Monday 12/5/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (13-8) at Hawks (10-11)

Date: December 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks have a tough task as they try to end a swoon that has seen them lose nine of 10 games and six in a row, the last two in blowout fashion.

Next up Monday night in Atlanta for the Hawks is the Oklahoma Thunder and the amazing Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook had his fifth straight triple-double as the Thunder (13-8) defeated New Orleans 101-92 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City for their fifth straight victory.

Westbrook reached double figures in all three categories before the end of the third quarter and finished with 28 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists.

Westbrook has 10 triple-doubles in 21 games this season and his five in a row is the longest streak since Michael Jordan had seven straight in 1989. He is averaging a triple-double at 31.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 11.3 assists.

The only other player to average double-figure numbers in all three categories this late into the season was Oscar Robertson in the 1960s.

"It's historic what he's doing, but there's also another side of it too, that he's a pretty complete point guard all the way around," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said recently, although Westbrook did have 10 turnovers against the Pelicans.

The Hawks, who had a six-game winning streak before the slump, are trying to snap out of their stupor after back-to-back losses of 36 points at home to Detroit and 44 points at Toronto on Friday and Saturday.

The loss to the Raptors, in which the Hawks (10-11) were outscored 42-14, is tied for the fifth-worst in franchise history.

"That 9-2 (record) seems like a long time ago," veteran Hawks guard Kyle Korver said.

With Al Horford and Jeff Teague gone, the Hawks are a team that was expected to take time to jell, but no one expected something like this.

"We can't get frustrated with each other. We've got to stick together," said center Dwight Howard, who had just 12 points in the past two blowout losses. "Nobody likes to lose like this, but things will get better as long as we don't split apart."

The Hawks slump is their worst since coach Mike Budenholzer's first team lost 14 of 15 four years ago.

Howard, signed as a free agent to give the Hawks an inside scoring presence and rim protector, called a team meeting a week ago on the West Coast road trip, but things have gotten worse instead of better.

"We've got to get back to making our offense where it's special -- where the ball is moving, guys are getting it in their sweet spots, guys are making the extra pass," Korver said.

The Hawks have a new starting point guard in Dennis Schroder as well as a new player inside in Howard that changes the way the team has played offensively the past few years.

More practice time would help, but the Hawks' slide has come during a stretch of 10 games in 16 days, with eight on the road.

At least the Hawks' next two games are at home, with the Miami Heat following the Thunder on Wednesday.

The Hawks also likely won't have to face Thunder center Steven Adams, who sprained his left ankle in the first quarter against New Orleans.

The Hawks and Thunder split their two games last season, each winning at home.

Westbrook got a double-double in both games when the Thunder still had Kevin Durant, scoring 34 points in one and 23 in the other.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (13-5) at Raptors (14-6)

Date: December 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

TORONTO -- First place in the Eastern Conference will be at stake Monday night when the suddenly struggling Cleveland Cavaliers play the surging Toronto Raptors.

The Cavaliers (13-5), who have lost three in a row, still lead the Raptors (14-6), who have won six straight, in winning percentage, .722 to .700.

This will be the third of four meetings this season between the Eastern Conference finalists from last season and the second game at Air Canada Centre.

The NBA champion Cavaliers have won the first two meetings this season -- 94-91 on Oct. 28 in Toronto and 121-117 on Nov. 15 in Cleveland. The fourth game will be played April 12 in Cleveland.

"We played them twice already and it came down to the wire," said Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan, who scored 21 points Saturday night in the 128-84 win over the Atlanta Hawks at ACC. "It's fun when you go up against teams like that, so we're looking forward to Monday."

The Cavaliers did not play Saturday after losing to the Bulls in Chicago on Friday and to the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Thursday. The losses started Tuesday against the Bucks in Milwaukee.

The Cavaliers were outrebounded in all three losses, allowing a combined 176 points in the paint.

Forward LeBron James said the honeymoon after winning the NBA championship is over.

"You've got to play the game the right way," James said. "You've got to battle every night like we ain't won nothing. Last year is last year and, after ring night, it's over with.

"Now it's a new season and everybody is gunning for us every night and we have to understand that. The honeymoon stage is over and it's time to play some real ball and be physical, especially in the trenches. Giving up 78 points (in the paint on Friday) is ridiculous. We've got to man up. Everybody."

James has made a total of 20 turnovers himself in the past three games, including eight on Friday in nearly 45 minutes. He scored 27 points and distributed 13 assists against the Bulls. He has at least 13 assists in a game six times this season.

