Monday 12/28/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (5-26) at Hornets (16-13)

Date: December 28, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

No Eastern Conference team averages more 3-point attempts than the Charlotte Hornets, and that's something coach Steve Clifford would like to cut down on.

That would also be good advice for Kobe Bryant, who is the league's worst 3-point shooter as his illustrious career winds down.

The Hornets will welcome Bryant for his final visit to Charlotte on Monday night, although there's no word on whether Michael Jordan will be in the building to see the aging star.

Charlotte (16-13) is averaging 29.0 3-point attempts while shooting 35.4 percent. It's not something that Clifford is proud of since his team is second-worst in the East with an average of 37.6 points in the paint.

"The 3s are great but in our league, it goes like this and this is just factual, statistical," Clifford said. "The best thing you can do on a possession is shoot a free throw, that's by the numbers. Then the second-best thing you can do is shoot a layup. Then the third-best thing you can do is shoot a 3."

The Hornets plan to alleviate this issue several ways. It's not clear if Al Jefferson will return to the starting lineup after he saw his first action Saturday since Nov. 29.

Jefferson made 1 of 8 shots for two points in the 98-92 win over Memphis as he returned from a five-game suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy after being out with a strained left calf.

The coach also wants rookie center Frank Kaminsky, averaging 15.0 points in his last three games, to operate more down low in the future.

Charlotte is 6-3 against Western Conference foes and will be heavily favored against a Lakers team that has lost by an average of 20.4 points in a three-game slide and is 1-6 when playing the second half of a back-to-back set after Sunday's 112-96 defeat to the Grizzlies.

Bryant played only the first and third quarters and scored 19 points, making 2 of 8 3-pointers. His field-goal percentage of 34.7 and 3-point percentage of 25.6 are the NBA's worst marks.

The 37-year-old Bryant, averaging a career-high 7.2 3-point attempts for the league's fifth-highest mark, said his right knee is bothering him and almost decided against playing. He will play in Charlotte, which is notable to his legion of fans since he was drafted by the Hornets in 1996 before being traded to Los Angeles.

"Tomorrow I'll definitely be ready to go," Bryant said. "Those are cities I'm only going to go to once."

Bryant and the Lakers (5-26) will see a former teammate in Jeremy Lin, who started 30 of 74 games in his lone season with Los Angeles in 2014-15. Lin is fourth on the Hornets in scoring with 11.8 points per game for a club that averages a league-low 13.2 turnovers.

The Hornets ended a three-game slide Saturday behind Kemba Walker, who scored half of his 22 points in the fourth quarter including a personal 7-0 run that put them ahead for good.

'We needed this one pretty bad,' said Walker, who also had eight assists. 'We just wanted to get back on track."

These teams split two meetings last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (18-13) at Wizards (14-14)

Date: December 28, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

It's a different looking cast for the Washington Wizards these days, but John Wall remains in the leading role.

Wall will try to continue carrying the depleted Wizards on Monday night when they host the Los Angeles Clippers, who are missing one of their biggest stars in Blake Griffin.

Washington (14-14) remains without Bradley Beal, Nene and Gary Neal, among others, leaving Wall with a new-look group to distribute the ball to. All the point guard has done is average 13.8 assists to go with 19.0 points in the last five games, the final four of which were wins for the Wizards.

After averaging 16.1 points and 7.6 assists in 14 games through November, Wall has posted 22.8 points and 11.8 assists in the same amount of games this month. He has nine December games with at least 20 points and nine assists, something he hadn't done since last season.

'John, again, is just playing at a fabulous clip right now,' coach Randy Wittman said. 'His leadership on the floor, in the huddles, in the locker room, orchestrating things on the floor, that's a thing of beauty.'

Wall assisted on five of Marcin Gortat's 10 field goals as the center had 25 points in Saturday's 111-96 win at Brooklyn. Wall finished with 22 points and 13 assists while rookie Jarell Eddie made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter for 12 points in his NBA debut.

The Wizards have averaged an NBA-best 27.4 assists in eight contests since Dec. 11.

'If you're a shoot-first point guard, it's going to be tough. I'm a pass-first guy,' Wall said. 'These guys tell me to be aggressive I'll be aggressive, but at the same time I'm looking for these guys. I know I'm going to need these guys even more with a lot of guys injured.'

Even without its leading scorer (Beal) during the win streak and with its top bench scorer (Neal) missing two of the four games, Washington has averaged 108.3 points on 49.1 percent shooting. The Wizards have made 48.7 percent of their 3-pointers in the last three, finishing with at least 11 in each.

Long-distance shooting is what lifted Los Angeles (18-13) to a win in its first test without its leading scorer Griffin, who will miss at least two weeks while healing from a partially torn quadriceps tendon. The Clippers matched a season high with 13 made 3-pointers on 26 attempts in Saturday's 109-104 victory at Utah, their second straight win on the heels of three straight losses.

J.J. Redick and Paul Pierce each made 5 of 7 from deep, all but one coming after halftime. The pair led the Clippers with 25 and 20 points, respectively, as Los Angeles made at least 10 3-pointers for the fifth time in six games.

Not only will the Clippers be without Griffin's 23.2 points per game, but they will have to find a way to make up for his 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Los Angeles finished with 24 assists on 38 made baskets against the Jazz but was outrebounded 36-34.

'It's going to take a number of guys to fill his role,' Pierce said. 'He's an All-Star. He's an MVP candidate, so it's going to have to come from a number of guys.'

The Clippers have won 11 of the last 13 meetings in this series but lost last season's visit to Washington. They are 8-7 away from home this season, winning their last two, while the Wizards are 7-7 at Verizon Center but have won three in a row there.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nets (8-22) at Heat (18-11)

Date: December 28, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

While Chris Bosh has done the heavy lifting lately, Dwyane Wade pulled his weight late in the Miami Heat's most recent win.

The pair of aging stars look to keep the Heat rolling against a team falling in the opposite direction when the Brooklyn Nets visit Monday night.

Miami (18-11) has looked at times like a team at the end of an era, losing eight games by double digits. But in other stretches the Heat seem like the contender they still claim to be, including their current spurt of six wins in eight games.

The major tipping point to which way Miami falls is the performance of Wade and Bosh.

Bosh has been on fire lately, following a combined 18 points in consecutive games earlier this month with an average of 25.8 in the last four. He has a plus-15.1 net rating in that stretch while adding 7.3 rebounds and shooting 50.6 percent.

Wade has averaged 21.5 points and shot 50.5 percent in his last six games, saving his best for late in Saturday's 108-101 win at Orlando. Wade scored 12 of his 24 points in the final five minutes and finished 7 for 12 from the field and 10 for 10 from the free-throw line while adding six assists.

'Obviously I understand the ball was going to be in my hand a lot (in the fourth quarter) and I understand what that might mean,' Wade said. 'I kind of knew where my shots would come from and I got a couple to go, but more importantly, it was about being aggressive.'

