NBA roundup: Millsap, Hawks top Knicks in 4th OT
By The Sports Xchange
ATLANTA -- Paul Millsap totaled 37 points and 19 rebounds in 60 minutes and Atlanta outlasted New York for a 142-139 quadruple overtime victory Sunday.
Millsap matched a team record for minutes and also scored the go-ahead basket with 11.4 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime.
Kent Bazemore added 24 points and Dennis Schroder contributed 23 and a career-high 15 assists. Dwight Howard collected 19 and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the second overtime.
Carmelo Anthony forced overtime and scored a season-high 45 points before fouling out with 12.9 seconds left in the third overtime. Anthony was one of four Knicks to foul out, including Kristaps Porzingis, who added 15 points.
Mavericks 105, Spurs 101
SAN ANTONIO -- Seth Curry scored a career-high 24 points and hit the deciding layup with 17.3 seconds remaining as Dallas San Antonio and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs.
Harrison Barnes added 19 points for the Mavericks, who trailed 59-49 at halftime. Wesley Matthews had 17 points, and Dirk Nowitzki totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds. Dallas won in San Antonio for the first time since Nov. 26, 2010.
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the Spurs, who lost consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 5 and 9. LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker added 16 points apiece.
Cavaliers 107, Thunder 91
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 25 points and became the first player to score 20,000 points in a Cleveland uniform as the Cavaliers knocked off the Thunder.
Kevin Love left the game in the second quarter with back spasms and will not play Monday in Dallas.
Russell Westbrook had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th triple-double of the season and first of his career against the Cavs, but he shot 7 of 26 and committed four turnovers
Irving scored 29 points and passed for 10 assists, Tristan Thompson grabbed 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shumpert scored 16 points for the Cavs, who have won consecutive games after losing six of their previous eight.
Warriors 113, Trail Blazers 111
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kevin Durant scored 33 points to go with 10 rebounds and six assists as Golden State beat Portland.
Klay Thompson added 27 points for the Warriors, who won their third straight game and 10th in the past 11 outings. Golden State was without Stephen Curry, who had the stomach flu.
CJ McCollum collected 28 points and seven rebounds and Damian Lillard added 19 points and eight assists for the Trail Blazers, who saw their three-game win streak end. Portland had a chance to win, but Evan Turner's 3-point attempt was short just before the final horn.
Magic 114, Raptors 113
TORONTO -- Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points and Orlando held off slumping Toronto.
D.J. Augustin added 21 points as Orlando scored 19 straight points to end the first half. Jeff Green added 16 points and C.J. Watson finished with 15.
Kyle Lowry scored 33 points for the Raptors, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. DeMar DeRozan added 22 after missing three games with a sprained right ankle.
Pacers 120, Rockets 101
INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George scored 33 points and Indiana limited James Harden to 15 points in a double-digit win over Houston.
George topped 30 points for a season-high fourth straight game as Indiana won for the ninth time in 13 games. Myles Turner added 18 and 10 rebounds while Jeff Teague collected 17 and 15 assists.
Harden shot 3 of 17 and was held below 20 points for the seventh time this season. Ryan Anderson led the Rockets with 27 points.
Wizards 107, Pelicans 94
NEW ORLEANS -- Bradley Beal scored 27 points and Washington pulled away to beat the New Orleans.
Markieff Morris added 12 of his 21 in the fourth quarter as Washington won for the 11th time in 13 games. John Wall collected 18 points and 19 assists.
Anthony Davis led all scorers with 36 points and added 17 rebounds. Jrue Holliday totaled 26 and 11 assists for New Orleans.
Bulls 121, 76ers 108
CHICAGO -- After a tumultuous week that included back-to-back losses and a couple rounds of public finger-pointing, Chicago made sure it didn't leave for six-game road trip with a third straight defeat.
The Bulls, who played without power forward Taj Gibson, took control late in the first quarter. Chicago fought off a couple comeback bids and sealed the victory in the fourth against the Sixers, who played without rookie center Joel Embiid.
Jimmy Butler had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Robin Lopez added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Ersan Ilyasova led all scorers with a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia, which got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Robert Covington.
By The Sports Xchange
ATLANTA -- Paul Millsap totaled 37 points and 19 rebounds in 60 minutes and Atlanta outlasted New York for a 142-139 quadruple overtime victory Sunday.
Millsap matched a team record for minutes and also scored the go-ahead basket with 11.4 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime.
Kent Bazemore added 24 points and Dennis Schroder contributed 23 and a career-high 15 assists. Dwight Howard collected 19 and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the second overtime.
Carmelo Anthony forced overtime and scored a season-high 45 points before fouling out with 12.9 seconds left in the third overtime. Anthony was one of four Knicks to foul out, including Kristaps Porzingis, who added 15 points.
Mavericks 105, Spurs 101
SAN ANTONIO -- Seth Curry scored a career-high 24 points and hit the deciding layup with 17.3 seconds remaining as Dallas San Antonio and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Spurs.
Harrison Barnes added 19 points for the Mavericks, who trailed 59-49 at halftime. Wesley Matthews had 17 points, and Dirk Nowitzki totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds. Dallas won in San Antonio for the first time since Nov. 26, 2010.
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to lead the Spurs, who lost consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 5 and 9. LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker added 16 points apiece.
Cavaliers 107, Thunder 91
CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 25 points and became the first player to score 20,000 points in a Cleveland uniform as the Cavaliers knocked off the Thunder.
Kevin Love left the game in the second quarter with back spasms and will not play Monday in Dallas.
Russell Westbrook had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 24th triple-double of the season and first of his career against the Cavs, but he shot 7 of 26 and committed four turnovers
Irving scored 29 points and passed for 10 assists, Tristan Thompson grabbed 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shumpert scored 16 points for the Cavs, who have won consecutive games after losing six of their previous eight.
Warriors 113, Trail Blazers 111
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kevin Durant scored 33 points to go with 10 rebounds and six assists as Golden State beat Portland.
Klay Thompson added 27 points for the Warriors, who won their third straight game and 10th in the past 11 outings. Golden State was without Stephen Curry, who had the stomach flu.
CJ McCollum collected 28 points and seven rebounds and Damian Lillard added 19 points and eight assists for the Trail Blazers, who saw their three-game win streak end. Portland had a chance to win, but Evan Turner's 3-point attempt was short just before the final horn.
Magic 114, Raptors 113
TORONTO -- Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points and Orlando held off slumping Toronto.
D.J. Augustin added 21 points as Orlando scored 19 straight points to end the first half. Jeff Green added 16 points and C.J. Watson finished with 15.
Kyle Lowry scored 33 points for the Raptors, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. DeMar DeRozan added 22 after missing three games with a sprained right ankle.
Pacers 120, Rockets 101
INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George scored 33 points and Indiana limited James Harden to 15 points in a double-digit win over Houston.
George topped 30 points for a season-high fourth straight game as Indiana won for the ninth time in 13 games. Myles Turner added 18 and 10 rebounds while Jeff Teague collected 17 and 15 assists.
Harden shot 3 of 17 and was held below 20 points for the seventh time this season. Ryan Anderson led the Rockets with 27 points.
Wizards 107, Pelicans 94
NEW ORLEANS -- Bradley Beal scored 27 points and Washington pulled away to beat the New Orleans.
Markieff Morris added 12 of his 21 in the fourth quarter as Washington won for the 11th time in 13 games. John Wall collected 18 points and 19 assists.
Anthony Davis led all scorers with 36 points and added 17 rebounds. Jrue Holliday totaled 26 and 11 assists for New Orleans.
Bulls 121, 76ers 108
CHICAGO -- After a tumultuous week that included back-to-back losses and a couple rounds of public finger-pointing, Chicago made sure it didn't leave for six-game road trip with a third straight defeat.
The Bulls, who played without power forward Taj Gibson, took control late in the first quarter. Chicago fought off a couple comeback bids and sealed the victory in the fourth against the Sixers, who played without rookie center Joel Embiid.
Jimmy Butler had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Robin Lopez added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Ersan Ilyasova led all scorers with a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia, which got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Robert Covington.
NBA teams are cashing at an alarming rate to close out road trips
By JOE FORTENBAUGH
Your brow is drenched in tiny beads of sweat yet, no matter the amount of effort put forth, you can’t seem to shake the chills that are sprinting up and down your spine. You press the call button and ask the flight attendant for a blanket, and perhaps some ginger ale, in an effort to settle an unruly stomach. Dehydration has set in. Your pockets are light, your mental state is one of utter fragility, your emotions range from a state of disarray to discombobulated and back again. You mutter to yourself, “All I need to do is survive this flight and then I’m off to bed for 48 hours.”
You ease back into your seat ever so delicately and hope, pray even, for the best.
It doesn’t take a world traveler to comprehend that what I’m talking about is that infamous flight home from the great city of Las Vegas, because we’ve all been there before. Sin City is the ultimate road trip, one that is specifically designed to break you at the tables and slots and sportsbooks. And should you somehow manage to survive from a financial perspective, the city will no doubt emerge victorious when it comes to exacting a toll on your mental and physical health.
That’s preciously why I made the pledge more than five years ago to never spend more than three consecutive days on the Las Vegas Strip. Not because I don’t enjoy it. Oh, God, do I enjoy it! It’s because I simply lack the discipline necessary to survive anything greater than a 72-hour run through the Entertainment Capital of the World. I forget to sleep, forget to hydrate, forget to eat. And during that 72-hour stretch, I really don’t even care about rest or water or food.
It’s that damn flight home where I suffer the consequences and commence discussions with a Higher Power.
This, of course, is the most dramatic example of what can happen on a road trip. But we’ve all experienced the natural wear and tear that comes from a four, five or even week-long trek to another part of the country or world for business. By the end, we just want to sleep in our own beds and watch the latest binge craze courtesy of Netflix - no matter how much fun we had. That’s because no matter what new and exciting pleasures the road has to offer, there’s just no substitute for the tranquility and peace that comes from the home.
Professional athletes are not immune to the distractions inherent on any road trip. Look no further than Staples Center during a Sunday matinee for proof. In most instances, the Lakers’ opponent enjoys itself a tad too much the night before in the City of Angles while rubbing elbows with some combination of actors, musicians and models and shows up flat for an early start time the next afternoon.
These are preciously the situations that we are looking to exploit.
