 7-foot center Dusan Ristic and 6-9 forward Keanu Pinder, a junior college transfer.

"With Chance, we're a much different team," Miller said. "You can't underestimate 6-foot-11, offensive rebounder, defensive rebounder, the ability to give us great size and depth up front."

Between the teams, as many as seven true freshmen are expected to see significant minutes.

As for the returnees, Arizona has senior combo guard Kadeem Allen, a defensive ace who averaged 8.4 points per game last season. Ristic, a junior, is a skilled low-post scorer. Junior Parker Jackson-Cartwright takes over point guard duties from Allen, who will be more off the ball this season.

Michigan State is expected to surround Bridges with senior guard Eron Harris (9.3 points per game last season as a 22-game starter), junior point guard Tum Tum Nairn, sophomore guard Matt McQuaid and sophomore forward Kenny Goins.

X-factors will be all over the court with new guys and veterans in much bigger roles.

"Our worries is just our depth and size right now," said Izzo, who has never coached against Miller. "Our strengths are I think we can shoot the ball and I think we can be a team that can run very well. Our other worry is whether we can defend and rebound."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marist Red Foxes (7-23) at Duke Blue Devils (25-11)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke's available roster has already evolved and that's before the season opener Friday night against Marist.

But the convenient part for the Blue Devils, who enter the season with the No. 1 ranking, is that there might be a surplus of talent.

That talent goes on display with the first game of the season at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

"A luxury is that we have so many talented guys that our practices are really intense," fifth-year senior forward Amile Jefferson said. "I think we'll be OK."

Duke played two preseason games without forward Jayson Tatum, who suffered a foot injury in practice more than two weeks ago, and center Harry Giles, who's coming off a surgical procedure in September.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he expects Tatum to be on the court for the opener, though Giles won't play in the first weekend.

Then the team announced this week that freshman forward Marques Bolden, who's another member of the heralded recruiting class, will miss at least two games because of a lower-leg ailment after sitting out the second exhibition.

Senior guard Matt Jones said the Blue Devils are benefiting from using various player combinations during practices and in the team's two exhibition romps past Division II teams.

"We're still learning about each other and learning the flow of the game," Jones said.

Krzyzewski said the injury bug is a concern in general.

"We had a lot of big, athletic guys in Duke polos," he said, referring to players out of uniform on the bench for exhibition games.

Duke, which is the top-ranked team in the preseason for the eighth time, is aiming for a season-opening victory for the 17th year in a row. Krzyzewski has a 34-2 record in openers as coach of the Blue Devils.

Marist arrives as the opponent for a game that's part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. Duke starts the season with home games on back-to-back days, with Saturday's matchup coming against Grand Canyon.

"Once we start Friday, we'll play eight games in November," Krzyzewski said, noting the busy schedule. "We feel really good about (Tatum) and things for him have moved on really well."

Duke and Marist have never faced each other.

Third-year coach Mike Maker is aiming for some traction with the Red Foxes. Marist is coming off a pair of seven-win seasons.

Twice, Maker took Williams College to the Division III championship game. He has one 30-win season, so that pales in comparison to Krzyzewski.

Marist fifth-year senior guard Khallid Hart is the leading returning scorer in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He posted 20.3 points per game last season while averaging a league-high 36.5 minutes per game.

As a team, the Red Foxes were picked to finish eighth in the preseason coaches' poll.

Marist also unveils guard Richie Mitchell, a junior college transfer after one season at Weatherford College.

"He will add quickness and playmaking ability to our backcourt and he has a reputation for being a great teammate and a hard worker," Maker said.

It's a daunting opening stretch for the Red Foxes, who play only one of their first five games at home.

Marist became Duke's opening opponent after Albany, which had been scheduled to play in Durham, pulled out because of New York's public-school ban on non-essential travel to North Carolina because of the state's controversial law known as HB2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Virginia Cavaliers (29-8) at NC Greensboro Spartans (15-19)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- For the third time in five years, Virginia will open the season with a true road game, a rarity for top-10 teams over the recent years.

The Cavaliers are fortified as one of the top programs in the country under head coach Tony Bennett and travel to UNC Greensboro Friday night at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Virginia is coming off a 2015-16 campaign that ended one win shy of the Elite Eight and a 30-win season, which would have been their second in as many years. While the Cavaliers graduated four seniors from last year's squad including ACC Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, they return plenty of talent, which earned them their No. 8 preseason ranking.