Miami made 13 of 18 shots in the final 12 minutes, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range to improve to 15-1 when scoring more than 95 points.

One of Wade's best shooting games of the season came when the Heat beat the Nets 104-98 in Brooklyn on Dec. 16. He finished 13 of 17 from the field for 28 points, while Bosh scored just seven on 1-of-7 shooting. Wade has averaged 27.3 points in the last four matchups of this series.

The Heat have won the last five meetings.

Brooklyn (8-22) lost for the seventh time in eight games Saturday by falling 111-96 to Washington. It was the Nets' sixth straight home loss to close a stretch of nine of 11 games at Barclays Center.

Brooklyn is 2-12 away from home, but its lone win in the last two weeks was a 105-102 victory at Chicago last Monday.

The Nets head into this one needing to improve in many areas, but particularly at the foul line. They've shot 36.7 percent from the stripe in their last two games, and they committed 20 turnovers against the Wizards after having just 11 in an overtime loss to Dallas three days earlier.

'It takes a lot of effort to win in this business. It's not easy,' coach Lionel Hollins said. 'You can't play when you want to play. You've got to play every night, every minute.'

Joe Johnson had five points on 2-of-9 shooting against the Heat earlier this month and continues to struggle. He's averaged 8.9 points and shot 30.4 percent in his last seven games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (19-12) at Bulls (16-12)

Date: December 28, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo have played leading roles in helping the Toronto Raptors hold their own despite missing several players over the past five weeks.

Now the visiting Raptors should finally be at full strength with Jonas Valanciunas expected to return Monday night when they try to end a five-game skid against the Chicago Bulls.

Valanciunas was averaging career highs of 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 14 starts before suffering a broken left hand in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 20. Toronto entered that contest 7-6 but has won 12 of 18 with Biyombo filling in at center.

Coach Dwane Casey reportedly said Valanciunas will be back in action Monday.

Biyombo has been particularly dominant on the boards of late, averaging 15.2 in the last six games to go along with 2.8 blocks. He finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double in Saturday's 111-90 victory at Milwaukee.

DeMarre Carroll contributed seven points in 18 minutes off the bench in his return from a nine-game absence due to a bruised right knee. James Johnson was back after missing Tuesday's 103-99 home win over Dallas with an ankle injury, and Patrick Patterson returned after leaving the game against the Mavericks with flu-like symptoms.

"When I first got out there I got a little winded, but at the same time it was just a great feeling to be out there with my teammates," Carroll told the team's official website.

DeRozan has carried the club, ranking second in the NBA behind James Harden (28.4) with 26.6 points per game since Dec. 9. He scored 22 with eight of the team's season-high 31 assists Saturday when the Raptors won for the sixth time in eight road games.

DeRozan, though, shot 36.0 percent in three games against Chicago last season. These teams haven't met since late March.

Poor defense has been a major part of Toronto's recent struggles against the Bulls, giving up 117.7 points per game on 55.9 percent shooting in the last three matchups. That's an area in which the Raptors have excelled in winning their last two games, allowing averages of 94.5 points and 42.8 percent shooting.

The Bulls (16-12) shot a season high-tying 53.8 percent Saturday but lost for the fourth time in five games, 118-111 at Dallas. Derrick Rose led the way with 25 points and Nikola Mirotic added 23 with seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

Rose scored nine in the fourth quarter but had a key turnover before getting called for a 5-second violation when Chicago had a chance to tie in the final 11 seconds. Jimmy Butler, however, chose to see the positives in a split of the trip to Oklahoma City and Dallas.

"We'll learn from this tough one after playing like we did (in a 105-96 win over the Thunder), but that's why we have 82 of them," the All-Star guard said.

Butler keyed last season's four-game sweep of Toronto, averaging 23.7 points on 61.8 percent shooting in the three games he played. Mirotic, who had averaged 4.8 points in his previous five games before Saturday's outburst, has totaled 44 in his last two in this series.

The Bulls hope to tighten things up defensively after allowing an average of 106.2 points in regulation over their last five games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Timberwolves (11-19) at Spurs (26-6)

Date: December 28, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Not only have the San Antonio Spurs been perfect at the AT&T Center, but they've also been dominant at home in their series with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

That word also could describe Kawhi Leonard's defensive effort on Andrew Wiggins.

Seeking the Western Conference's best home start in 30 years, the Spurs go after their 21st win in the past 22 games there against the struggling Timberwolves on Monday night.

San Antonio (26-6) is closing in on the single-season club record of 22 straight home victories after extending a franchise mark with its 26th in a row overall there.

Leonard led the way with 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals in Saturday's 101-86 victory over Denver. The Spurs have averaged 110.1 points in their last seven at AT&T Center and have given up an NBA-low 87.6 per game in their 17 at home.

Leonard is again playing the role of stopper after winning the Defensive Player of the Year award last season. Opposing players have shot just 37.8 percent against him, the league's third-lowest mark among non-post players who have faced at least 200 shots.

Wiggins is averaging a team-high 20.8 points after earning Rookie of the Year honors last season, but he knows all too well how tough Leonard can be. He's scored just 10.8 per game on 29.2 percent shooting in four career meetings in which both have played.

Wiggins missed 13 of 17 shots in those contests when Leonard was the closest defender. He finished with 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting overall in Wednesday's 108-83 home defeat.

"It's the same thing every night for me, just depends on the matchup," Leonard explained. "Just having the mindset of playing defense every night helps me."

Leonard led the way with 19 points and six rebounds as San Antonio shot 53.7 percent Wednesday. The Spurs have averaged 116.6 points on 54.6 percent shooting - including a 46.8 mark from beyond the arc - over a five-game winning streak against Minnesota (11-19).

San Antonio appears to be good position to become the first West team to win its first 18 home games since Houston in 1985-86. It has won 20 of the past 21 there against Minnesota, which is on the verge of its fourth four-game losing streak of the season.

Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and eight rebounds Saturday, while Wiggins bounced back to score 19 in a 102-88 home loss to Indiana. Towns had 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting Wednesday in his first career matchup with Tim Duncan and the Spurs.

Duncan and Manu Ginobili are expected to return after both sat out Saturday following an 88-84 loss at Houston on Christmas Day. This will also be the 45th regular-season meeting between future Hall of Famers Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

The Wolves will have to do a better job on the boards after San Antonio held a 47-31 advantage in last week's matchup. They've also allowed an average of 107.7 points while letting opponents shoot 50 percent or better in all three games during their skid.

"Everybody thinks defense is easy," interim coach Sam Mitchell said. "It's hard because all you see is pick and roll; all you see is guys quick enough to beat you off the dribble.'

Zach LaVine has been a bright spot against the Spurs, averaging 19 points while hitting 7 of 12 from 3-point range in the past four matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (12-19) at Mavericks (17-13)

Date: December 28, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The Dallas Mavericks know that J.J. Barea's astounding play won't last but they hope he can keep it up until Deron Williams comes back.