There is a long-standing belief in the National Basketball Association that clubs generally fall flat on their respective faces during the last game of a lengthy road trip. Fatigue, long travel, late nights, uncomfortable hotel beds - you name it. Any combination of the aforementioned, and beyond, play a role in wearing down even the best in the business. Hell, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got smoked by 35 points at Golden State on January 16 in what was the final contest of a six-game road trip.
But I’m here to tell you that, at least as far as the 2016-2017 NBA campaign is concerned, something very intriguing has developed in regards to lengthy road trips. Specifically, what takes place from a betting perspective in the final game of said road trips.
Let’s take a look:
2016-2017 NBA SU & ATS Road Records In Final Game Of Road Trip
Final game of 3-game road trip: 19-19 SU, 24-14 ATS
Final game of 4-game road trip: 12-3 SU, 12-3 ATS
Final game of 5-game road trip: 10-10 SU, 12-8 ATS
Final game of 6-game road trip: 4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS
Final game of 7-game road trip: 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS
All previous theories be damned! What the information above tells us is that NBA road teams are actually thriving in the final game of their road trips this season, not faltering. So much so, in fact, that you would be turning an insane profit (.800 winning percentage) had you only wagered in situations in which a road team was playing its final contest of a four-game road trip. In fact, you’d be turning a profit in every road game situation this season outside of the final game of a six or seven-game roadie.
If nothing else, the above intelligence is more than worthy of consideration for the remainder of the NBA season. And because I love ya, I’ve gone ahead and taken the liberty of listing below all of the final-road-game situations that are coming up in the immediate future.
Best of luck!
*Number in parenthesis indicates length of road trip.
1/27: Spurs at Pelicans (4)
1/29: Rockets at Pacers (5)
1/30: Magic at Timberwolves (3)
1/30: Nets at Heat (3)
1/31: Kings at Rockets (8)
2/1: Knicks at Nets (3)
2/1: Clippers at Suns (5)
2/4: Hornets at Jazz (3)
2/4: Bucks at Suns (3)
2/4: Grizzlies at Timberwolves (6)
2/5: Raptors at Nets (3)
2/6: 76ers at Pistons (4)
2/9: Cavaliers at Thunder (4)
2/9: Jazz at Mavericks (3)
2/10: Lakers at Bucks (5)
2/11: Heat at 76ers (4)
2/11: Nuggets at Cavaliers (3)
2/12: Bulls at Timberwolves (6)
2/13: Celtics at Mavericks (4)
2/13: Warriors at Nuggets (3)
2/13: Clippers at Jazz (5)
2/15: Pelicans at Grizzlies (4)
2/26: Spurs at Lakers (8)
2/28: Trail Blazers at Pistons (4)
By JOE FORTENBAUGH
Your brow is drenched in tiny beads of sweat yet, no matter the amount of effort put forth, you can’t seem to shake the chills that are sprinting up and down your spine. You press the call button and ask the flight attendant for a blanket, and perhaps some ginger ale, in an effort to settle an unruly stomach. Dehydration has set in. Your pockets are light, your mental state is one of utter fragility, your emotions range from a state of disarray to discombobulated and back again. You mutter to yourself, “All I need to do is survive this flight and then I’m off to bed for 48 hours.”
You ease back into your seat ever so delicately and hope, pray even, for the best.
It doesn’t take a world traveler to comprehend that what I’m talking about is that infamous flight home from the great city of Las Vegas, because we’ve all been there before. Sin City is the ultimate road trip, one that is specifically designed to break you at the tables and slots and sportsbooks. And should you somehow manage to survive from a financial perspective, the city will no doubt emerge victorious when it comes to exacting a toll on your mental and physical health.
That’s preciously why I made the pledge more than five years ago to never spend more than three consecutive days on the Las Vegas Strip. Not because I don’t enjoy it. Oh, God, do I enjoy it! It’s because I simply lack the discipline necessary to survive anything greater than a 72-hour run through the Entertainment Capital of the World. I forget to sleep, forget to hydrate, forget to eat. And during that 72-hour stretch, I really don’t even care about rest or water or food.
It’s that damn flight home where I suffer the consequences and commence discussions with a Higher Power.
This, of course, is the most dramatic example of what can happen on a road trip. But we’ve all experienced the natural wear and tear that comes from a four, five or even week-long trek to another part of the country or world for business. By the end, we just want to sleep in our own beds and watch the latest binge craze courtesy of Netflix - no matter how much fun we had. That’s because no matter what new and exciting pleasures the road has to offer, there’s just no substitute for the tranquility and peace that comes from the home.
Professional athletes are not immune to the distractions inherent on any road trip. Look no further than Staples Center during a Sunday matinee for proof. In most instances, the Lakers’ opponent enjoys itself a tad too much the night before in the City of Angles while rubbing elbows with some combination of actors, musicians and models and shows up flat for an early start time the next afternoon.
These are preciously the situations that we are looking to exploit.
There is a long-standing belief in the National Basketball Association that clubs generally fall flat on their respective faces during the last game of a lengthy road trip. Fatigue, long travel, late nights, uncomfortable hotel beds - you name it. Any combination of the aforementioned, and beyond, play a role in wearing down even the best in the business. Hell, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got smoked by 35 points at Golden State on January 16 in what was the final contest of a six-game road trip.
But I’m here to tell you that, at least as far as the 2016-2017 NBA campaign is concerned, something very intriguing has developed in regards to lengthy road trips. Specifically, what takes place from a betting perspective in the final game of said road trips.
Let’s take a look:
2016-2017 NBA SU & ATS Road Records In Final Game Of Road Trip
Final game of 3-game road trip: 19-19 SU, 24-14 ATS
Final game of 4-game road trip: 12-3 SU, 12-3 ATS
Final game of 5-game road trip: 10-10 SU, 12-8 ATS
Final game of 6-game road trip: 4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS
Final game of 7-game road trip: 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS
All previous theories be damned! What the information above tells us is that NBA road teams are actually thriving in the final game of their road trips this season, not faltering. So much so, in fact, that you would be turning an insane profit (.800 winning percentage) had you only wagered in situations in which a road team was playing its final contest of a four-game road trip. In fact, you’d be turning a profit in every road game situation this season outside of the final game of a six or seven-game roadie.
If nothing else, the above intelligence is more than worthy of consideration for the remainder of the NBA season. And because I love ya, I’ve gone ahead and taken the liberty of listing below all of the final-road-game situations that are coming up in the immediate future.
Best of luck!
*Number in parenthesis indicates length of road trip.
1/27: Spurs at Pelicans (4)
1/29: Rockets at Pacers (5)
1/30: Magic at Timberwolves (3)
1/30: Nets at Heat (3)
1/31: Kings at Rockets (8)
2/1: Knicks at Nets (3)
2/1: Clippers at Suns (5)
2/4: Hornets at Jazz (3)
2/4: Bucks at Suns (3)
2/4: Grizzlies at Timberwolves (6)
2/5: Raptors at Nets (3)
2/6: 76ers at Pistons (4)
2/9: Cavaliers at Thunder (4)
2/9: Jazz at Mavericks (3)
2/10: Lakers at Bucks (5)
2/11: Heat at 76ers (4)
2/11: Nuggets at Cavaliers (3)
2/12: Bulls at Timberwolves (6)
2/13: Celtics at Mavericks (4)
2/13: Warriors at Nuggets (3)
2/13: Clippers at Jazz (5)
2/15: Pelicans at Grizzlies (4)
2/26: Spurs at Lakers (8)
2/28: Trail Blazers at Pistons (4)
Preview: Kings (19-28) at 76ers (17-28)
Date: January 30, 2017 6:00 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA -- The Sacramento Kings will make the next-to-last stop of an eight-game road trip Monday night, when they face the Philadelphia 76ers in a game rescheduled from Nov. 30.
The game was postponed on its original date due to moisture on the court in the Wells Fargo Center.
The Kings (19-28) began the trip with two losses but won for the third time in four games on Saturday, beating the Charlotte Hornets 109-106 behind the 35-point, 18-rebound, four-assist effort of center DeMarcus Cousins.
"DeMarcus is leading us," forward Anthony Tolliver told the Sacramento Bee. "Obviously he's always been a beast, but I think he's taken multiple steps in the right direction as far as maturity down the stretch in games. He's making better decisions, relying on his teammates to help him out.
"He's an amazing player, and obviously we're just trying to help him out as much as we can."
Cousins, fourth in the league in scoring (28.1 points per game) and 12th in rebounding (10.5 per game), dropped in the go-ahead layup with 14.3 seconds left against Charlotte. His teammates were just as impressed with other aspects of his game.
"This is the best I've seen him pass the ball," guard Darren Collison told the Bee. "He's normally a good passer, but he's making more of a conscious effort to get guys involved and get it where they need it, too. Not a lot of bigs can do what he can; not a lot of bigs get double-teamed like that. DeMarcus is doing exceptionally well at getting us involved, and it's our job to knock down the shots."
The Kings have been forced to adjust after losing forward Rudy Guy last week due to a season-ending torn Achilles. Gay was Sacramento's second-leading scorer at 18.7 points per game, so Cousins knows he must help compensate.
"I think guys are starting to understand a lot better that when the ball is in my hands, I'm attracting two or three people at a time," he told the Bee. "I think my teammates trust and know that I'm going to make the right play or find the open man. It's just us learning each other better, and I think our chemistry is starting to click."
It is unclear if Joel Embiid, the Sixers' rookie center, will face Cousins and the Kings on Monday. Embiid is listed as questionable due to a sore left knee, and he said after scoring 32 points Friday in Philadelphia's 123-118 loss to Houston that doctors diagnosed him with a bone bruise.
He missed three games before returning against the Rockets, and he also was held out Sunday in the 76ers' 121-108 loss at Chicago. Forward Ersan Ilyasova notched a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia (17-29) against the Bulls.
Embiid and Cousins engaged in a spirited battle when the Kings edged the Sixers 102-100 on Dec. 26 in Sacramento. Cousins finished with 30 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 20.9 seconds left, and he blocked Embiid's potential game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Embiid finished with 25 points.
Sixers backup center Jahlil Okafor dressed but did not play Sunday against Chicago. He has been held out of 10 of the last 14 games, most recently because of a sore right knee.
Date: January 30, 2017 6:00 PM EDT
PHILADELPHIA -- The Sacramento Kings will make the next-to-last stop of an eight-game road trip Monday night, when they face the Philadelphia 76ers in a game rescheduled from Nov. 30.