Bennett, who is entering his eighth season at the helm in Charlottesville, will once again look to be one of the best defenses in the country while also improving on the offensive side of the ball. Virginia allowed just 63 points per game last season which ranked 16th in the country, but also put up an average of 76 points per game on offense.

"There are a lot of unknowns this season and that will be challenging," Bennett said. "(London Perrantes') supporting cast isn't as proven as it has been and we are going to find out fairly soon how the other guys can step up."

Perrantes, a senior point guard, is coming off of a junior campaign in which he averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 assists per game. The Cavaliers will be without two key pieces to open the season, as highly touted forward Austin Nichols, who transferred from Memphis, will miss Friday's game due to a violation of team rules. Redshirt freshman Mamadi Diakite will also miss Friday night's game as he will have to sit out due to an ongoing investigation into his amateur status by the NCAA.

Virginia will look for early contributions from freshmen guard Kyle Guy, who was Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana last year, and forwards Jay Huff and De'Andre Hunter who may need to fill the void missed from Nichols and Diakite against the Spartans.

"I think we have the best freshman class in the country, it's as simple as that," Guy said. "We have so much skill here. Everyone is phenomenal."

The Spartans won 15 games last season and made an appearance in the CBI tournament where they advanced to the second round before losing to Ohio in the quarterfinals. UNC Greensboro was picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference's preseason poll but will face their stiffest test of their 2016-17 season when they host the Cavaliers.

The Spartans lose three of their top four scorers from last year's team. Center R.J. White averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game last season.

UNC Greensboro will likely bring a defensive mindset to the game as well as they are coming off of a season where they gave up just 68 points per game - easily ranking them in the top 40 in the country. White will need to continue to be a force on the glass against the Cavaliers where he may have the advantage against a diminished Virginia frontcourt.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (28-6) at Kentucky Wildcats (27-9)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Deuces are wild as Kentucky antes up for a new basketball season.

The Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in the preseason thanks in large part to the No. 2-rated freshman class, opens play Friday at Rupp Arena against Stephen F. Austin (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network).

It is not so much the opponent that will make the opening night special, it is learning who the new stars will be as Kentucky brings aboard a freshman class that features four McDonald's All-Americans.

"Every one of these guys could try to get 30 points. Every one of them have that kind of ability," Wildcats coach John Calipari said. "But they know they have to do it together."

Calipari always calls it a "process," the first three months of the season during which he determines style of play and rotations.

"This is November, the beginning of November," Calipari said. "It's the first time these kids are doing some of this stuff, and they're going to be uncomfortable and they're going to be wrong 60, 70 percent of the time. Just play. Play hard, compete, battle. Come up with balls. Let's get some easy baskets. And then let's see how we execute."

The process could be more challenging this year than others as Kentucky has legitimate options between using a smaller three-guard set and going tall with 6-foot-9 or better across the front line.

With the small lineup, Kentucky features sophomore Isaiah Briscoe and freshmen De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. All three are McDonald's All-Americans.

Should the Wildcats go big, 6-9 Wenyen Gabriel and Derek Willis, 6-10 Edrice "Bam" Adebayo, Sacha Killeya-Jones and Tai Wynyard and 7-foot Isaac Humphries are all at Calipari's disposal.

Regardless of the direction the coach chooses, Adebayo will be in the mix. The freshman arrived in Lexington sporting an NBA-ready, 260-pound frame.

"How about Bam's energy? Was that crazy? Like, his motor?" Calipari asked after a recent exhibition win. "That motor is how you win ballgames. He's a beast."

The one person bridging the transition is Briscoe, the sophomore who pulled his name out of the NBA Draft last spring.

"In Isaiah, you really have a leader who is an alpha dog," Calipari said. "He's got a killer in him. You win with guys like him."

It all begins Friday against Stephen F. Austin.

The Lumberjacks have been the toast of the mid-majors of late, having reached the NCAA Tournament three straight years while posting a 53-1 record in the Southland Conference. However, the departure of five seniors and head coach Brad Underwood, who took the Oklahoma State job, leaves SFA scrambling under new coach Kyle Keller.

"Unfortunately, I only have, like, 17 percent of the offense back," Keller said, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. "So we're flipping this thing for the first time in a long time. It's a brand new team, but expectations are even higher.

"I'm doing what Coach Calipari is doing."

At least at the Southland Conference level.

The biggest challenge might be in the paint. No SFA player is taller than 6-7.

As for the Wildcats, Calipari promises a slimmed-down package of plays the first few weeks.