Barea will likely start at point guard for Williams for the third straight game Monday night when the Mavericks host the lowly Milwaukee Bucks.

Dallas (17-13) has won consecutive games without Williams, who is out with a strained left hamstring. He is listed as day to day but the Mavericks don't want to rush the oft-injured guard back.

"We're gonna make sure that he's ready to come back," coach Rick Carlisle said. "I don't see it long term so we'll see."

Barea has totaled 58 points and 16 assists in his last two games, making 22 of 34 shots. He scored 26 in Saturday's 118-111 win over Chicago.

"He's aggressive," Carlisle said. "He's been stroking it and so, you know, we encourage guys to be aggressive."

Barea is averaging 10.0 points and has only averaged in double digits twice before in his career. The Mavericks know they have caught lightning in a bottle but aren't complaining.

"We can't live off of this long term but right now, with D-Will missing some games, we need some guys to step up," Carlisle said. "J.J. has stepped up."

Another player who has stepped up is center Zaza Pachulia, who posted his 16th double-double with 17 points and 12 boards Saturday. Pachulia had 15 double-doubles last season with the Bucks in his second stint with the club before he was traded to Dallas in July.

Milwaukee (12-19) was routed 111-90 by Toronto at home Saturday. Khris Middleton scored 20 and Greg Monroe had 19 and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who were outscored 35-11 in the fourth quarter.

The Bucks don't play at a fast pace, averaging 95.9 possessions per 48 minutes. They average 19.3 points off turnovers for one of the NBA's better marks and can be dangerous as the only team to defeat Golden State.

"Tomorrow is another difficult game against a team that doesn't have a great record but they're the kind of team that gives us a lot of problems," Carlisle said. "High energy, great athleticism, an attacking style so we're going to have to be disciplined, we're going to have to be very smart playing Milwaukee."

The Bucks start a four-game trip having lost 12 of 13 on the road. They won consecutive games - albeit versus Phoenix and Philadelphia - prior to Saturday.

"It's a tough road trip but we're ready for it," Middleton said. "We've been playing better so we've got to go out there and try and take a couple games on the road."

Monroe has seven of his 15 double-doubles in his last 10 games. His 9.8 elbow touches per game places him third in the league while John Henson ranks among the NBA's leaders with an average of 5.4 paint touches.

The Mavs have won five straight over the Bucks, getting 28 points from Chandler Parsons in a 125-102 rout the last time they met Dec. 7, 2014.

Henson missed both meetings last season with a sprained left foot.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (2-30) at Jazz (12-16)

Date: December 28, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

A broken leg has added Alec Burks to the growing list of injured major contributors for the Utah Jazz.

The Philadelphia 76ers are hoping their top scorer is back as they try to win back-to-back road games for the first time in a year.

The Jazz will try to withstand Burks' first absence of the season and continue their home dominance of the 76ers on Monday night.

Shoulder injuries limited Burks to 27 games last season, and he only played one more in 2015-16 before breaking his left fibula during Saturday's 109-104 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The guard, who is out indefinitely, is third on the Jazz (12-16) in scoring with a career-high 14.3 points per game as a reserve. His absence is a serious blow since Utah is already without guard Dante Exum (torn ACL) for the season while center Rudy Gobert (sprained MCL) is out indefinitely. Back spasms sidelined Derrick Favors against the Clippers, and the forward is reportedly questionable for Monday.

Favors is second on the team with a career high average of 16.8 points.

"Try to fight through the adversity," forward Gordon Hayward said. "I think we'll be better through it, but it's tough to play right now with some of the guys banged up. Hopefully we get some of these guys back soon."

Until then, the scoring onus will fall on Hayward, the team leader with 18.9 points per contest. He scored 28 against the Clippers, giving him an average of 26.0 points in the last three home games.

Hayward has 15.5 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting in four career home matchups with Philadelphia (2-30).

The Jazz are 24-2 at home against the 76ers since 1988, recording a 10th straight win with an 88-71 victory Dec. 27, 2014. They extended their overall winning streak in the series to six games after Burks, Favors and Gobert combined for 43 points and 30 rebounds in a 99-71 win at Philadelphia on Oct. 30.

The 76ers, who last won at Utah on Jan. 5, 2005, are dealing with an injury to a key player of their own as star rookie Jalil Okafor is reportedly doubtful with right knee soreness.

The center averages a team-best 17.6 points while his 7.9 rebounds per game are tied with Nerlens Noel for the team lead.

The 76ers, however, overcame Okafor's absence Saturday, beating Phoenix 111-104 to end a 23-game road losing streak.

They haven't won consecutive road games since Dec, 21-23, 2014, losing 44 of 47 away from Philadelphia since.

Ish Smith is looking to build on an impressive season debut with the Sixers on Saturday. He had 14 points and five assists to begin his second stint with the club after being acquired in a trade from New Orleans on Christmas Eve.

Smith isn't fazed by Philadelphia's status as the team with the worst record in the NBA.

"I didn't come from a situation where we were winning a lot in New Orleans, either," Smith said. "For me a win is a win and we have to keep coming closer together, through wins, through losses. If we do that, we will put us in a good position to win games."

Isaiah Canaan had 22 points Saturday, hitting 6 of 12 from the floor, including half of his eight from beyond the arc.

Canaan missed 8 of 9 from the field and needed to hit 6 of 7 free throws to finish with 10 points against the Jazz in October.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (19-9) at Suns (12-20)

Date: December 28, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

With or without Kyrie Irving, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been dreadful on offense over the past week.

It might be hard to imagine them having similar problems against a woeful team that has been terrible defensively, like the one they face Monday night when they visit the Phoenix Suns, but that's just what happened in their last outing.

Irving should return to the court after being rested Saturday in Portland, where the Eastern Conference leaders somehow were dominated from the outset in a 105-76 loss.

'Throw it in the trash," said LeBron James, who matched his worst offensive effort of the season with 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting. "There was nothing good we did tonight."

It was a particularly surprising result considering the Trail Blazers entered with a five-game losing streak and allowing 106.0 points per game in December. They now share the same 12-20 record as the Suns, who have dropped four straight and are giving up an average of 105.4 points to rank 27th in the league.

The Cavs (19-9), though, are coming off a 36.4 percent shooting performance that was the worst by a Portland opponent in more than a month. Granted, a sluggish effort that included 17 turnovers came one night after a grueling NBA Finals rematch at Golden State in an 89-83 loss. But Cleveland wasn't much better offensively in its previous game despite being at home against sub-.500 New York, shooting 38.6 percent in a 91-84 win.

'Offensively, we are in a funk right now,' said James, who's 5 for 34 (14.7 percent) from 3-point range in December.