The game was postponed on its original date due to moisture on the court in the Wells Fargo Center.
The Kings (19-28) began the trip with two losses but won for the third time in four games on Saturday, beating the Charlotte Hornets 109-106 behind the 35-point, 18-rebound, four-assist effort of center DeMarcus Cousins.
"DeMarcus is leading us," forward Anthony Tolliver told the Sacramento Bee. "Obviously he's always been a beast, but I think he's taken multiple steps in the right direction as far as maturity down the stretch in games. He's making better decisions, relying on his teammates to help him out.
"He's an amazing player, and obviously we're just trying to help him out as much as we can."
Cousins, fourth in the league in scoring (28.1 points per game) and 12th in rebounding (10.5 per game), dropped in the go-ahead layup with 14.3 seconds left against Charlotte. His teammates were just as impressed with other aspects of his game.
"This is the best I've seen him pass the ball," guard Darren Collison told the Bee. "He's normally a good passer, but he's making more of a conscious effort to get guys involved and get it where they need it, too. Not a lot of bigs can do what he can; not a lot of bigs get double-teamed like that. DeMarcus is doing exceptionally well at getting us involved, and it's our job to knock down the shots."
The Kings have been forced to adjust after losing forward Rudy Guy last week due to a season-ending torn Achilles. Gay was Sacramento's second-leading scorer at 18.7 points per game, so Cousins knows he must help compensate.
"I think guys are starting to understand a lot better that when the ball is in my hands, I'm attracting two or three people at a time," he told the Bee. "I think my teammates trust and know that I'm going to make the right play or find the open man. It's just us learning each other better, and I think our chemistry is starting to click."
It is unclear if Joel Embiid, the Sixers' rookie center, will face Cousins and the Kings on Monday. Embiid is listed as questionable due to a sore left knee, and he said after scoring 32 points Friday in Philadelphia's 123-118 loss to Houston that doctors diagnosed him with a bone bruise.
He missed three games before returning against the Rockets, and he also was held out Sunday in the 76ers' 121-108 loss at Chicago. Forward Ersan Ilyasova notched a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia (17-29) against the Bulls.
Embiid and Cousins engaged in a spirited battle when the Kings edged the Sixers 102-100 on Dec. 26 in Sacramento. Cousins finished with 30 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 20.9 seconds left, and he blocked Embiid's potential game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Embiid finished with 25 points.
Sixers backup center Jahlil Okafor dressed but did not play Sunday against Chicago. He has been held out of 10 of the last 14 games, most recently because of a sore right knee.
Preview: Nets (9-38) at Heat (18-30)
Date: January 30, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
MIAMI -- Just two weeks ago, Miami Heat fans were thinking about the lottery and the possibility of drafting a dynamic talent such as 6-foot-6 freshman point guard Lonzo Ball of UCLA or 6-4 freshman point guard Markelle Fultz of Washington.
How times have changed for the Heat (18-30), owners of the longest active win streak in the NBA.
Now the dream has changed. Now there are visions of playoffs and a lengthy winning streak that is at seven games and could climb to 10 ... 12 ... gulp ... 15?
"This feels good," Heat backup shooting guard Wayne Ellington said of the streak. "It feels like all the work we've done is paying off.
"We had a tough situation early on. We had a lot of new guys on the team. We're trying to figure it out."
They have indeed figured it out lately, and the crazy fact remains that Miami's schedule in the next couple of weeks is very doable, starting with a home game on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets (9-38).
The Nets have lost five games in a row and play the worst defense in the NBA, averaging 114.9 points allowed. The Nets have allowed 23 consecutive opponents to score more than 100 points.
Brooklyn's most recent loss was 129-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"We got dominated," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told the media.
That has been happening to Brooklyn all season, and the matchup with the resurgent Heat could be more of the same.
After the Nets, the Heat play host to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Then the Heat play six consecutive teams with losing records -- the Philadelphia 76ers (twice), the Milwaukee Bucks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Nets again and the Orlando Magic.
It won't be until Feb. 15 at the Houston Rockets where the Heat figure to be substantial underdogs. By that point, if the Heat continue on this roll, the winning streak would be at 15 games.
That would be utterly ridiculous because the Heat were 11-30 when the streak began.
In a way, the Heat are taking a page from the Miami Dolphins, who got off to a 1-4 start, made the NFL playoffs and were then exposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This has a similar feel because even if the Heat were somehow to make the playoffs, likely as a No. 8 seed, the expectation would be a rout by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
But even if that happened, think of how fun things can be for Heat fans in the next few months, climaxed by LeBron James back in town for meaningful games.
We're getting ahead of ourselves here, but that's what this winning streak -- and the upcoming schedule -- has done to thought patterns.
The funny thing about this streak is that for all the winning the Heat have done in the past two weeks, they have yet to pass a single team in the Eastern Conference standings, which speaks to how deep a hole they had dug.
Miami did tie the Orlando Magic for 13th place, ending Saturday night just five games out of a playoff spot. But if the Heat keep winning, they should be passing teams soon.
"We're not satisfied at all," Ellington said. "We realize we have a lot of work to do and a long way to go. We continue to work, and we don't make excuses."
The Heat could easily have made excuses because of the injuries they are overcoming, including the apparent career-ending blood-clots illness that deprived them of power forward Chris Bosh.
In addition, season-ending injuries have hit small forward Justise Winslow and power forward Josh McRoberts.
Combo guards Tyler Johnson (left shoulder) and Josh Richardson (left foot) are currently out.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who could be a candidate for Coach of the Year if he keeps this up, can certainly use Johnson, who is averaging a career-high 14.2 points and 31 minutes per game.
Before Johnson was hurt on Jan. 19, he wasn't a starter but was closing out almost every game.
Johnson, 24, and power forward James Johnson (no relation) are the keys to the Heat's bench crew. James Johnson, 29, is averaging a career-high 11.4 points.
Other stalwart reserves are Ellington (11.6 points), center Willie Reed and forwards Okaro White and Rodney McGruder.
Richardson is averaging 11.2 points. So if Richardson and Tyler Johnson get back soon, the Heat would receive yet another boost.
Meanwhile, the Nets are without point guard Jeremy Lin, who is expected to miss another month with a strained left hamstring.
Nets shooting guard Joe Harris (left ankle), who had started nine consecutive games until he got hurt, is questionable for Monday. Harris, who is averaging 8.6 points, hasn't played since Jan. 21.
In addition, Nets wing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who is averaging 7.9 points, is questionable because of an injury to his right ankle.
Date: January 30, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
MIAMI -- Just two weeks ago, Miami Heat fans were thinking about the lottery and the possibility of drafting a dynamic talent such as 6-foot-6 freshman point guard Lonzo Ball of UCLA or 6-4 freshman point guard Markelle Fultz of Washington.
How times have changed for the Heat (18-30), owners of the longest active win streak in the NBA.
Now the dream has changed. Now there are visions of playoffs and a lengthy winning streak that is at seven games and could climb to 10 ... 12 ... gulp ... 15?
"This feels good," Heat backup shooting guard Wayne Ellington said of the streak. "It feels like all the work we've done is paying off.
"We had a tough situation early on. We had a lot of new guys on the team. We're trying to figure it out."
They have indeed figured it out lately, and the crazy fact remains that Miami's schedule in the next couple of weeks is very doable, starting with a home game on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets (9-38).
The Nets have lost five games in a row and play the worst defense in the NBA, averaging 114.9 points allowed. The Nets have allowed 23 consecutive opponents to score more than 100 points.
Brooklyn's most recent loss was 129-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"We got dominated," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told the media.
That has been happening to Brooklyn all season, and the matchup with the resurgent Heat could be more of the same.
After the Nets, the Heat play host to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Then the Heat play six consecutive teams with losing records -- the Philadelphia 76ers (twice), the Milwaukee Bucks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Nets again and the Orlando Magic.
It won't be until Feb. 15 at the Houston Rockets where the Heat figure to be substantial underdogs. By that point, if the Heat continue on this roll, the winning streak would be at 15 games.
That would be utterly ridiculous because the Heat were 11-30 when the streak began.
In a way, the Heat are taking a page from the Miami Dolphins, who got off to a 1-4 start, made the NFL playoffs and were then exposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This has a similar feel because even if the Heat were somehow to make the playoffs, likely as a No. 8 seed, the expectation would be a rout by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
But even if that happened, think of how fun things can be for Heat fans in the next few months, climaxed by LeBron James back in town for meaningful games.
We're getting ahead of ourselves here, but that's what this winning streak -- and the upcoming schedule -- has done to thought patterns.
The funny thing about this streak is that for all the winning the Heat have done in the past two weeks, they have yet to pass a single team in the Eastern Conference standings, which speaks to how deep a hole they had dug.
Miami did tie the Orlando Magic for 13th place, ending Saturday night just five games out of a playoff spot. But if the Heat keep winning, they should be passing teams soon.
"We're not satisfied at all," Ellington said. "We realize we have a lot of work to do and a long way to go. We continue to work, and we don't make excuses."
The Heat could easily have made excuses because of the injuries they are overcoming, including the apparent career-ending blood-clots illness that deprived them of power forward Chris Bosh.
In addition, season-ending injuries have hit small forward Justise Winslow and power forward Josh McRoberts.
Combo guards Tyler Johnson (left shoulder) and Josh Richardson (left foot) are currently out.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who could be a candidate for Coach of the Year if he keeps this up, can certainly use Johnson, who is averaging a career-high 14.2 points and 31 minutes per game.
Before Johnson was hurt on Jan. 19, he wasn't a starter but was closing out almost every game.
Johnson, 24, and power forward James Johnson (no relation) are the keys to the Heat's bench crew. James Johnson, 29, is averaging a career-high 11.4 points.
Other stalwart reserves are Ellington (11.6 points), center Willie Reed and forwards Okaro White and Rodney McGruder.
Richardson is averaging 11.2 points. So if Richardson and Tyler Johnson get back soon, the Heat would receive yet another boost.
Meanwhile, the Nets are without point guard Jeremy Lin, who is expected to miss another month with a strained left hamstring.
Nets shooting guard Joe Harris (left ankle), who had started nine consecutive games until he got hurt, is questionable for Monday. Harris, who is averaging 8.6 points, hasn't played since Jan. 21.
In addition, Nets wing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who is averaging 7.9 points, is questionable because of an injury to his right ankle.