James played so much from necessity.

"Right now, we're using LeBron way too much," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. "When we have games like (Friday) and we're not clicking on all cylinders and he has basically to make every play -- Kyrie (Irving) wasn't on his game (Friday) like he usually is -- LeBron had the ball in his hands as much as he did, that's what we had (to do) to try to win the game."

The Cavaliers' faltering bench is expected to receive some help Monday when guard/forward Mike Dunleavy returns after missing the previous two games under concussion protocol.

The shooter was injured Tuesday in Milwaukee but showed no signs of a concussion until Thursday.

Defense, however, is the key. "I've got to come up with some better schemes or something," Lue said. "It's not just schemes, it's better one-on-one defense."

The Raptors are coming off the largest winning margin (44 points) in franchise history after outscoring the Hawks 42-14 in the fourth quarter on Saturday.

The Raptors have been facing a string of teams that are either struggling or without key players, or both.

Kyle Lowry, who scored 17 points and added eight assists and eight rebounds on Saturday, was asked if the game against the Cavaliers would provide a test for the Raptors.

"I don't think it's a test," the point guard said. "You all asked me that the first game of the season that we played them. I think it's just another regular-season game for us and a team that we always want to be better than. But we want to be better than every team in the NBA at the end of the day."

The Cavaliers are 4-3 on the road this season and the Raptors are 8-3 at home.

James averaged 24.5 points, .548 shooting (17 of 31), 8.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists in the first two games against the Raptors.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (6-12) at Nets (5-14)

Date: December 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards had chances to win road games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. They just could not make plays when necessary to get those wins.

Washington has had two days to digest its last-second loss to the Spurs and is hoping to get it done Monday night when it visits the Brooklyn Nets.

The Wizards are 6-12 with three losses in their last four games. It is the last two defeats that are especially frustrating.

Last Wednesday against Oklahoma City, the Wizards came back from a 16-point deficit and held a seven-point lead with 5:35 left on a 3-pointer by Bradley Beal. They wound up with a 126-115 overtime loss by going 6-of-19 the rest of the way.

Two nights later in San Antonio, Washington held an 11-point lead early on and wound up coming back from 10 points down to get the game tied twice in the final 84 seconds. The ending was a Kawhi Leonard 20-footer with 20.1 seconds remaining and when Otto Porter missed a floater with 1.2 seconds remaining, the Wizards wound up with a 107-105 loss.

"Once again, we competed well and the game came down to one play," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. "I didn't like the way we played against them last week at our place, but tonight we did everything we could possibly do to get the win except get the win."

It is a familiar refrain for the Wizards. Of the Wizards 12 defeats, half have been single digits with two of those close losses coming in overtime.

"We fought and we are making strides -- we just have to find a way to make stops," Wall said after getting 17 points and 15 rebounds. "We need to get over that hump. You can't have that many turnovers and beat a team that executes as well as San Antonio; for us to even be in the game with them at their home place with that many turnovers is impressive."

On Friday, in the final three minutes of quarters, the Wizards were 8 of 24 from the floor. They were 7 of 20 in those situations in the first three quarters, which eventually set up the frustrating finish.

"Let another one go," Wall said. "There are about seven games already this season for us that can haunt us (in regards to playoffs)."

The Nets have lost nine of their 10 games since they held a 4-5 record Nov. 12. Only two of those losses have been by single digits and most of those often feature a bad quarter.

For most of this skid, third quarters were problematic. In Saturday's 112-103 loss at Milwaukee, the Nets outscored the Bucks by seven in the third only to have the collapse occur late in the fourth.

In the final 12 minutes, the Nets held four one-point leads and a two-point lead on a 3-pointer by Brook Lopez. In the final 5:20, the Nets were outscored 20-9 by missing seven straight while allowing the Bucks to make four of their last six shots and hit 12 free throws.

"We were down one with five minutes, I thought we couldn't score," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We struggled to score."

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Nets with 24 points but Lopez was held to 13 on 3-of-17 shooting. He made 3 of 9 shots from 3-point range but was 0-of-8 from inside the arc.

"We just kind of hurt ourselves," Lopez said. "I definitely wasn't happy with the way I played. I am very disappointed in myself. That definitely affected the outcome. I think I let us down tonight, no question."