It's the first time since January 2014 that Cleveland hasn't shot 40 percent in three straight games - they're at 25.3 percent from 3-point range during this slump - but Irving was inactive for that previous stretch and James was with Miami.

Irving has played limited minutes in three games back from a broken kneecap suffered in the Finals, shooting 29.4 percent, and was given Saturday off with the team not wanting him to play consecutive days. That could be the case again this week with the Cavaliers in Denver on Tuesday to close a four-game trip.

Additionally, Iman Shumpert has only played six games since being out with a wrist injury, and he's shot 5 for 26 in the last four.

"With the lineup changing a little bit, it's natural that things kind of get a little bit out of whack," coach David Blatt said. "... Obviously we gotta get guys back in shape, back into the flow."

The Suns aren't healthy physically or mentally.

As if it wasn't bad enough they lost at home Saturday to Philadelphia, which entered with a 1-30 record and a 23-game road losing streak, top scorer Eric Bledsoe left with a sprained knee in the second quarter.

Bledsoe will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and reports have surfaced that he could be out until after the All-Star break.

'Said a little prayer for him and hope for the best,' guard Ronnie Price said.

The 111-104 loss to the woeful 76ers was a new low point for Phoenix, which has lost seven of 10 at home and 15 of 20 overall.

"It seems like they're all lacking a little on confidence," Hornacek said. "... Sometimes when you're struggling, there's a little more pressure. You just gotta play, you gotta have confidence."

The Suns did manage a 107-100 win in Cleveland's lone trip to Phoenix last season - even with Irving at full strength and James scoring 33 - but Markieff Morris had a game-high 35 points. Morris is completing a two-game suspension for throwing a towel at Hornacek.

That game is James' only loss in his last 13 against the Suns, and he's averaged 33.0 points in his past nine in Phoenix.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (12-18) at Warriors (28-1)

Date: December 28, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

There are plenty of reasons to expect the Golden State Warriors to continue their home dominance Monday night, though Stephen Curry and company insist that they are taking a matchup with the Sacramento Kings seriously.

The Warriors can improve to 15-0 at home and defeat the Kings for the 11th straight time when they face DeMarcus Cousins for the first time this season.

Golden State (28-1) can continue the best home start in franchise history and post its 33rd straight regular-season home win. That would match the sixth-best run in NBA history as it chases Chicago's record 44-game run from 1995-96.

The Warriors' streak over the Kings (12-18) includes two victories this season. Sacramento lost 98-94 at home to Portland on Sunday and makes the short trip over with an 0-7 mark in the second half of back-to-back games.

Curry, averaging a league-best 30.8 points, keeps close tabs on brother Seth Curry's Kings. The reigning league MVP noted that Sacramento played well last week during a 2-2 road trip and that the Warriors missed Cousins twice.

Cousins leads the Kings with averages of 25.0 points and 10.6 rebounds..

"For obvious reasons, I follow them pretty closely so I know they've been playing well, they had a good road trip last week, beating Indiana and Toronto on the road," Curry said. "We haven't played against DeMarcus yet. I know they're a different team with him in there and (Rajon) Rondo's been playing amazing."

Curry's matchup with Rondo will be the main attraction. Curry briefly left Friday's 89-83 home win over Cleveland with a calf injury as he was held to 19 points to match his second-lowest total in the Warriors' lowest-scoring effort.

He has 43 points against the Kings this season, with Rondo totaling 21 points, 22 assists and 16 boards. Rondo averages a league-high 11.4 assists.

"He's obviously very clever with the ball and getting guys in the right positions so we've gotta put pressure on him," Curry said.

Cousins had 36 points and six rebounds Sunday and Rondo handed out 15 assists but had eight turnovers for the Kings, who scored 14 points and made 3 of 22 shots in the fourth quarter. Cousins was 2 of 9 in the period.

Sacramento's 22 turnovers led to 28 points. The Kings allow 19.3 points off turnovers for the worst mark of every team besides Philadelphia.

A repeat of that Sunday would be disastrous against the league's highest-scoring team.

"We're near the bottom in giving up turnover points," coach George Karl said. "You know, 28 points off turnovers, that's a nightmare."

Karl was denied his 1,155th victory, which would have tied him with Phil Jackson for fifth place on the career list.

Seth Curry met his brother in an NBA game for the first time in a 120-101 road loss Nov. 28. He scored a career-high nine points while Stephen Curry had 19 in 29 minutes.

That marked the first game the Warriors played without Harrison Barnes, who remains out due to a sprained left ankle.

The first two meetings this season were second halves of back-to-backs for both teams.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Orlando won five of its last seven games (4-1 last five HF). New Orleans won three of its last four games (3-6 last nine AU).
-- Hawks won their last six games (4-3AU).
-- Washington won its last four games (3-5HF). Clippers are 5-3 in their last eight games (1-2AU).
-- Miami won six of its last eight games (4-8 last 12HF).
-- Toronto won three of its last four games (7-2AU).
-- Spurs won eight of their last nine games (13-4HF).
-- Dallas won three of its last four games (7-3HF).
-- 28-1 Warriors won last four games (5-2 last seven HF). Kings are 5-3 in their last eight games (7-6AF).

Cold teams
-- Pacers lost three of their last four games (6-2 last eight HF).
-- Lakers lost five of their last six games (3-10 last 13AU). Hornets lost five of their last seven games (5-5HF).
-- Nets lost seven of their last eight games (7-2 last ine AU).
-- Chicago lost four of its last five games (4-12HF).
-- Minnesota lost seven of its last nine games (9-3AU, 0-3 last 3).
-- Bucks lost six of their last nine games (3-1 last four AU).
-- 76ers won/covered one of their last ten games. Jazz lost six of their last eight games (3-1 last four HF).
-- Cavaliers lost four of their last six road games (3-7AF). Phoenix lost six of its last seven games (1-1HU).

Series records
-- Magic won four of last six games with New Orleans.
-- Hawks won their last three games with Indiana.
-- Lakers won six of last eight games with Charlotte.
-- Clippers won eight of last ten games with Washington.
-- Nets lost their last seven games with Miami.
-- Bulls won/covered last five games with Toronto.
-- Spurs won seven of last eight games with Minnesota.
-- Mavericks won their last five games with Milwaukee.
-- 76ers lost their last six games with Utah.
-- Suns won five of last sven games with Cleveland.
-- Warriors won last ten games with Sacramento (7-1 vs spread last 8).

Totals
-- Eight of last nine New Orleans games stayed under.
-- Last five Indiana home games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Laker road games went over total.
-- Over is 8-3-1 in Clipper road games.
-- Eight of last eleven Brooklyn games went over.
-- Five of last seven Chicago games went over total.
-- Five of Spurs' last seven home games went over.
-- Six of last nine Milwaukee road games stayed under.
-- Four of 76ers' last six road games went over the total.
-- Last five Cleveland road games stayed under the total.
-- Last seven Sacramento games stayed under the total.