Preview: Pistons (21-26) at Celtics (29-18)
Date: January 30, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
BOSTON -- Amid reports and denials that Detroit is about to deal Reggie Jackson to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pistons have more concerns as they visit the Boston Celtics Monday night.
Namely Isaiah Thomas.
Boston's little big man remains on fire and the Celtics have followed a three-game losing streak with three straight wins; after finishing four games in five nights with an overtime victory at Milwaukee Saturday night.
The same night, Stan Van Gundy's Pistons were losing in Miami - and Van Gundy said earlier in the day his star guard isn't going anywhere; and that Ricky Rubio isn't coming to Detroit as part of a big deal.
"I texted Reggie and just said, 'This is crazy season, and we're not trading you for Ricky Rubio,'" said Van Gundy, who confirmed discussions had taken place. "That was it. I don't normally address it, but the fact that it was out there and it concerned his agent (Aaron Mintz) enough to call, I addressed it."
Jackson has averaged 17.2 points and 5.5 assists per game since returning his left knee injury Dec. 4. The Pistons are 10-16 since his return and Jackson scored 24 points in Saturday's 116-103 loss.
Thomas certainly isn't going anywhere -- unless you consider his steady scoring climb.
He had 37 at Milwaukee and has averaged 31.6 points per game in 22 games since coming back from a groin injury. He has scored at least 20 points in all but one game this season (he had 18 in that one) and his 31 straight games has him within reach of John Havlicek's club record of 40, set in the early seventies.
The Celtics have gone 22-9 in those 31 games.
Thomas is averaging 29.1 points per game overall, second only to Russell Westbrook. He leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring and, in another sign he doesn't tire, he has averaged, 34.2 points and 5.6 assists in the 11 back ends of back-to-back sets and his team is 8-3 in those games.
Monday, he gets to play after a day off, as the Celtics (29-18) play their fifth in seven nights and open a four-game homestand over eight days this week.
"I work, man. I work all summer to prepare myself to be able to outlast the next guy," Thomas said Saturday. "So I just have to keep going and show my opponent that I'm not tired."
The Celtics, who have also been in trade rumors regarding Carmelo Anthony and whether they might be a third team involved in a trade that would send Anthony to the Los Angeles Clippers - won Friday and Saturday without starters Al Horford (groin) and Avery Bradley (Achilles). Their status for Monday was not available.
Thomas totaled 51 points and 12 assists in two meetings with the Pistons this season. He scored 24 in a 94-92 win at Detroit Nov. 19 and finished with 27 in a 121-114 home loss on Nov. 30.
Detroit played both of those games without Jackson, a former Boston College star.
Jackson, has averaged 16.2 points per game in 12 career games against the Celtics, which ranks right up with his numbers against any NBA team.
Jackson and his team continued their fourth-quarter struggles at Saturday. Detroit was outscored 26-12 and shot 30 percent in the fourth quarter Saturday.
"We gotta find better stuff down the stretch," Van Gundy said. "We've been really heavily dependent on Reggie's pick-and-rolls down the stretch. That was a great formula last year. I don't know if defenses have us figured out or what, but we're just not making plays in that so we gotta do different stuff."
Last year, Jackson was the best at crunch time. This year, it has been Thomas.
The Pistons opened the season as the No. 2 defensive team in the league in the first 27 games. They have been 28th in the 20 games since.
Date: January 30, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
BOSTON -- Amid reports and denials that Detroit is about to deal Reggie Jackson to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pistons have more concerns as they visit the Boston Celtics Monday night.
Namely Isaiah Thomas.
Boston's little big man remains on fire and the Celtics have followed a three-game losing streak with three straight wins; after finishing four games in five nights with an overtime victory at Milwaukee Saturday night.
The same night, Stan Van Gundy's Pistons were losing in Miami - and Van Gundy said earlier in the day his star guard isn't going anywhere; and that Ricky Rubio isn't coming to Detroit as part of a big deal.
"I texted Reggie and just said, 'This is crazy season, and we're not trading you for Ricky Rubio,'" said Van Gundy, who confirmed discussions had taken place. "That was it. I don't normally address it, but the fact that it was out there and it concerned his agent (Aaron Mintz) enough to call, I addressed it."
Jackson has averaged 17.2 points and 5.5 assists per game since returning his left knee injury Dec. 4. The Pistons are 10-16 since his return and Jackson scored 24 points in Saturday's 116-103 loss.
Thomas certainly isn't going anywhere -- unless you consider his steady scoring climb.
He had 37 at Milwaukee and has averaged 31.6 points per game in 22 games since coming back from a groin injury. He has scored at least 20 points in all but one game this season (he had 18 in that one) and his 31 straight games has him within reach of John Havlicek's club record of 40, set in the early seventies.
The Celtics have gone 22-9 in those 31 games.
Thomas is averaging 29.1 points per game overall, second only to Russell Westbrook. He leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring and, in another sign he doesn't tire, he has averaged, 34.2 points and 5.6 assists in the 11 back ends of back-to-back sets and his team is 8-3 in those games.
Monday, he gets to play after a day off, as the Celtics (29-18) play their fifth in seven nights and open a four-game homestand over eight days this week.
"I work, man. I work all summer to prepare myself to be able to outlast the next guy," Thomas said Saturday. "So I just have to keep going and show my opponent that I'm not tired."
The Celtics, who have also been in trade rumors regarding Carmelo Anthony and whether they might be a third team involved in a trade that would send Anthony to the Los Angeles Clippers - won Friday and Saturday without starters Al Horford (groin) and Avery Bradley (Achilles). Their status for Monday was not available.
Thomas totaled 51 points and 12 assists in two meetings with the Pistons this season. He scored 24 in a 94-92 win at Detroit Nov. 19 and finished with 27 in a 121-114 home loss on Nov. 30.
Detroit played both of those games without Jackson, a former Boston College star.
Jackson, has averaged 16.2 points per game in 12 career games against the Celtics, which ranks right up with his numbers against any NBA team.
Jackson and his team continued their fourth-quarter struggles at Saturday. Detroit was outscored 26-12 and shot 30 percent in the fourth quarter Saturday.
"We gotta find better stuff down the stretch," Van Gundy said. "We've been really heavily dependent on Reggie's pick-and-rolls down the stretch. That was a great formula last year. I don't know if defenses have us figured out or what, but we're just not making plays in that so we gotta do different stuff."
Last year, Jackson was the best at crunch time. This year, it has been Thomas.
The Pistons opened the season as the No. 2 defensive team in the league in the first 27 games. They have been 28th in the 20 games since.
Preview: Magic (18-30) at Timberwolves (18-29)
Date: January 30, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns has developed his game further and the Minnesota Timberwolves have followed right along with their talented second-year center.
Following an important win, Nikola Vucevic and the Orlando Magic will be the next team to try and slow Towns in his sophomore season.
Towns and Minnesota have won seven of their past 10 games and will host Orlando on Monday.
The Timberwolves have found more success recently as Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Shabazz Muhammad and others have thrived. But it's Towns who has almost willed Minnesota to its best stretch of the season.
In the past 10 games, Towns has averaged 28.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 62.0 percent from the field.
"There's so much he can do and he's such a threat pretty much anywhere on the court," Brooklyn center Brook Lopez said after Towns had 37 points and 13 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 129-109 win against the Nets on Saturday. "It makes it tough. You have to be aggressive with him and try to make his catches and looks as difficult as possible."
Not even an illness could stop Towns on Saturday. He showed up before the game and said he wasn't sure if he would be able to play against Brooklyn. Then he displayed his all-around game, hitting two 3-pointers and even showing off a left-handed hook shot.
"It's always been something I've had and I've always found ways not to use it," Towns said. "I only use it when I need to. Recently, defenses have been taking away the right-hand hooks, so I've been going to the left and making the decision. It's something I have in my game and always have in my back pocket when I need it."
It's another factor for opponents to stop. The Magic will likely have to put Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Serge Ibaka on Towns.
Vucevic has his own offensive game that should worry Minnesota. Orlando's starting center had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Magic won at Toronto 114-113 on Sunday night. Orlando finishes its three-game road trip against the Timberwolves.
According to the team's Twitter account, Vucevic became the fourth player in Magic history and the fourth player in the NBA this season with 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a game.
Of course, Towns is one of the other three players.
Vucevic hit two free throws for the final cushion on Sunday after Raptors guard Kyle Lowry hit a 3-pointer at the end.
The win was important to Orlando, which had lost three games in a row and was coming off a disappointing 128-98 loss at Boston. Magic coach Frank Vogel challenged his team before Sunday's game.
"We were very embarrassed with how we played the other night -- all of us were -- and I made it clear that it wasn't good enough. And we played a better game tonight," Vogel told the team's website. "Ideally, it doesn't take an embarrassing loss to play with competitive spirit. It is what it is, we had a tough night the other night and we responded."
The players heeded Vogel's message.
"He was angry, but that was expected because we had a really poor performance against Boston," Vucevic told the team's website. "We had terrible effort and it was expected for him to have that reaction. I think guys needed to hear him like that. We needed that from him, maybe even a little bit sooner."
D.J. Augustin played his second game back after an ankle injury and scored 21 points in Sunday's win. Orlando was without leading scorer Evan Fournier, who has missed four games in a row with a heel injury. He has returned to practice and is status is unknown for Monday.
Date: January 30, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
MINNEAPOLIS -- Karl-Anthony Towns has developed his game further and the Minnesota Timberwolves have followed right along with their talented second-year center.
Following an important win, Nikola Vucevic and the Orlando Magic will be the next team to try and slow Towns in his sophomore season.
Towns and Minnesota have won seven of their past 10 games and will host Orlando on Monday.
The Timberwolves have found more success recently as Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Shabazz Muhammad and others have thrived. But it's Towns who has almost willed Minnesota to its best stretch of the season.
In the past 10 games, Towns has averaged 28.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 62.0 percent from the field.
"There's so much he can do and he's such a threat pretty much anywhere on the court," Brooklyn center Brook Lopez said after Towns had 37 points and 13 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 129-109 win against the Nets on Saturday. "It makes it tough. You have to be aggressive with him and try to make his catches and looks as difficult as possible."
Not even an illness could stop Towns on Saturday. He showed up before the game and said he wasn't sure if he would be able to play against Brooklyn. Then he displayed his all-around game, hitting two 3-pointers and even showing off a left-handed hook shot.
"It's always been something I've had and I've always found ways not to use it," Towns said. "I only use it when I need to. Recently, defenses have been taking away the right-hand hooks, so I've been going to the left and making the decision. It's something I have in my game and always have in my back pocket when I need it."