"Limited baseline, limited sideline, limited what we'll do versus zone, limited man offense," he said. "We're just trying to get good at some things right now. I don't want to throw too much. I want them to worry about competing at a high level versus worrying about, 'What am I supposed to be doing out here?' Just compete."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: American Eagles (12-19) at Maryland Terrapins (27-9)

Date: November 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- There were a lot of lofty expectations on the Maryland basketball team at this point last season, as the Terps were ranked in the Top 10 by several outlets.

That is certainly not the case this year, though No. 25 Maryland could be a factor in the Big Ten and nationally come March.

The Terps open the season at home Friday at 7 p.m. against American, a member of the Patriot League whose campus in northwest Washington, D.C., is about 12 miles southwest of College Park.

American coach Mike Brennan, a former assistant at Georgetown, is well aware of the Maryland program.

"You always want to challenge yourselves and see where you stack up at the beginning of the year," said Brennan, a former player at Princeton in his fourth season with the Eagles. "It is exciting; it is good for recruiting. The guys like it; they like the challenge."

Maryland was 27-9 last season and lost to Kansas in the regional semifinals in the NCAA tournament. Terps outscored opponents by an average of 75.7-66.7 last season while AU was outscored 65.7-57.6. The Terps won the battle of the boards by an average of 35.1-32.5.

But Maryland lost two key players to the NBA. Freshman center Diamond Stone was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers and senior forward Jake Layman was taken by the Portland Trail Blazers.

In addition, graduate senior Rasheed Suliamon, a transfer from Duke, exhausted his eligibility while Robert Carter Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech, left a year early to play pro ball in Italy.

The good news is that Melo Trimble, an all-conference guard, decided to return for his junior year after working out for NBA teams. He is the team leader among returnees in points (14.8), assists (4.9) and rebounds (3.9).

Trimble is expected to play Friday despite hurting his ankle and playing just nine minutes in a 95-61 exhibition win against Division II Catawba on Saturday.

Besides Trimble, the Terps have a strong freshman class, with point guard Anthony Cowan, 6-foot-7 forward Justin Jackson and 6-7 guard Kevin Huerter. Cowan and Jackson each had 15 points against Catawba.

"They are three young guys who are further along than the rest of them," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. "They'll all be ready to help us. They're ready to play."

"Anthony's something we really haven't had since we've been here," Turgeon added. "He's fast -- probably one of the fastest guys in the league. He can really defend, pick it up full court and pressure the ball. He's fast on the break and he's a pass-first point guard, which is great for our team right now."

Maryland also has graduate transfer L.G. Gill, from Duquesne, who had 13 points against Catawba, and Dion Wiley, who missed last season with a right knee injury.

Trimble and Cowan are both products of Prince George's County, Md., and played for the same club program. Both played in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), as Trimble starred at Bishop O'Connell in Virginia and Cowan played at St. John's College High in Washington.

"He's a really good passer who can shoot," Trimble said of Cowan. "But he's mostly a pass-first point guard, which is something that's good for our offense. With Anthony being here, I can play off the ball, which is something I haven't (done) since I was in high school."

The top player for American is Delante Jones, who averaged 12 points last season as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. The Eagles are picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Patriot League after going 12-19 last season.

The teams last met in December 2008 at Maryland; the Terps won 67-51. On Dec. 22, 2007, in College Park, the Eagles pulled a 67-59 upset against Maryland and former coach Gary Williams, who was an American University assistant early in his Hall of Fame coaching career.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacific Tigers (8-20) at UCLA Bruins (15-17)

Date: November 11, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

UCLA is banking on young talent to turn its fortunes around while Pacific is counting on an experienced player with name value as head coach to resurrect its program.

The 16th-ranked Bruins, who are coming off a 15-17 season a year ago, host Pacific in the season-opening game for both teams on Friday. The Tigers, who finished 8-20 in 2015-16, have 13-year NBA veteran Damon Stoudamire at the helm, his first experience as a head coach.

UCLA coach Steve Alford, in his fourth season with the Bruins, recruited one of the best freshman classes in the nation that includes 6-foot-6 point guard Lonzo Ball, 6-10 power forward T.J. Leaf (who can extend to the perimeter) and 6-10 center Ike Anigbogu. Alford has indicated that Anigbogu was expected to miss at least three games at the start of the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The influx of young talent matched with veterans such as senior guards Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton and junior forward Thomas Welsh has Alford confident that the Bruins will become relevant after missing the NCAA tournament last year. UCLA's losing record a year ago prompted Steve Alford to write an apologetic letter to fans in which he stated he returned to the school his one-year contract extension signed after the 2013-14 season.