Back/backs
-- Lakers are 4-3 vs spread if they played the night before.
-- Sacramento is 3-2 vs spread if it lost the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Light's out shooting Angle

It's rare for an NBA team to shoot above 50.0% and it's one angle to utilize as a NBA sports handicapper. When checking NBA boxscores, pay attention to red-hot shooting clubs that just shoot 55.0% or more from the field. That's because there is a great chance the team will go ice-cold next time they hit the hardwood providing a good 'Go-Against' play.

Since 2012, 'Playing-Against' teams after dropping 55.0% of their shots through the iron the previous effort has produced a 188-180-5 record against the betting line (50.4%). Not overly impressive, however if we focus solely on 'Playing-Against' an un-rested favorite after dropping 55.0% of their shots the hit rate improves to 62.8% (27-16 ATS).

Although, winning 60.0% in sports handicapping is considered major success, it’s possible to improve the hit rate by 'Playing-Against' an un-rested team after a light's out shooting performance running the hardwood against a rested team. In this case, the hit rate jumps to an impressive 70.7% (29-12 ATS). Better yet, 'Play-Against' an un-rested 'FAVORITE' in the situation is a money-making 21-3 ATS (87.5%).

It’s important to remember that the rarity of the angle requires hard work but given the hit rate paying attention can pays off handsomely. -- It's paid off once this season already ** Atlanta Hawks shot 56.2% on November 24, 2015 defeating Celtics then followed it up the next night as -3.0 point road chalk shooting just 37.8% in a loss to the Twolves **

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Monday's games..........

Villanova won last 12 games with Penn, only four by 15+ points; they open Big East play with Xavier Thursday; Wildcats force turnovers 23% of time (#15); they're shooting 60.2% inside arc (#3), have #49 eFG%. Penn lost last five D-I games, with four of the five by six or less points. Quakers lost 104-67 to Washington in their only top 100 game this year.

Detroit is 4-2 vs teams not in top 100; teams are shooting 45.6% on arc against them (#349); Titans are 2-0 vs MAC teams this year, with wins vs Bowling Green/Toledo. Eastern Michigan is 3-4 vs D-I teams; they've got four non-D-I wins. Eagles are shooting 26.1% on arc (#347)- they got beat by 10 at Oakland, only Horizon League they've played this season.

Duke is 5-0 vs teams outside top 100, with four wins by 23+ points; the Blue Devils play Long Beach Wednesday, then start in ACC Saturday. Elon is 9-3 vs schedule #265; they lost 20 at Michigan, 11 at Syracuse in two top 100 games- they've won last five D-I games overall, but 86-81 win over #138 NC-Asheville is their only win against a top 200 team. .

Davidson split pair of 30-point decisions in its only true road games; the Wildcats lost by 25 to Pitt, 33 at North Carolina in its top 100 games-- their best win is #111 Morehead State. California is 1-3 vs teams in top 100, beating St Mary's by 4; Bears won five of last six games, losing in OT at Virginia last game. Teams are shooting 37.4% inside arc (#3) vs Cal Four of last seven Cal games were decided by 4 or less points or in OT.

Rebuilt Washington is 8-3 vs schedule #264, with all three losses vs top 70 teams; Huskies force turnovers 21.7% of time (#41)- they won by 18 vs Fullerton of Big West. UCSB is 3-7 vs #10 schedule; they beat Iona on neutral court last game, a decent win. Gauchos are 0-4 vs Pac-12 squads, with three of four losses by 12+ points. Washington starts Pac-12 play when it hosts UCLA on Friday.

North Carolina beat NC-Greensboro by 23-31 points last two years; the Spartans are coached by Tar Heel alum Wes Miller. UNC are 3-0 against teams outside top 200, winning by 20-24-24 poiuts. Tar Heels open the ACC schedule Wednesday vs Clemson. UNCG is 1-8 vs D-I teams, with losses by 10 at Wake Forest, 6 at NC State- they have three non-D-I Ws.

Morehead State is 6-4 vs schedule #71; they're 5-1 vs teams outside top 100, with only loss 67-66 at Illinois State. Eagles force turnovers 24.2% of time (#8) but also turn it over 21.2% (#303). Green Bay is playing a faster pace under its new coach; they're 5-2 in last seven games, with two losses by total of seven points to Toledo/Wisconsin- they start Horizon League play Saturday.

Cornell is 1-5 in true road games, with only win in double OT at Colgate; Big Red is 1-2 vs MAAC teams, losing 25 at Canisius, 9 to Monmouth- they rallied to beat Siena 81-80 at home. St Peter's is 3-3 vs teams not in top 200; they're 2-0 in MAAC, 2-6 outside it. Peacocks are 4-1 if they allow 68 or less points, 0-5 if they allow more than 68. Cornell scored 69+ points in four of last five games.

Butler is 5-0 vs teams outside top 200, with four wins by 24+ points- they start Big East play vs Providence on Thursday. Bulldogs make 58% of shots inside arc (#10)- they've won last seven games overall. IUPUI is 3-10 vs D-I teams, losing by 25 at Creighton, in OT at Marquette in two games vs Big East teams. Three of Jaguars' last four losses are by 25+.

4-6 Iona has five top 100 losses; they've lost last three games, are 3-0 vs teams outside top 100, winning by 15-35-10 points. Gaels lost couple of games in Las Vegas LW- they're experienced, deeep, shoot 39.3% on arc. Iona made 10-21 on arc in 81-62 win over Drexel LY. Dragons are 0-6 vs top 150 teams, with four of six losses by 9 or less points- their two wins are vs teams ranked #257/#267. Iona is #109.

Valparaiso beat Belmont 61-57 at home Dec 3, forcing 19 turnovers (+9) in game they trailed by 4 with 5;18 left. Bruins shot 59% inside arc but took more 3's (25) than 2's (22). Crusaders won last four games- they are 3-2 in true road games. Belmont is 2-0 in D-I home games; they're 0-2 vs Horizon teams, losing by hoop at Cleveland State. Belmont is shooting 61.5% inside arc, #1 in country.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Monday's Bowl Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

**Pittsburgh vs. Navy**

-- The location advantage certainly belong to Navy since it will be playing at home against Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman in Annapolis, MD. As of Saturday afternoon, most betting shops had Navy (10-2 straight up, 8-4 against the spread) installed as a three-point favorite with a total of with a total of 53.5. The Panthers were +140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

-- Navy senior quarterback Kennan Reynolds led Navy to a 10-win season in its first competing in the AAC. Reynolds is the best QB to play for the Naval Academy since Roger Staubach. His career numbers are just ridiculous: 4,415 rushing yards, 3,875 passing yards, 85 rushing touchdowns and a 30/8 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Reynolds is the academy’s all-time leading rusher and with 122 yards passing against Pitt, he’ll become third in all-time passing yards.