Lopez is averaging 19.6 points but shooting a career-low 45.2 percent. He is shooting 37.3 from long range as he consistently becomes a perimeter threat for the first time in his career but inside the arc has been difficult at times as Lopez is 1 of 12 on two-point attempts.

The Wizards have won eight of the last 10 meetings and have swept the season series in two of the last three seasons.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (13-8) at Pelicans (7-14)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in the second game of a back-to-back.

To make matters worse for the New Orleans, the Grizzlies were resting comfortably in their hotel on Sunday while the Pelicans fell 101-92 on the road Sunday night to Oklahoma City.

Such is the relentless nature of the NBA schedule. The problem is that the Pelicans (7-14), losers of two straight, are in serious need of some home cooking against the Grizzlies (13-8), who have won two consecutive games despite a seriously depleted roster.

The Grizzlies had only nine players available but still defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 103-100 on Saturday night behind a career-high 31 points by Troy Daniels. The victory was proof to coach David Fizdale that his "Nasty Nine" have played with moxie.

Memphis limited the Lakers to 2-of-9 shooting and forced two turnovers in the final five minutes to pull out the home victory. The same thing happened in the Grizzlies' previous victory over Orlando, when Memphis forced five turnovers in the final six minutes to win 95-94.

"(Fizdale) came in and gave us a scolding at halftime (against the Lakers), and guys responded in the second half," said Memphis swingman Tony Allen. "It showed in our effort. It showed in the way that we gathered ourselves defensively down the stretch."

The Grizzlies will be without point guard Michael Conley, who will miss the next six to eight weeks with a transverse process fracture in his back. Also, Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is out indefinitely following the death of his mother, Mae. Randolph, averaging 14.2 points and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game, has missed the last six games.

Fizdale went ballistic at halftime of the Lakers' game because he felt his team was not playing hard in Randolph's absence. Memphis allowed 62 first-half points to Los Angeles.

"I was really unhappy with our effort," Fizdale said. "I don't yell at them for execution or breakdowns in coverage or anything like that. But when we dog it and we don't get back on defense or when we don't compete on a high level, I lose it."

The Pelicans were down by as many as 15 points at Oklahoma City on Sunday night before closing within four points late in the fourth quarter. But Russell Westbrook would not let the Thunder lose. Westbrook (28 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists) recorded the 47th triple-double of his career and 10th this season.

Westbrook's performance blunted another heroic losing effort by Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who scored 37 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and had four blocks in 43 minutes.

It was Davis' 14th 30-point performance in 20 games, but his body is under a lot of stress, He is logging the third-most minutes in the NBA.

"I thought we had our chances, but we just didn't take advantage of it," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. "I thought we did about as good a job on Russell as you can do in the first half, and the guy still ends up with 17 rebounds."

One bright spot for New Orleans was a 16-point effort by rookie shooting guard Buddy Hield, who made 4 of 7 from long range while playing back in his adopted home state.

"I had a lot of jitters," said Hield, who played college ball at Oklahoma. "I shot an air ball (on my first shot), and I had to make it up."

The Pelicans also moved point guard Tim Frazier to the second unit where he can be the primary ball-handler off the bench. E'Twaun Moore started in the backcourt.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (11-10) at Bulls (11-8)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- The Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a win in which they did enough to win ugly. The Chicago Bulls are hoping to rebound from playing just plain ugly.

The Bulls have struggled to produce attractive efforts in two of their last three games. That includes a 107-82 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night when Chicago never led, trailed by as many as 25 points and committed 20 turnovers.

The Trail Blazers, who visit the United Center on Monday night, didn't exactly paint a masterpiece Saturday. Portland held the Miami Heat without a field goal in the final three minutes of a 99-92 win as the Trail Blazers outscored the Heat 14-1 down the stretch.

"We did enough to win an ugly game," guard C.J. McCollum told The Oregonian.

Portland (11-10) will carry a two-game winning streak into Chicago and will face a team that is in the midst of playing four games in five days. The Bulls (11-8) were unable to carry the momentum of an impressive victory over Cleveland on Friday night.

Veteran guard Rajon Rondo was masterful against the Cavaliers with a triple-double. But like the rest of his teammates, Rondo faltered against the last-place Mavericks on Saturday when he had five turnovers while registering a total of four points and assists combined.

Nikola Mirotic continued to struggle offensively for the Bulls. One night after shooting 1-for-9 against the Cavaliers, Mirotic went 0-for-4 in Dallas and failed to score.