It's another factor for opponents to stop. The Magic will likely have to put Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Serge Ibaka on Towns.
Vucevic has his own offensive game that should worry Minnesota. Orlando's starting center had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Magic won at Toronto 114-113 on Sunday night. Orlando finishes its three-game road trip against the Timberwolves.
According to the team's Twitter account, Vucevic became the fourth player in Magic history and the fourth player in the NBA this season with 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a game.
Of course, Towns is one of the other three players.
Vucevic hit two free throws for the final cushion on Sunday after Raptors guard Kyle Lowry hit a 3-pointer at the end.
The win was important to Orlando, which had lost three games in a row and was coming off a disappointing 128-98 loss at Boston. Magic coach Frank Vogel challenged his team before Sunday's game.
"We were very embarrassed with how we played the other night -- all of us were -- and I made it clear that it wasn't good enough. And we played a better game tonight," Vogel told the team's website. "Ideally, it doesn't take an embarrassing loss to play with competitive spirit. It is what it is, we had a tough night the other night and we responded."
The players heeded Vogel's message.
"He was angry, but that was expected because we had a really poor performance against Boston," Vucevic told the team's website. "We had terrible effort and it was expected for him to have that reaction. I think guys needed to hear him like that. We needed that from him, maybe even a little bit sooner."
D.J. Augustin played his second game back after an ankle injury and scored 21 points in Sunday's win. Orlando was without leading scorer Evan Fournier, who has missed four games in a row with a heel injury. He has returned to practice and is status is unknown for Monday.
Preview: Cavaliers (31-14) at Mavericks (16-30)
Date: January 30, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
DALLAS -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have experienced lulls in the two seasons since LeBron James returned, infuriating their captain and inducing him to get on teammates.
Last week, James questioned the front office's dedication to winning.
Sensing he's going to need more help to defend Cleveland's NBA title in a potential championship rematch against the loaded-to-the-gills Golden State Warriors, James has again become grumpy and outspoken while he continues to lead the league in minutes played per game.
Perhaps Sunday's 107-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to end a three-game skid -- with two losses coming in overtime -- will start to ease some the tension. After allowing an average of 119.3 points in those losses, the Cavaliers got back to a more defensive stance.
At the other end, James became the first player in franchise history to reach 20,000 points after scoring 25 points while adding 14 rebounds and eight assists.
"We just want to play good basketball and (Sunday) we did that," James told reporters after beating the Thunder. "It started with the defensive end."
Said Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue: "It's definitely something to build on. Hopefully this can be a game that turns us around defensively."
With the Cavaliers (32-14) leaving for Dallas to cap a back-to-back Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks (17-30), who had the misfortune of playing at San Antonio on Sunday night, speculation shifted as to if James, and point guard Kyrie Irving for that matter, would even make the trip to Dallas.
It would make sense if Lue opted to rest his two workhorses with Cleveland going back home after the one-game pit stop to play Minnesota on Wednesday.
The answer is yes to both James and Irving playing at Dallas. Forward Kevin Love, however, will not. He remained in Cleveland after leaving Sunday's game with spasms in his bothersome lower back. Love will undergo an MRI exam on Monday.
Dallas returned home Sunday feeling good about a rousing 105-101 victory at San Antonio after being down by 15 points in the second quarter. The win snapped Dallas' 12-game losing streak in San Antonio, dating to November 2010.
The Mavericks, still playing without injured point guard Deron Williams and J.J. Barea, got a huge performance from freshly signed guard Yogi Ferrell, who had nine points, seven assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Seth Curry had a monster game with a career-best 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. It was his first career points-rebounds double-double.
"Yogi Ferrell basically off the plane and less than 36 hours starts and he was our biggest plus-guy of the game," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the game. "A lot of positives and a lot of guys contributed."
Ferrell signed with the Mavericks on Saturday. One day later, he hit two pressure free throws with 7.3 seconds to go to put Dallas up by the final four-point margin.
Date: January 30, 2017 8:30 PM EDT
DALLAS -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have experienced lulls in the two seasons since LeBron James returned, infuriating their captain and inducing him to get on teammates.
Last week, James questioned the front office's dedication to winning.
Sensing he's going to need more help to defend Cleveland's NBA title in a potential championship rematch against the loaded-to-the-gills Golden State Warriors, James has again become grumpy and outspoken while he continues to lead the league in minutes played per game.
Perhaps Sunday's 107-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to end a three-game skid -- with two losses coming in overtime -- will start to ease some the tension. After allowing an average of 119.3 points in those losses, the Cavaliers got back to a more defensive stance.
At the other end, James became the first player in franchise history to reach 20,000 points after scoring 25 points while adding 14 rebounds and eight assists.
"We just want to play good basketball and (Sunday) we did that," James told reporters after beating the Thunder. "It started with the defensive end."
Said Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue: "It's definitely something to build on. Hopefully this can be a game that turns us around defensively."
With the Cavaliers (32-14) leaving for Dallas to cap a back-to-back Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks (17-30), who had the misfortune of playing at San Antonio on Sunday night, speculation shifted as to if James, and point guard Kyrie Irving for that matter, would even make the trip to Dallas.
It would make sense if Lue opted to rest his two workhorses with Cleveland going back home after the one-game pit stop to play Minnesota on Wednesday.
The answer is yes to both James and Irving playing at Dallas. Forward Kevin Love, however, will not. He remained in Cleveland after leaving Sunday's game with spasms in his bothersome lower back. Love will undergo an MRI exam on Monday.
Dallas returned home Sunday feeling good about a rousing 105-101 victory at San Antonio after being down by 15 points in the second quarter. The win snapped Dallas' 12-game losing streak in San Antonio, dating to November 2010.
The Mavericks, still playing without injured point guard Deron Williams and J.J. Barea, got a huge performance from freshly signed guard Yogi Ferrell, who had nine points, seven assists and two steals in 35 minutes. Seth Curry had a monster game with a career-best 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. It was his first career points-rebounds double-double.
"Yogi Ferrell basically off the plane and less than 36 hours starts and he was our biggest plus-guy of the game," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters after the game. "A lot of positives and a lot of guys contributed."
Ferrell signed with the Mavericks on Saturday. One day later, he hit two pressure free throws with 7.3 seconds to go to put Dallas up by the final four-point margin.
Preview: Grizzlies (28-21) at Suns (15-32)
Date: January 30, 2017 10:30 PM EDT
Two of the most productive centers in the Western Conference -- one selected to the All-Star team, the other not -- go head-to-head Monday night for the first time in nearly two full years when the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Phoenix Suns.
The game will feature a matchup of veterans Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies and Tyson Chandler of the Suns, a pair of big men who went head-to-head in the 2012 London Olympics gold medal game but not once in NBA competition since Chandler joined the Suns at the start of the 2015-16 season.
The Grizzlies (28-21) and Suns (15-32) have yet to meet this season, but they should get to know each other quite well over the next 30 days, during which their entire three-game season series will be contested.
The club split a four-game series last season, which each winning once on the opponent's floor. Chandler missed the first of the four matchups with a strained hamstring, before Gasol had to sit out the final three games with a broken foot.
Gasol last week was named to his third All-Star Game mostly on the strength of his scoring. He ranks second among centers at a career-best 20.8 points per game.
That average has gone up significantly in Gasol's last seven games, during which he's averaged 29.1 points.
Despite their big man's scoring spree, the Grizzlies have alternated losses and wins in their last six games. They opened a nine-day, six-game trip with a loss at Portland and win at Utah.
Gasol had 18 points in Saturday's win at Utah, during which Memphis featured a balanced attack that included a 28-point performance by Zach Randolph and a 23-pointer by Mike Conley.
"We really did a good job of moving the basketball tonight and really playing off one another, especially, when one guy has it going," Conley explained to reporters afterward. "Z-Bo had so many opportunities down low early, we just kept trying to exploit that as long as we could. Then when they took that away, we went to Marc. Then when they took that away, we went to me."
Gasol had 22 points the last time he faced the Suns, but that was 13 months ago. The Grizzlies won that game 95-93 while Chandler nursed his ailing hamstring.
The Suns enter Monday's game on a three-game losing streak. They are coming off a home-and-home sweep at the hands of Denver, which put up 127 and 123 points in those wins.
"We can score all the points in the world," Suns guard Devin Booker noted to reporters after the game. "But at the end of the day, it starts on the defensive end."
Chandler, a 2013 All-Star, made a bid for a second trip this season based mostly on his rebounding. Earlier this month, he broke the Phoenix franchise record with seven consecutive games with 15 or more rebounds.
His current average (12.2) is his highest in 10 years and is well above the full-season record for a 16th-year NBA player. That mark is held by Moses Malone at 10.0 per game.
Chandler might have been beaten out by Gasol for a reserve spot on the All-Star team, but he was the one who left London with a gold medal in 2012 when Team USA beat Gasol's Spain team 107-100 in the finals.
Chandler contributed two points and one rebound to the win. Gasol had 17 points in 17 minutes for the Spaniards, who took the silver.
Date: January 30, 2017 10:30 PM EDT
Two of the most productive centers in the Western Conference -- one selected to the All-Star team, the other not -- go head-to-head Monday night for the first time in nearly two full years when the Memphis Grizzlies visit the Phoenix Suns.
The game will feature a matchup of veterans Marc Gasol of the Grizzlies and Tyson Chandler of the Suns, a pair of big men who went head-to-head in the 2012 London Olympics gold medal game but not once in NBA competition since Chandler joined the Suns at the start of the 2015-16 season.
The Grizzlies (28-21) and Suns (15-32) have yet to meet this season, but they should get to know each other quite well over the next 30 days, during which their entire three-game season series will be contested.
The club split a four-game series last season, which each winning once on the opponent's floor. Chandler missed the first of the four matchups with a strained hamstring, before Gasol had to sit out the final three games with a broken foot.
Gasol last week was named to his third All-Star Game mostly on the strength of his scoring. He ranks second among centers at a career-best 20.8 points per game.
That average has gone up significantly in Gasol's last seven games, during which he's averaged 29.1 points.
Despite their big man's scoring spree, the Grizzlies have alternated losses and wins in their last six games. They opened a nine-day, six-game trip with a loss at Portland and win at Utah.
Gasol had 18 points in Saturday's win at Utah, during which Memphis featured a balanced attack that included a 28-point performance by Zach Randolph and a 23-pointer by Mike Conley.