-- Reynolds completed 52-of-98 passes (53.1%) for 1,077 yards with a 7/1 TD-INT ratio this year. He rushed 241 times for 1,229 yards and 21 TDs while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. His favorite target is Jamir Tillman, who has 27 receptions for 570 yards and five TDs.

-- Navy’s second-leading rusher is Chris Swain, who has rushed for 909 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 4.9 YPC. The Midshipmen are third in the nation in rushing, averaging 319.2 yards per game on the ground. They average 36.2 points per game.

-- Navy’s defense ranks 26th in the country in scoring, allowing just 21.3 PPG. This unit is 31st against the run and 43rd in total defense.

-- Navy faced seven bowl-bound teams, compiling a 5-2 record both SU and ATS. The Midshipmen lost 52-31 at Houston and 41-24 at Notre Dame.

-- Navy has thrived as a single-digit favorite, going 4-1 ATS. The Midshipmen are unbeaten in six home games, producing a 5-1 spread record.

-- Pittsburgh (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS) finished second in the ACC Coastal in its first season on Pat Narduzzi’s watch. The Panthers have their most wins since 2010. They lost their regular-season finale 29-24 vs. Miami as seven-point home favorites.

-- In the loss to the Hurricanes, Pitt fell down 20-0 early in the second quarter. True freshman Darrin Hall rushed 12 times for 103 yards and one TD. Tyler Boyd had five receptions for 70 yards and 47 rushing yards on three carries. Nathan Peterman completed only 13-of-27 throws for 142 yards with one TD and one interception.

-- Peterman had an outstanding season. The transfer from Tennessee connected on 61.6 percent of his passes for 2,150 yards with a 19/5 TD-INT ratio. Boyd has 85 catches for 873 yards and six TDs. He earned All-ACC honors for a third straight season. Boyd tallied 1,424 all-purpose yards.

-- Pitt RB James Conner was a second-team All-American as a sophomore in 2014 when he rushed for 1,765 yards and 26 TDs. However, he went down with a season-ending injury in early September. Qadree Ollison stepped up and enjoyed a stellar redshirt freshman campaign, rushing for 1,048 yards and 10 TDs with a 5.1 YPC average.

-- Pitt has been an underdog six times, posting a 4-2 spread record with three outright victories.

-- Navy is gunning for its first 11-win season in program history. It will do so with eighth-year head coach Ken Niumatalolo, who was just given a raise after spurning overtures from BYU. Niumatalolo has the Midshipmen bowling for a fourth straight season. They have won the last two by beating San Diego St. (17-16 last year) and Middle Tennessee (24-6).

-- This is the eighth consecutive postseason appearance for the Panthers, who lost a 35-34 decision to Houston at last year’s Armed Forces Bowl.

-- The ‘over’ is 7-5 overall in Navy games, hitting at a 4-1 clip in its last five outings. The Midshipmen’s games have averaged combined scores of 57.5 points per game.

-- The ‘under’ is 6-5-1 overall for Pitt, 4-2 in its road assignments.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**Central Michigan vs. Minnesota**

-- The MAC and Big Ten will meet in Monday’s Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, where Minnesota will take on Central Michigan. The Gophers are one of several teams taking advantage of a new rule allowing 5-7 teams to go bowling. As of Saturday night, most spots had Minnesota listed as a five-point favorite with a total of 49. The Chippewas were +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).

-- Minnesota (5-7 SU, 6-6 ATS) has lost five of its last six games outright, but it has covered the number at a 4-1 ATS clip in its last five contests. The Gophers lost a 31-21 decision to Wisconsin at home in their regular-season finale.

-- Minnesota has been a single-digit favorite four times this year, going 2-2 ATS. The Gophers faced MAC foes twice during the regular season, beating No. Illinois 29-19 in Week 5 as one-point home underdogs. They slipped past Ball St. 23-21 but failed to cover as seven-point road ‘chalk.’

-- Minnesota has lost four of five games since Tracy Claeys replaced head coach Jerry Kill, who decided to resign due to health reasons. In fairness to Claeys, all four defeats came against bowl-bound foes with at least nine wins.

-- Minnesota QB Mitch Leidner has completed 57.8 percent of his passes for 2,478 yards with a 13/10 TD-INT ratio. Leidner also ran for 251 yards and five TDs. His favorite target is K.J. Maye, who has 65 receptions for 706 yards and four TDs.

-- Minnesota’s leading rusher is Shannon Brooks, who has run for 644 yards and seven TDs while averaging 6.2 YPC.

-- Central Michigan (7-5 SU, 9-3 ATS) is bowling for a second straight season and the third time in the last four years. CMU pulled out one of the most improbable backdoor covers in postseason history at the Bahamas Bowl last year. The Chippewas trailed Western Ky. 49-14 early in the fourth quarter, but they scored 34 unanswered points, including a Hail Mary with a lateral to score in the game’s final play. Nevertheless, they lost 49-48 as 3.5-point underdogs when the subsequent two-point try failed.

-- Central Michigan has thrived as an underdog this season, compiling a 5-1 spread record.

-- CMU is led by junior QB Cooper Rush, who has connected on 67.2 percent of his passes this season. Rush has thrown for 3,708 yards with a 25/10 TD-INT ratio. Rush’s favorite target is senior WR Jesse Kroll, who has 59 receptions for 856 yards and four TDs. Anthony Rice has 56 grabs for 584 yards and four TDs, while Ben McCord has 37 catches for 570 yards and five TDs.

-- CMU ranks 17th in the nation in total defense and 30th in scoring defense (22.1 PPG).

-- Minnesota is in the postseason for the fourth straight season, but it has lost in all five of its bowl games going back to 2008. The Gophers were on the wrong end of a 33-17 decision against Missouri as 4.5-point underdogs at last year’s Citrus Bowl.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-5 overall for CMU even though the ‘over’ has cashed in back-to-back games. The Chippewas have seen their games average combined scores of 48.5 PPG.

-- The ‘over’ is 7-5 overall for the Gophers after hitting in three consecutive games and six of their last seven. They have seen their games average combined scores of 48.7 PPG.

-- ESPN2 will have the telecast at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Monday's college football bowl betting preview

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Navy Midshipmen (-3, 53)

Game to be played at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland

Navy tries for the first 11-win season in program history when it meets Pittsburgh on Dec. 28 in the Military Bowl on the Midshipmen's home field in Annapolis, Md., in what could be coach Ken Niumatalolo's final game with Navy. Niumatalolo, who took over as Midshipmen coach prior to the the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl, is 67-37-0 - the winningest coach in Academy annals - but appears to be a strong candidate to take over at BYU. "It's been my life," Niumatalolo, a Mormon who went on a two-year mission after his freshman year at Hawaii, told reporters about his time at Navy. "My kids have grown up here. I've given everything for this program."