"We need Niko to play, man," Bulls guard Jimmy Butler told reporters after Saturday's loss, according to the Chicago Tribune. "When he starts thinking, it only gets worse. When you just play, great things happen."

Along with center Robin Lopez, Butler was among the few bright spots for the Bulls, scoring 26 points -- the 13th straight game he has scored at least 20 points.

With Chicago's bench continuing to struggle to produce, the Bulls will again be without guard Doug McDermott, who has been dealing with concussion symptoms. McDermott was cleared to start taking contact on Friday night and will practice with the Bulls' NBA Development League team as Chicago wraps up its grueling stretch with Monday night's game against the Trail Blazers before heading to Detroit to face the Pistons.

With McDermott's return date still uncertain, Mirotic understands the need to start finding his touch from the field.

"I didn't feel very comfortable playing offense in some games," Mirotic told reporters. "I've had some wide-open shots I didn't make. I'm trying to contribute in other ways."

The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, will look to continue their winning streak as they begin a five-game road swing. Portland is 4-6 away from home and will look for a better start than they did against the Heat. The Trail Blazers missed their first five shots and shot only 32 percent in the first quarter before putting everything together down the stretch.

McCollum finished with 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting while fellow guard Damian Lillard tallied 19 points on 6-of-18 shooting in what was the lowest combined point total for Portland's starting backcourt.

"It's good to win any game, ugly or pretty, because at the end of the day all that shows up is the wins and losses," forward Ed Davis told reporters Saturday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (16-4) at Bucks (10-8)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- Two of the National Basketball Association's hottest teams face off Monday night when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center.

The Spurs come to town having won two in a row and 11 of their last 12 games while the Bucks extended their winning streak to a season-high four games Saturday night with a 112-103 victory over the Nets.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a driving force during Milwaukee's winning streak, but Jabari Parker has been a big factor as well, averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists during those four games.

"He's played real well," Antetokounmpo said. "He's leading us out there. I hope that he can keep playing the same way."

The two building blocks of Milwaukee's rebuilding efforts are starting to develop their own rhythm and that chemistry is spreading to the rest of the Bucks' young roster.

It was evident Saturday, when the Bucks watched a 16-point lead turn into a back-and-forth affair in the fourth quarter. Head coach Jason Kidd decided to let the guys on the floor figure out how to stop the bleeding on their own, and the move paid off.

"I wasn't going to call timeout," Kidd said. "I wanted to see if they were going to talk themselves through it because that's what good teams do."

Milwaukee has won five of its last six games since falling just short against Golden State Nov. 21. During that stretch, the Bucks have beaten the Magic twice, knocked off the defending champion Cavaliers and then beat Brooklyn in back-to-back games.

That success, especially against good competition, has led to increased confidence.

"Winning games we can (be in) control and sneak up on other teams that are really good," Parker said. "Wins like that carry over. It's all about using these habits we get in each win."

San Antonio owns the second-best mark in the NBA this season but has struggled out of the gate at times.

"We can't get it going," Manu Ginobili told ESPN.com. "It's taking us a while to get into the rhythm, into the aggressiveness that we need to get leads. Yeah, we are not playing well, but the good thing is that meanwhile we're getting wins and we're maintaining a good record."

San Antonio's defense has been a big boost so far. While the Spurs are 19th in scoring this season with 103.0 points per game, they're allowing just 98.2 -- the fourth-best mark in the league.

"It seems like in the second half our defense always picks up and we get back into the games because of the defense," coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's a good thing, I guess, that it gets better as the game goes along."

Point guard Tony Parker sat out the Spurs' victory Friday over Washington with a bruised left quad. He's missed seven games this season and is considered day-to-day as San Antonio kicks off a three-game swing through the Upper Midwest.

"We have got a 'how much better are you meter?'" Popovich told the San Antonio Express News. "We will check it out."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (12-8) at Rockets (13-7)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- With one-quarter of their first season under Mike D'Antoni complete, the Rockets are resembling the offensive juggernaut many predicted following the consummation between D'Antoni and the Rockets' bevy of perimeter shooters.

The Rockets (13-7) completed their second five-game road trip of the season with a sparkling 4-1 record late Friday, capped by victories over the Golden State Warriors and Nuggets on consecutive nights. Houston played a league-high 14 road games thus far but are still generating serious momentum on the offensive end of the court.