"We really did a good job of moving the basketball tonight and really playing off one another, especially, when one guy has it going," Conley explained to reporters afterward. "Z-Bo had so many opportunities down low early, we just kept trying to exploit that as long as we could. Then when they took that away, we went to Marc. Then when they took that away, we went to me."
Gasol had 22 points the last time he faced the Suns, but that was 13 months ago. The Grizzlies won that game 95-93 while Chandler nursed his ailing hamstring.
The Suns enter Monday's game on a three-game losing streak. They are coming off a home-and-home sweep at the hands of Denver, which put up 127 and 123 points in those wins.
"We can score all the points in the world," Suns guard Devin Booker noted to reporters after the game. "But at the end of the day, it starts on the defensive end."
Chandler, a 2013 All-Star, made a bid for a second trip this season based mostly on his rebounding. Earlier this month, he broke the Phoenix franchise record with seven consecutive games with 15 or more rebounds.
His current average (12.2) is his highest in 10 years and is well above the full-season record for a 16th-year NBA player. That mark is held by Moses Malone at 10.0 per game.
Chandler might have been beaten out by Gasol for a reserve spot on the All-Star team, but he was the one who left London with a gold medal in 2012 when Team USA beat Gasol's Spain team 107-100 in the finals.
Chandler contributed two points and one rebound to the win. Gasol had 17 points in 17 minutes for the Spaniards, who took the silver.
Top 25 roundup: No. 1 'Nova beats No. 12 Virginia at buzzer
By The Sports Xchange
PHILADELPHIA -- Donte DiVincenzo tipped in a shot at the buzzer, lifting top-ranked Villanova past No. 12 Virginia 61-59 on Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center.
Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson scored 15 points each and Josh Hart added 12 as the Wildcats (20-2) rallied from a 13-point deficit.
Ty Jerome scored 15 points, Marial Shayok added 14 and Isaiah Wilkins had 12 for Virginia (16-4), which had a five-game winning streak snapped. Leading scorer London Perrantes was held to four points as Virginia fell to 1-29 all time against the top-ranked team in the country.
No. 7 Arizona 77, Washington 66
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Kadeem Allen had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing pesky defense against Huskies freshman Markelle Fultz as the Wildcats held off a surprising challenge.
Allen, regarded as perhaps the best perimeter defender in the Pac-12, had the primary defensive assignment against the Huskies' star point guard, who entered the game averaging 23.7 points, 6.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds. Fultz finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-23 shooting. He had 10 rebounds and three assists for the Huskies (9-12, 2-7 Pac-12).
Five players scored in double-figures in a balanced effort for Arizona (20-2, 9-0). Guard Kobi Simmons scored 13, while guard Allonzo Trier, forward Lauri Markkanen and center Dusan Ristic had 12 each.
No. 13 Louisville 85, North Carolina State 60
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Donovan Mitchell scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half and finished with a season-high six 3-pointers to lead the Cardinals past the Wolfpack.
Mitchell had a hot hand early, and Louisville (18-4, 6-3 ACC) kept feeding him the ball. He scored the Cardinals' first 14 points.
Maverick Rowan and Abdul-Malik Abu led the Wolfpack with 13 points apiece. Freshman standout Dennis Smith Jr. was held to a season-low eight points.
No. 19 Cincinnati 94, South Florida 53
CINCINNATI -- Jarron Cumberland came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points on 6-of-9 from 3-point range, lifting the Bearcats (19-2, 8-0 American) to a victory over the struggling Bulls.
Justin Jenifer added 12 and Jacob Evans added 10 points for Cincinnati, which won its 12th straight.
Freshman guard Michael Bibby scored 17 points for USF (6-14, 0-9). The Bulls remains winless under interim head coach Murry Bartow.
Nebraska 83, No. 20 Purdue 80
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Michael Jacobson hit the go-ahead basket with 42 seconds left and the Cornhuskers snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory the Boilermakers.
Nebraska (10-11, 4-5 Big Ten) snapped a five-game losing streak that featured a pair of one-point losses by outscoring Purdue 13-5 down the stretch. The game ended when Purdue's Dakota Mathias missed a long 3-pointer with four seconds remaining. Mathias hit five 3-pointers and led Purdue (17-5, 6-3) with 19 points.
Nebraska's Jack McVeigh led all scorers with 21 points. Jeriah Horne added 16 points, Tai Webster contributed 15 and Watson chipped in 12 for the Cornhuskers.
No. 24 Xavier 82, St. John's 77
NEW YORK -- Trevon Bluiett's 21 points and 10 rebounds led the Musketeers to a wire-to-wire win over the Red Storm.
Xavier (15-6, 5-3 Big East) snapped a three-game losing streak in which all of the losses came against ranked teams -- No. 1 Villanova, No. 11 Butler and No. 19 Cincinnati. Edmond Sumner added 17 points and seven assists for the Musketeers, who outrebounded the Red Storm 45-26.
Freshman guard Shamori Ponds paced St. John's (10-13, 4-6) with 23 points. He was 6 of 14 from the floor and 11 of 13 from the line. Marcus LoVett and Bashir Ahmed each scored 11 points for the Red Storm.
By The Sports Xchange
PHILADELPHIA -- Donte DiVincenzo tipped in a shot at the buzzer, lifting top-ranked Villanova past No. 12 Virginia 61-59 on Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center.
Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson scored 15 points each and Josh Hart added 12 as the Wildcats (20-2) rallied from a 13-point deficit.
Ty Jerome scored 15 points, Marial Shayok added 14 and Isaiah Wilkins had 12 for Virginia (16-4), which had a five-game winning streak snapped. Leading scorer London Perrantes was held to four points as Virginia fell to 1-29 all time against the top-ranked team in the country.
No. 7 Arizona 77, Washington 66
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Kadeem Allen had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing pesky defense against Huskies freshman Markelle Fultz as the Wildcats held off a surprising challenge.
Allen, regarded as perhaps the best perimeter defender in the Pac-12, had the primary defensive assignment against the Huskies' star point guard, who entered the game averaging 23.7 points, 6.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds. Fultz finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-23 shooting. He had 10 rebounds and three assists for the Huskies (9-12, 2-7 Pac-12).
Five players scored in double-figures in a balanced effort for Arizona (20-2, 9-0). Guard Kobi Simmons scored 13, while guard Allonzo Trier, forward Lauri Markkanen and center Dusan Ristic had 12 each.
No. 13 Louisville 85, North Carolina State 60
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Donovan Mitchell scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half and finished with a season-high six 3-pointers to lead the Cardinals past the Wolfpack.
Mitchell had a hot hand early, and Louisville (18-4, 6-3 ACC) kept feeding him the ball. He scored the Cardinals' first 14 points.
Maverick Rowan and Abdul-Malik Abu led the Wolfpack with 13 points apiece. Freshman standout Dennis Smith Jr. was held to a season-low eight points.
No. 19 Cincinnati 94, South Florida 53
CINCINNATI -- Jarron Cumberland came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points on 6-of-9 from 3-point range, lifting the Bearcats (19-2, 8-0 American) to a victory over the struggling Bulls.
Justin Jenifer added 12 and Jacob Evans added 10 points for Cincinnati, which won its 12th straight.
Freshman guard Michael Bibby scored 17 points for USF (6-14, 0-9). The Bulls remains winless under interim head coach Murry Bartow.
Nebraska 83, No. 20 Purdue 80
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Michael Jacobson hit the go-ahead basket with 42 seconds left and the Cornhuskers snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory the Boilermakers.
Nebraska (10-11, 4-5 Big Ten) snapped a five-game losing streak that featured a pair of one-point losses by outscoring Purdue 13-5 down the stretch. The game ended when Purdue's Dakota Mathias missed a long 3-pointer with four seconds remaining. Mathias hit five 3-pointers and led Purdue (17-5, 6-3) with 19 points.
Nebraska's Jack McVeigh led all scorers with 21 points. Jeriah Horne added 16 points, Tai Webster contributed 15 and Watson chipped in 12 for the Cornhuskers.
No. 24 Xavier 82, St. John's 77
NEW YORK -- Trevon Bluiett's 21 points and 10 rebounds led the Musketeers to a wire-to-wire win over the Red Storm.
Xavier (15-6, 5-3 Big East) snapped a three-game losing streak in which all of the losses came against ranked teams -- No. 1 Villanova, No. 11 Butler and No. 19 Cincinnati. Edmond Sumner added 17 points and seven assists for the Musketeers, who outrebounded the Red Storm 45-26.
Freshman guard Shamori Ponds paced St. John's (10-13, 4-6) with 23 points. He was 6 of 14 from the floor and 11 of 13 from the line. Marcus LoVett and Bashir Ahmed each scored 11 points for the Red Storm.
Preview: Duke Blue Devils (16-5) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (17-5)
Date: January 30, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Two teams seemingly headed in opposite Atlantic Coast Conference directions meet Monday at sold-out Purcell Pavilion when No. 17 Duke visits No. 14 Notre Dame.
The same about both could be said a week ago, although the directions would have been decidedly different.
Duke (16-5, 4-4) had just lost a home game to Tobacco Road rival North Carolina State, which won in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time since 1995. With no pure point guard to settle everything down, no set rotation, no direction with head coach Mike Krzyzewski still sidelined after back surgery, the Blue Devils were a mess.
The head coach called a meeting at his house following the home loss in which he banished the players from their locker room.
The sense of urgency in Durham had hit Def-Con 1.
Not so with the Fighting Irish (17-5, 6-3), who were coming off their first-ever league win over Syracuse. This seemingly was the year that Notre Dame finally would solve the Virginia puzzle before going back out on the road, a place where it had its first three league games, and notching another league win.
The Irish had this.
How quickly everything changes in league play.
Notre Dame has lost two in a row and three of four following Saturday's last-second meltdown at Georgia Tech, which came on the heels of a 17-point loss to No. 12 Virginia.
Hours later, Duke regained some much-needed swagger following a monster 36-point effort -- 30 in the second half -- from sophomore Luke Kennard, who connected on the game-winning 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds remaining at Wake Forest. Just when many thought the Blue Devils were done, they delivered. Duke erased a 10-point deficit with less than four minutes left.
It was Duke's first league road win after three losses.
"As a team, we've just got to keep going," guard Grayson Allen said after Saturday's win. "We're a group of talented guys and we're good, but we've just got to come together and be a good team. It's having that belief, and I think we showed that belief."