"I don't think our team is concerned about what money I make or what money I give back," Steve Alford said, referencing his letter. "I don't think that's an issue to our guys at all, so that part hasn't been talked about. It's about where that bar is.

"Coach (John) Wooden, whether it's me, guys before me or guys after me in the future, same with players that played for Coach Wooden and guys that are playing in Westwood now, that bar was raised a long time ago by a guy that won a bucket load of games and championships, and established something that quite honestly hasn't been established anywhere else in the country."

Depth is not a concern for UCLA evidenced by guard Aaron Holiday, who started all 32 games last year as a freshman. He is projected to be the sixth man this season.

UCLA experimented with different lineups during a recent exhibition game against The Master's University, including a four-guard up-tempo version with Ball, Bryce Alford, Hamilton and Holiday.

"We have four very talented guards who know how to take care of the ball and know how to put the ball in the basket," Steve Alford said.

Stoudamire, who has coaching experience as an assistant at Arizona (where he starred in college) and Memphis, is taking over a Pacific program that was in turmoil last season. Former coach Ron Verlin and an assistant were suspended for three months before being terminated in March in the midst of an NCAA investigation into allegations of academic misconduct.

The Tigers have a balanced lineup as they return 11 of their top 13 scorers from last season, including junior wing Ray Bowles (11.1 points per game) and senior guard T.J. Wallace (10.8). In an exhibition win over Bristol on Nov. 4, senior guard David Taylor had 19 points (including five 3-pointers) and junior forward Jacob Lampkin had 15.

Stoudamire, who was part of the UCLA-Arizona rivalry from 1991-95, has noted that the wealth of Pacific's returning players are buying into his coaching.

"If you have guys at the top of your team, your best players that are willing to be coachable, then that makes it easy for you as the head coach," he said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: North Carolina Tar Heels (33-7) at Tulane Green Wave (12-22)

Date: November 11, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS -- When new Tulane basketball coach Mike Dunleavy looks across the Smoothie King Center court at the No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels Friday night in the season opener for both teams, he'll see more than a few NBA prospects wearing Carolina blue.

Even though Dunleavy's young Green Wave don't have the talent or depth to match up against Roy Williams' Tar Heels, Dunleavy knows his job is to create a culture built on the foundational lessons he learned in 17 years coaching in the NBA: Take good shots and share the ball.

"We really kind of want to play how the (San Antonio) Spurs play," Tulane guard Malik Morgan said, giving voice to a lofty goal. "We really want to focus on good ball movement and getting open shots. Last year we kind of took some hard shots, but Coach (Dunleavy) really wants us to open the floor for shooters."

Dunleavy, 62, is taking over a Tulane team that went 13-21 last season and finished with the second-fewest assists per game (10.9) and the second-most turnovers per game (13.3) in going 3-15 in the American Athletic Conference. The Green Wave also were second-to-last in the AAC in scoring (65.9 points per game) and second-to-last in 3-point shooting (30 percent).

"The first thing we want to emphasize is getting good shots and taking good shots," Dunleavy said. "We need to take care of the ball and not turn it over. I thought last year it was a problem for them - shot selection and turnovers."

The Green Wave return four freshmen from coach Ed Conroy's team who played at least 10 minutes a game last year (Melvin Frazier, Von Julien, Blake Paul and Kain Harris). They lost 96-72 to North Carolina last year in Chapel Hill, and the Tar Heels have not played Tulane in in New Orleans since 1977.

Carolina returns several key players from a team that went 33-7 and captured the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and conference championships and advanced to its record 19th Final Four appearance.

Junior Joel Berry II, who was named MVP of the ACC tournament and is a preseason first-team All-ACC selection, will start at point guard, and he will be joined on the wing by Justin Jackson, a second-team preseason All-ACC choice. Senior center Kennedy Meeks is back along with senior power forward Isaiah Hicks.

Hicks was voted the ACC's sixth man of the year last season and will help replace Brice Johnson, a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers. Carolina will be without junior wing Theo Pinson, who broke a bone in his right foot last month and will be sidelined indefinitely.

The Heels were selected to finish second in the ACC behind Duke this season.

The 6-foot-6 Pinson had been expected to start at shooting guard for North Carolina and is an excellent perimeter defender. In his absence, Williams said he needs to see how sophomore Kenny Williams, senior guard Nate Britt and freshman Brandon Robinson perform.

"Somebody's got to get those minutes," Williams said. "Whoever gets those minutes, if they do well and succeed and have good moments, that's really going to make them better at the end of the year. Then, if you do get Theo back and he's ready to play, then that makes you stronger."