Keenan Reynolds, who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, plays his final collegiate game after becoming the first Midshipmen quarterback to defeat Army four times. Reynolds rushed for two touchdowns in No. 22 Navy's 21-17 victory over the Black Knights on Dec. 12 to set the Division I record with 85 career TDs, passing Georgia Southern's Adrian Peterson and Towson's Terrance West. Reynolds has rushed for 4,415 yards, trailing only West Virginia's Pat White (4,480) and Michigan's Denard Robinson (4,495) on the all-time FBS list for quarterbacks.

While it appears the Midshipmen may soon need a new coach, Pittsburgh's Pat Narduzzi on Dec. 10 received a two-year contract extension through 2021 after guiding the Panthers to eight wins in his first season. Narduzzi's rushing defense is 20th nationally at 126.1 yards per game, but he must figure out a way to stop the country's No. 3 ground attack which averages 319.2 yards. Pittsburgh held Navy to 220 rushing yards in a 24-21 loss in Annapolis on a last-second goal in 2013.

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE HISTORY: Navy opened as 5-point favorites, but have been bet down two-points to the current number of -3. The total opened at 53 and hasn't moved off that number.

INJURY REPORT:

Pittsburgh - DL Z. Poker (questionable Monday, foot), DL M. Scarpinato (questionable Monday, upper body).

Navy - N/A.

WEATHER REPORT: It's going to be overcast with a 20 percent chance of rain and a 10-12 mile per hour wind blowing across the field out of the northeast. Temperatures will be in the mid 40's.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (8-4, 6-6 ATS, 5-6-1 O/U): The Panthers boast a trio of offensive standouts in quarterback Nathan Peterman (61.4 percent completion rate, 19 touchdowns, five interceptions), redshirt freshman running back Qadree Ollison (1,048 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and wide receiver Tyler Boyd (85 catches, six TDs). Freshman defensive back Jordan Whitehead finished third in the ACC with 67 solo tackles. Pittsburgh, which finished second to North Carolina in the ACC's Coastal Division, plays in its eighth straight bowl after losing to Houston 35-34 in last season's Armed Forces Bowl to drop to 13-18 in bowl games.

ABOUT NAVY (10-2, 8-4 ATS, 7-5 O/U): Reynolds ran for 1,229 yards and 21 touchdowns this season - the second-most rushing scores in the nation to Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry of Alabama (23) - while fullback Chris Swain added 909 yards and 10 scores. Reynolds tossed seven touchdown passes - five to wide receiver Jamir Tillman - in 98 attempts this season. The Midshipmen (9-10-1 in bowl games) play in their fourth straight bowl and try for their third consecutive victory after a 17-16 win over San Diego State in the 2014 Poinsettia Bowl and a 24-6 verdict over Middle Tennessee in the 2013 Armed Forces Bowl.

TRENDS:

* Pittsburgh is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games in December.
* Navy is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. ACC.
* Over is 4-1 in Pittsburgh's last 5 non-conference games.
* Under is 6-0 in Navy's last 6 neutral site games.


Quick Lane Bowl

Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-5, 48.5)

Game to be played at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Central Michigan nearly pulled off an impossible comeback the last time it appeared in the postseason; Minnesota merely achieved the improbable by qualifying for a bowl game despite a losing record. The Chippewas enter the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 28 after falling just short of successfully overcoming a 35-point fourth-quarter deficit in last year’s Bahamas Bowl. The Golden Gophers are one of three five-win programs that earned a bowl bid this season based on its NCAA Academic Progress Report after not enough teams reached bowl eligibility.

Minnesota went 2-0 against the Mid-American Conference this year and will be making its fourth straight bowl-game appearance, but will be doing so under coach Tracy Claeys, who took over for Jerry Kill after he resigned his position on Oct. 28 due to health reasons. The Gophers went 1-4 under Claeys, although all four setbacks came against bowl-bound Big Ten teams with at least nine regular-season wins. In all, six of Minnesota’s seven losses came against opponents that either already have posted 10 victories or can reach that mark with a win in their bowl game.

Central Michigan trailed Western Kentucky 49-14 with less than 12 minutes left in the 2014 Bahamas Bowl before Cooper Rush connected on the first of five fourth-quarter touchdown passes – he finished with seven, the most by a quarterback in any bowl game. The 34-point rally was highlighted by a play that involved three laterals as time expired. The Chippewas’ bid to complete the comeback was thwarted, however, when the ensuing game-winning two-point conversion was batted away.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2.

LINE HISTORY: Minnesota opened as 6-point favorites, were bet down to -5.5, back up to -6 and then down to the current number of -5. The total has been bet down a point from 49.5 to 48.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Central Michigan - J. Ostman (questionable Monday, ankle), DB S. Armstead (questionable Monday, undisclosed).

Minnesota - DL S. Ekpe (probable MOnday, undisclosed), DB J. Myrick (probable Monday, ribs), QB M. Leidner (probable Monday, foot), DT S. Richardson (probable Monday, calf), WR I. Gentry (questionable Monday, hamstring), WR J. Jones (questionable Monday, undisclosed), OL B. Lauer (questionable Monday, concussion), RB R. Smith (questionable Monday, ankle).

WEATHER REPORT: Indoors.

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (7-5, 9-3 ATS, 5-7 O/U): First-year coach John Bonamego kept Rush as the focal point of the offense and was rewarded as his junior quarterback completed 67.2 percent of his passes and set a single-season school record with 3,703 passing yards during the regular season – good for 10th in FBS in that category. Rush passed for multiple touchdowns in nine of his team’s 12 games and threw for four scores in two of those contests. Eight Chippewas have at least one catch that covered 25 yards and five players have at least 33 receptions, led by Jesse Kroll (59 catches for 856 yards) and Anthony Rice (56 for 584).

ABOUT MINNESOTA (5-7, 6-6 ATS, 7-5 O/U): Shannon Brooks became the first Gopher since Laurence Maroney in 2005 to have four touchdown runs longer than 35 yards in one year and finished the regular season with 644 rushing yards – the sixth-highest total for a Minnesota freshman. The passing attack is led by Mitch Leidner, who set a program record for a junior with 218 completions and tied another one by passing for at least 250 yards in four straight games, and receiver KJ Maye, who tallied 65 catches for 706 yards. The Gophers’ secondary has a pair of likely future NFL cornerbacks in seniors Eric Murray and Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who held up the back end of the country’s 15th-ranked pass defense.

TRENDS:

* Central Michigan is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
* Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
* Over is 7-1-1 in Central Michigan's last 9 vs. Big Ten.
* Over is 6-1 in Minnesota's last 7 games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Military Bowl, Annapolis, Dec 28

Senior QB Reynolds plays his last college game on his home field. Navy is 3-2 in its last five bowls despite being underdog in four of them. Middies (+5) beat Pitt 24-21 here two years ago. Panthers are on 4th HC in six years; this is Narduzzi's first bowl game. Pitt won at Georgia Tech 31-28 Oct 17, but gave up 369 YR against the option attack Navy uses. AAC teams are 0-5 in bowls this season, 1-9 last two years- they're 1-4 in last five bowl games vs the ACC. Pitt lost three of last four bowls; last two were decided by 3-1 pts.


Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit

Minnesota is first Big 14 team favored in bowl in two years; Big 14 bowl favorites are 3-3-1 since '09, 0-2 since '12. Underdogs won last three Quick Bowls; Central Mixhigan (+6) got 24-21 upset win here in 12. Big 14-MAC are meeting in a bowl for 2nd time in last seven years (Purdue (-1.5) 37-32 over WMich in '11). Minnesota lost its coach during season (illness); they hired interim coach permanently. Gophers are 0-5 in bowls since '08, with three of last four bowl losses by 4 or less- they lost five of last six tilts overall..

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bowl Tech Trends - Week 2
By Bruce Marshall

Monday, December 28

Matchup Skinny Edge

PITT vs. NAVY (Military Bowl)
Pitt 1-3 SU and vs. line last four bowls, though this is Pat Narduzzi’s first bowl as head coach. Panthers were 4-1 vs. spread away this season and 4-2 as dog. Navy has won and covered last two bowls and is 7-3 vs. line last ten bowls since 2004. Mids 12-5 last 17 vs. spread since mid 2014.

Navy, based on team trends.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN vs. MINNESOTA (Quick Lane Bowl)
Gophers have lost their last seven bowls SU since 2005, and no covers four of those last five. Though Minn is 10-2 vs. line with Tracy Claeys as coach (counting his interim stint in 2013). Gophers 3-7 vs. line last 10 vs. non-Big Ten. CMU 4-1-1 vs. line in bowls since 2006 under a variety of coaches and is 21-10 vs. spread its last 31 on board. Chips also 10-3 last 13 as dog.

CMU, based on team and bowl trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bowl Tech Trends - Week 3
By Bruce Marshall

Tuesday, December 29

Matchup Skinny Edge

AIR FORCE vs. CAL (Armed Forces Bowl)
Cal 1-5 vs. line last six this season and has dropped its last pointspread decision of the year a remarkable seven seasons in a row! Bears just 2-4 vs. spread away from Berkeley in 2015 and have not covered a bowl since the 2007 team in this same bowl vs. Air Force. Falcs 13-5-1 last 19 vs. spread and are 8-3 their last 11 as dog. Troy Calhoun 4-1 vs. line last five in bowls.

Air Force, based on team trends.


BAYLOR vs. NORTH CAROLINA (Russell Athletic Bowl)
Art Briles no wins or covers last two years in bowls, and Bears just 6-10 vs. number their last 16 on the board. Heels 8-5 vs. line this season though only 2-3 vs. spread away from Chapel Hill. Larry Fedora no covers last four bowls with USM and UNC.

Slight to North Carolina, based on recent trends.


NEVADA vs. COLORADO STATE (Arizona Bowl)
Pack closed season on 4-0-1 spread run and was 4-1-1 vs. line away from Reno, now 9-3-1 vs. spread away since last season. Pack 2-2 vs. line last four bowls. Rams 2-5-1 vs. spread last 8 away from Fort Collins and have failed to cover in bowls the past two seasons.

Nevada, based on team trends.


TEXAS TECH vs. LSU (Texas Bowl)
TT 10-5 last 15 vs. spread since late 2014 and Kingsbury 9-5 vs. number last 14 as dog, and Tech has won SU in its last four bowls since 2009. Les Miles no covers last four or five of last six bowls, and also no covers last five away from Baton Rouge. Tigers 3-10 vs. spread last 13 as chalk away form home.

Texas Tech, based on team trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Dover Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 12 - Post: 8:10 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 85 - Purse:$15000 - HORSES/COLTS/GELDINGS 5 YEAR OLDS & UNDER WINNERS OF $50,000 THAT ARE NON WINNERS $80,001 LIFETIME


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 4 APOLLO SEELSTER 7/1


# 3 DEWEY BEACH 9/5


# 5 SHANZHAI 15/1


Feel pretty confident putting some green stuff down on APOLLO SEELSTER particularly if the morning line of 7/1 holds. Lining up in the 4 post at Dover Downs adds some hidden advantage as this hole has a better than expected return on investment. With superior win statistics, Roberts should have this gelding in excellent position to win the race. Starters win from this slot at Dover Downs with better than average regularity, suggesting this magnificent wager. DEWEY BEACH - Worth considering here on the basis of the figures in the TrackMaster Speed Rating department alone. He has great class numbers, averaging 86. Worth considering for a bet for this race. SHANZHAI - The consortium will always toss in a horse from the 5 hole here at Dover Downs, definite exotic possibilities. A formidable class horse cannot be passed over. With an average class number of 86 all signs say this is the one to beat.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Pompano Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 7 - Post: 9:18 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 86 - Purse:$9500 - FILLY AND MARE OPEN TROT - WINNERS OVER $75,000 IN 2015 NOT ELIGIBLE. POST POSITIONS 1-2 DRAWN, 3-4 DRAWN AND 5-7 ASSIGNED


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 6 ELIN 4/1


# 5 SHE'S ALL IN 3/1


# 1 HALL PASS HELEN 6/1


ELIN seems to be our best wagering option in this contest. Have a gut feel this one might steal in this event. Positive feeling - racing well enough to contend in this affair. Has the look of a profitable play, averaging a rather good 87 speed fig. SHE'S ALL IN - The 5 position sports a better than expected win statistic at Pompano Park. Could provide us a win based on good recent TrackMaster SRs - earning an avg of 88. HALL PASS HELEN - Positive feel - performing well enough to contend in this gathering.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Hialeah

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 2 - Trial - 350y on the Dirt. Purse: $12000 Class Rating: 77

QUARTER HORSE 350Y, A TRIAL FOR TWO YEAR OLDS. WEIGHTS 122, LBS. THERE WILL BE AS MANY TRIALS AS THERE ARE HORSES ELIGIBLE. IF THE NUMBER OF HORSES ELIGIBLE FOR THE TRIALS IS NOT MORE THAN TEN, HIALEAH PARK RACING ASSOCIATION MAY CHOOSE TO RUN FINALS ONLY.


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 2 WATCH MY WALLET LOTO 4/1


# 6 KITTYNA 9/5


# 5 JESS STRONG 2/1


WATCH MY WALLET LOTO looks to be a formidable contender. Had one of the most respectable speed figures of this group of horses in his last race. He has very strong class ratings, averaging 75, and has to be carefully examined in this event. KITTYNA - Vaunts formidable Speed Figures on average overall when measured up against the rest of this group of animals. Could beat this group given the 67 Equibase Speed Fig recorded in her last outing. JESS STRONG - Could provide positive dividends based on competitive recent Speed Figures with an average of 62. Has been travelling solidly in races of this distance, going 1 / 4 under similar conditions.