Now it's the Irish turn to wonder how good they can be. Notre Dame returned to practice Sunday searching for answers, and a way out. Quickly. Win or lose, it has been quick to turn the proverbial page all season. Now they must do it on their only Saturday-Monday league swing against a team that believes.
"We're excited about that quick turnaround," said senior swingman V.J. Beachem. "Just gotta respond and be ready to go."
The good news for a Notre Dame team that could use some? The Irish get to do it against the Blue Devils, a team they've owned since joining the ACC.
Notre Dame has won five of the first six meetings as conference colleagues. The Irish have won twice at Purcell Pavilion. They won last season for the first time in school history at Cameron Indoor Stadium. They won the previous two years in the ACC tournament, first in Greensboro in 2015 and then in Washington in overtime last March.
And now they need to win Monday. Badly.
"We gotta bounce back," said point guard Matt Farrell. "We're going to come out harder than we ever have. We need to get that one."
Date: January 30, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Two teams seemingly headed in opposite Atlantic Coast Conference directions meet Monday at sold-out Purcell Pavilion when No. 17 Duke visits No. 14 Notre Dame.
The same about both could be said a week ago, although the directions would have been decidedly different.
Duke (16-5, 4-4) had just lost a home game to Tobacco Road rival North Carolina State, which won in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time since 1995. With no pure point guard to settle everything down, no set rotation, no direction with head coach Mike Krzyzewski still sidelined after back surgery, the Blue Devils were a mess.
The head coach called a meeting at his house following the home loss in which he banished the players from their locker room.
The sense of urgency in Durham had hit Def-Con 1.
Not so with the Fighting Irish (17-5, 6-3), who were coming off their first-ever league win over Syracuse. This seemingly was the year that Notre Dame finally would solve the Virginia puzzle before going back out on the road, a place where it had its first three league games, and notching another league win.
The Irish had this.
How quickly everything changes in league play.
Notre Dame has lost two in a row and three of four following Saturday's last-second meltdown at Georgia Tech, which came on the heels of a 17-point loss to No. 12 Virginia.
Hours later, Duke regained some much-needed swagger following a monster 36-point effort -- 30 in the second half -- from sophomore Luke Kennard, who connected on the game-winning 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds remaining at Wake Forest. Just when many thought the Blue Devils were done, they delivered. Duke erased a 10-point deficit with less than four minutes left.
It was Duke's first league road win after three losses.
"As a team, we've just got to keep going," guard Grayson Allen said after Saturday's win. "We're a group of talented guys and we're good, but we've just got to come together and be a good team. It's having that belief, and I think we showed that belief."
Now it's the Irish turn to wonder how good they can be. Notre Dame returned to practice Sunday searching for answers, and a way out. Quickly. Win or lose, it has been quick to turn the proverbial page all season. Now they must do it on their only Saturday-Monday league swing against a team that believes.
"We're excited about that quick turnaround," said senior swingman V.J. Beachem. "Just gotta respond and be ready to go."
The good news for a Notre Dame team that could use some? The Irish get to do it against the Blue Devils, a team they've owned since joining the ACC.
Notre Dame has won five of the first six meetings as conference colleagues. The Irish have won twice at Purcell Pavilion. They won last season for the first time in school history at Cameron Indoor Stadium. They won the previous two years in the ACC tournament, first in Greensboro in 2015 and then in Washington in overtime last March.
And now they need to win Monday. Badly.
"We gotta bounce back," said point guard Matt Farrell. "We're going to come out harder than we ever have. We need to get that one."
Monday's Tip Sheet
By David Schwab
The final Monday of college basketball in the month of January should be a good one on ESPN with a double-header of action in the ACC and the Big 12 as part of its Big Monday schedule.
First off in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils will go on the road to tangle with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in a showdown between two teams in the mix for the regular season conference title.
Later on Monday night, state bragging rights will be on the line in the Big 12 when the Oklahoma State Cowboys clash with the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.
No. 17 Duke Blue Devils at No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Notre Dame -2 ½
Betting Matchup
The Blue Devils come into the game with a straight-up record of 2-3 in their last five games while going a costly 1-5 against the spread in their last six outings. They did get past Wake Forest 85-83 this past Saturday on the road, but they could not cover as 6 ½-point favorites. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last eight games. Overall, Duke is 16-5 SU with a losing 8-12 record ATS.
Sophomore guard Luke Kennard went off for 34 points in Saturday’s win to raise his team-high scoring average to 20.4 points a game. Junior guard Grayson Allen added 19 points and six rebounds to the winning cause.
The Blue Devils are averaging 83 points a game and at the other end of the court they are allowing an average of 67.8 points.
Notre Dame has lost three of its last four games SU following a 5-0 start in ACC play. Its latest setback was a 62-60 road loss to Georgia Tech this past Saturday as a seven-point favorite.
Despite failing to cover in their last two games, the Fighting Irish (17-5 SU, 10-5-1 ATS) are still a healthy 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last six outings.
Senior forward VJ Beachem scored 23 points while going 10-for-16 from the field in Saturday’s loss. Junior forward Bonzie Colson continues to lead the team in scoring with an average of 15.5 points per game, but he has failed to hit that average in four of his last five games.
Betting Trends
-- The Blue Devils are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games played on Monday and they have failed to cover ATS in their last four games on the road. The total has gone OVER in all four of those road games.
-- The Fighting Irish are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 home games and they have covered in six of their last seven Monday games. The total has stayed UNDER in 21 of their last 29 games following a SU loss.
-- Head-to-head in this ACC tilt, the underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings and the total has gone OVER in five of the last eight games.
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Oklahoma Sooners (ESPN, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Oklahoma State -1 ½
Betting Matchup
Both of these teams are bringing up the rear in the Big 12 this season at 2-6 SU, but the Cowboys are currently riding a three-game winning streak (SU and ATS) following Saturday’s 99-71 nonconference victory against the SEC’s Arkansas Razorbacks as 7 ½-point home favorites. They are now 5-2 ATS in their last seven games with the total going OVER in four of those contests.
Oklahoma State (13-8 SU, 10-7 ATS) is ranked fifth in the nation in scoring with an average of 88.4 PPG and defensively it is allowing an average of 78.8 points a game. Sophomore guard Jawun Evens leads the team in both points (18.1) and assists (5.5). He posted 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in Saturday’s win.
The Sooners have lost their last three games SU as part of a 2-10 record over their last 12 games. They have gone 6-5-1 ATS during this same span and the total has gone OVER in five of their last seven contests. Oklahoma is now 8-12 SU on the year with a 10-7 record ATS following an 84-52 blowout loss to Florida as a 2 ½-point home underdog in Saturday’s Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Senior guard Jordan Woodward leads the team in scoring with 16.2 PPG, but he was benched for most of the second half against the Gators following a 0-for-7 shooting performance from the field. The Sooners have given up an average of 83.8 PPG in their last six outings.
Betting Trends
-- The Cowboys are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win and they have covered ATS in four of their last five road games. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games on the road.
-- The Sooners are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games, but they have gone 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss. The total has gone OVER in 12 of their last 17 Monday games.
-- The home team in this in-state rivalry has covered ATS in four of the last five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in the last four games between the two.
By David Schwab
The final Monday of college basketball in the month of January should be a good one on ESPN with a double-header of action in the ACC and the Big 12 as part of its Big Monday schedule.
First off in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils will go on the road to tangle with the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in a showdown between two teams in the mix for the regular season conference title.
Later on Monday night, state bragging rights will be on the line in the Big 12 when the Oklahoma State Cowboys clash with the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.
No. 17 Duke Blue Devils at No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Notre Dame -2 ½
Betting Matchup
The Blue Devils come into the game with a straight-up record of 2-3 in their last five games while going a costly 1-5 against the spread in their last six outings. They did get past Wake Forest 85-83 this past Saturday on the road, but they could not cover as 6 ½-point favorites. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last eight games. Overall, Duke is 16-5 SU with a losing 8-12 record ATS.
Sophomore guard Luke Kennard went off for 34 points in Saturday’s win to raise his team-high scoring average to 20.4 points a game. Junior guard Grayson Allen added 19 points and six rebounds to the winning cause.
The Blue Devils are averaging 83 points a game and at the other end of the court they are allowing an average of 67.8 points.
Notre Dame has lost three of its last four games SU following a 5-0 start in ACC play. Its latest setback was a 62-60 road loss to Georgia Tech this past Saturday as a seven-point favorite.
Despite failing to cover in their last two games, the Fighting Irish (17-5 SU, 10-5-1 ATS) are still a healthy 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last six outings.
Senior forward VJ Beachem scored 23 points while going 10-for-16 from the field in Saturday’s loss. Junior forward Bonzie Colson continues to lead the team in scoring with an average of 15.5 points per game, but he has failed to hit that average in four of his last five games.
Betting Trends
-- The Blue Devils are 5-16-1 ATS in their last 22 games played on Monday and they have failed to cover ATS in their last four games on the road. The total has gone OVER in all four of those road games.
-- The Fighting Irish are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 home games and they have covered in six of their last seven Monday games. The total has stayed UNDER in 21 of their last 29 games following a SU loss.
-- Head-to-head in this ACC tilt, the underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings and the total has gone OVER in five of the last eight games.
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Oklahoma Sooners (ESPN, 9:00 p.m. ET)
Opening Odds: Oklahoma State -1 ½
Betting Matchup
Both of these teams are bringing up the rear in the Big 12 this season at 2-6 SU, but the Cowboys are currently riding a three-game winning streak (SU and ATS) following Saturday’s 99-71 nonconference victory against the SEC’s Arkansas Razorbacks as 7 ½-point home favorites. They are now 5-2 ATS in their last seven games with the total going OVER in four of those contests.
Oklahoma State (13-8 SU, 10-7 ATS) is ranked fifth in the nation in scoring with an average of 88.4 PPG and defensively it is allowing an average of 78.8 points a game. Sophomore guard Jawun Evens leads the team in both points (18.1) and assists (5.5). He posted 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in Saturday’s win.
The Sooners have lost their last three games SU as part of a 2-10 record over their last 12 games. They have gone 6-5-1 ATS during this same span and the total has gone OVER in five of their last seven contests. Oklahoma is now 8-12 SU on the year with a 10-7 record ATS following an 84-52 blowout loss to Florida as a 2 ½-point home underdog in Saturday’s Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Senior guard Jordan Woodward leads the team in scoring with 16.2 PPG, but he was benched for most of the second half against the Gators following a 0-for-7 shooting performance from the field. The Sooners have given up an average of 83.8 PPG in their last six outings.
Betting Trends
-- The Cowboys are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win and they have covered ATS in four of their last five road games. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games on the road.
-- The Sooners are 2-5 ATS in their last seven home games, but they have gone 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss. The total has gone OVER in 12 of their last 17 Monday games.
-- The home team in this in-state rivalry has covered ATS in four of the last five meetings and the total has stayed UNDER in the last four games between the two.
Woodbine Harness: Monday 1/30 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale
DRF
Race 1 - $40,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
PICK 5: 4,5,6,7,10 / 3 / 1,4,5,6 / 1,2,3 / 1,2,8 = $36
EARLY PICK 4: 1,2,3 / 1,2,3,8 / 1,4 / 1,2,7 = $54
LATE PICK 4: 1,2,7 / 2,5 / 4,6,7 / 1,3 = $36
MEET STATS: 91 - 364 / $511.50
BEST BETS: 14 - 33 / $54.50
SPOT PLAYS: 15 - 34 / $59.40
Best Bet: FREE WILLY HANOVER (2nd)
Spot Play: COBALT MAN (5th)
Race 1
(7) JACK OF CLUBS is related to two good racehorses. He had good late speed on a track rated five seconds slow in his January 19th qualifier and is worth a try here, possibly at a price. (4) FUSION FIVE was nailed very late last time in a good effort. He’s the one to beat here. (10) ARTS N MUSIC made two early moves to command last week and stayed game. He is another in with a decent chance. (6) LIFEONAFASTJET qualified well over an off track and he could hit the ticket here in his debut. He also bears watching for next time too for a barn that is typically patient.
Race 2
(3) FREE WILLY HANOVER recently changed hands and the new connections will no doubt be looking to extend his winning streak; top call. (2) ASTERIX is still stuck on one win, but he comes off a big trip and retains McNair; using. (6) SIBSON will likely revert to closing tactics here, which gives him a better shot. (5) FRENCH BASTILLE rarely missed a check and he should take a small slice here.
Race 3
(5) WILD AND CRAZY GUY is in top form and he should get another good trip here; slight nod. (1) ITS HUW YOU KNOW has been going some tough trips and finishing close every time. He is a threat here. (4) FEARLESS MAN was pushed hard early last time and he paid the price. He projects to get an easier time of it and he should last longer. (6) MARQUIS VOLO is on a roll but he will find these tougher; smaller share predicted.
Race 4
(1) PODGE parlayed a smart drive and good trip into an easy win last week. He has some upside and should get another decent trip here; top call. (3) KEYSTONE KEEN was full of pace late last time and he converted; using. (2) REDONKULOUS was closing well late last time and he gets post relief tonight, but he was well-beaten by the choice and will likely be over bet here. (4) MAYFIELD DUKE figures to tag along for a smaller share.
Race 5
(1) COBALT MAN gets post relief and he could be a nice price stepping up off a loss. He is worth a play here. (8) LONEWOLF CURRIER couldn’t chase down a repeat winner but that was his best race in months; using. (2) JIMMY BE GOOD goes for the potent Auciello/McNair combo off the claim and he is another that you need on multi-race tickets. (7) DALTON DID IT will be passing some of these late for a share.
Race 6
(1) BURNIN MONEY moves up one class off a big win and he can double up here in his current sharp state. (4) OLYMPIC SON couldn’t get a breather last week but he stayed game all the way. He could trip-out near the front. (2) SECOND SISTER is another that could get a good following trip near the front then pounce late. (9) IN SECRET will be passing horses late as he typically does and if he gets the right pace setup, he can pass them all.
Race 7
(2) JOSHUA MY BOY exploded late to win last time; call to repeat off that sharp effort. (1) MYSTIC DEUCE also comes off an impressive win and is clearly at the top of his game; using. (7) NOBETTERPLACETOBE got embroiled in an early pace duel last time but still stuck around for 2nd. He isn’t out of this. (3) CRANKIN IT UP steps up off a lifetime best score, but some of these are much tougher than those that he beat in that start.
Race 8
(5) BATOUTAHILL was simply too far back last time and caught behind dead cover. He can start better leaving from the middle of the gate here; top call. (2) WINDSUN MAGIC set solid splits while beating the choice last time. She’s the one to catch here. (9) MAJESTIC PRESENCE has beaten weaker twice straight but should find the top two here much tougher. (10) DOTTIE is capable of closing for a slice at a price.
Race 9
(7) TOP DESIRE goes for Moreau here and he projects to get a good trip near the front; slight nod. (6) MR MACH JIMMY should get an aggressive steer from Cullen off the claim and he could take these all the way. (4) OCAPTAIN MYCAPTAIN was part of a wild scramble for the early lead last time and he paid the price late. He is a must-use going for Auciello off the claim here. (1) KEYSTONE DYLAN figures to get a following trip and take a share here.
Race 10
(3) LIFEIMITATESART finished with good energy in his first start for trainer Fine. He can chase these down if provided with a reasonable trip. (1) ROCKIN THE HOUSE was game in victory in his first start for Tackoor and he wasn’t taken despite dropping a level. He can threaten again here. (8) RED BUGLER stopped abruptly last time, which indicates something went amiss. He is worth a look after requalifying okay. (9) INTENDED STYLE always seems to be around the money. He should take at least a small share. (2) JAC SPADE always closes for a share and he should fill one of the minor slots.
By Garnet Barnsdale
DRF
Race 1 - $40,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool
Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool
PICK 5: 4,5,6,7,10 / 3 / 1,4,5,6 / 1,2,3 / 1,2,8 = $36
EARLY PICK 4: 1,2,3 / 1,2,3,8 / 1,4 / 1,2,7 = $54
LATE PICK 4: 1,2,7 / 2,5 / 4,6,7 / 1,3 = $36
MEET STATS: 91 - 364 / $511.50
BEST BETS: 14 - 33 / $54.50
SPOT PLAYS: 15 - 34 / $59.40
Best Bet: FREE WILLY HANOVER (2nd)
Spot Play: COBALT MAN (5th)
Race 1
(7) JACK OF CLUBS is related to two good racehorses. He had good late speed on a track rated five seconds slow in his January 19th qualifier and is worth a try here, possibly at a price. (4) FUSION FIVE was nailed very late last time in a good effort. He’s the one to beat here. (10) ARTS N MUSIC made two early moves to command last week and stayed game. He is another in with a decent chance. (6) LIFEONAFASTJET qualified well over an off track and he could hit the ticket here in his debut. He also bears watching for next time too for a barn that is typically patient.
Race 2
(3) FREE WILLY HANOVER recently changed hands and the new connections will no doubt be looking to extend his winning streak; top call. (2) ASTERIX is still stuck on one win, but he comes off a big trip and retains McNair; using. (6) SIBSON will likely revert to closing tactics here, which gives him a better shot. (5) FRENCH BASTILLE rarely missed a check and he should take a small slice here.
Race 3
(5) WILD AND CRAZY GUY is in top form and he should get another good trip here; slight nod. (1) ITS HUW YOU KNOW has been going some tough trips and finishing close every time. He is a threat here. (4) FEARLESS MAN was pushed hard early last time and he paid the price. He projects to get an easier time of it and he should last longer. (6) MARQUIS VOLO is on a roll but he will find these tougher; smaller share predicted.
Race 4
(1) PODGE parlayed a smart drive and good trip into an easy win last week. He has some upside and should get another decent trip here; top call. (3) KEYSTONE KEEN was full of pace late last time and he converted; using. (2) REDONKULOUS was closing well late last time and he gets post relief tonight, but he was well-beaten by the choice and will likely be over bet here. (4) MAYFIELD DUKE figures to tag along for a smaller share.
Race 5
(1) COBALT MAN gets post relief and he could be a nice price stepping up off a loss. He is worth a play here. (8) LONEWOLF CURRIER couldn’t chase down a repeat winner but that was his best race in months; using. (2) JIMMY BE GOOD goes for the potent Auciello/McNair combo off the claim and he is another that you need on multi-race tickets. (7) DALTON DID IT will be passing some of these late for a share.
Race 6
(1) BURNIN MONEY moves up one class off a big win and he can double up here in his current sharp state. (4) OLYMPIC SON couldn’t get a breather last week but he stayed game all the way. He could trip-out near the front. (2) SECOND SISTER is another that could get a good following trip near the front then pounce late. (9) IN SECRET will be passing horses late as he typically does and if he gets the right pace setup, he can pass them all.
Race 7
(2) JOSHUA MY BOY exploded late to win last time; call to repeat off that sharp effort. (1) MYSTIC DEUCE also comes off an impressive win and is clearly at the top of his game; using. (7) NOBETTERPLACETOBE got embroiled in an early pace duel last time but still stuck around for 2nd. He isn’t out of this. (3) CRANKIN IT UP steps up off a lifetime best score, but some of these are much tougher than those that he beat in that start.
Race 8
(5) BATOUTAHILL was simply too far back last time and caught behind dead cover. He can start better leaving from the middle of the gate here; top call. (2) WINDSUN MAGIC set solid splits while beating the choice last time. She’s the one to catch here. (9) MAJESTIC PRESENCE has beaten weaker twice straight but should find the top two here much tougher. (10) DOTTIE is capable of closing for a slice at a price.
Race 9
(7) TOP DESIRE goes for Moreau here and he projects to get a good trip near the front; slight nod. (6) MR MACH JIMMY should get an aggressive steer from Cullen off the claim and he could take these all the way. (4) OCAPTAIN MYCAPTAIN was part of a wild scramble for the early lead last time and he paid the price late. He is a must-use going for Auciello off the claim here. (1) KEYSTONE DYLAN figures to get a following trip and take a share here.
Race 10
(3) LIFEIMITATESART finished with good energy in his first start for trainer Fine. He can chase these down if provided with a reasonable trip. (1) ROCKIN THE HOUSE was game in victory in his first start for Tackoor and he wasn’t taken despite dropping a level. He can threaten again here. (8) RED BUGLER stopped abruptly last time, which indicates something went amiss. He is worth a look after requalifying okay. (9) INTENDED STYLE always seems to be around the money. He should take at least a small share. (2) JAC SPADE always closes for a share and he should fill one of the minor slots.