The Rockets, second in the league in points per game (111.3) and third in offensive rating (113.8 points per 100 possessions), averaged 121.6 points during their five-game roadie against Western Conference foes. The Rockets extended their NBA-record streak of consecutive games with at least 10 3-pointers to 19, a blitz that helped mask their defensive warts and the imbalance of playing so many road tilts.

"There'll be nights where we'll take a step back, and we can still get in our pick-and-rolls a little quicker," D'Antoni said of the offense. "We can get a lot better, but it's a pretty good spot (to be in).

"You've got James (Harden) and Ryan (Anderson) and Trevor (Ariza), all those guys. You're going to score. I can't mess it up that bad. We just try to help them as much as we can and get out of the way."

Entering Sunday, the Rockets had five players ranked among the top eight in the NBA in 3-pointers: reserve guard Eric Gordon (second with 63), Harden (fourth, 58), Ariza (seventh, 56), and Anderson (eighth, 54). With the Boston Celtics paying a visit to Toyota Center on Monday, everything is going according to plan for the Rockets.

"Twenty games in we're pretty solid," Harden said. "We've still got a long way to go in the aspect of executing better ... but I like where we're at."

The Celtics (12-8) won six of eight and are two games into a stretch of eight of 10 on the road. They squeezed past the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night behind another stellar performance from point guard Isaiah Thomas, whose 37-point effort marked his fifth 30-point game this season.

Because of Boston's backcourt depth, Thomas is averaging a relatively modest 33.3 minutes per game. He ranks ninth in the league in scoring (26.3 points) but outside the top 20 in average minutes. Given that efficiency, it's easy to question whether Thomas can handle a greater workload as the schedule reaches the winter.

"There's sometimes where you feel like those last few minutes of the third quarter are going to be really important moving forward, especially based on how your team's playing," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "You just have to make that decision are you going to take him out earlier in the third ... and put him back in a little bit earlier or play him through until the 2- or 1-minute mark of the third and then get him his rest until the 7- or 6- (minute mark of the fourth quarter).

"Ultimately there will be days that are very consistent and there will be times I'm going to go with my gut. (The players) know that and we've talked about it."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (11-9) at Mavericks (4-15)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

At 11-9, Charlotte is right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference. The same can't be said for the Dallas Mavericks, who at 4-15 languish at the bottom of the Western Conference.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford has received contributions up and down his roster while Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle recently met with Dallas owner Mark Cuban about salvaging the season, saying, "We're going to slug this thing out."

Shorthanded and hurting, Dallas might seem like easy pickings for Charlotte when the two meet in Dallas on Monday night.

Dallas is missing future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki. He didn't play when the two teams met just a few days ago on Dec. 1 in Charlotte -- a 97-87 Hornets' win -- and he won't play either on Monday.

But if the Hornets think they'll be able to roll over the Mavericks, they might want to take a closer look at the video from Saturday night.

Dallas bounced back from that loss to Charlotte and, without Nowitzki in uniform, the Mavericks handed the Chicago Bulls a 25-point loss on Saturday.

Wes Matthews poured in a team-high and season-high-tying 26 points and buried a season-high seven of his 11 3-point attempts to give him 19 3s in his past four games.

"I am really happy for him," Carlisle said of Matthews. "He is our leader right now with Dirk out. He really sets the tone for us in the locker room and on the floor."

Matthews and Harrison Barnes are the veterans in the clubhouse, along with Andrew Bogut. Barnes leads the Mavs in scoring at 20.4 points per game and Bogut leads the team in rebounds at 10.7, but both are in their first season with Dallas. That's why Carlisle believes it's important for Matthews to take a leadership role.

But there's no doubt the Mavs are not close to being the same team without Nowitzki. And there are some who might believe, the 19-year veteran is done. Don't tell that to Nowitzki.

"I'm all-in. I want to play," Nowitzki told ESPN in front of his locker after his teammates pulled off the Mavs' most lopsided win of the season.

"There's still a lot of season left. December just started. We know that there's a lot of games coming, so hopefully sometime soon I'll be out there and then stay out there," he said. "I don't want to jump in and out of the lineup with soreness or fight this whole year. I'd love to be healthy and stay out there once I go."

The Mavericks not only miss the offense from the sixth leading scorer in NBA history, they miss his leadership.

Likewise, the Hornets are looking for more consistency from its leader, Kemba Walker, who leads the team with 23.8 points per game. In a loss to Minnesota on Saturday, the Hornets blew a seven-point lead with less than two minutes left.

"That's when the intensity goes up this high, that's when you have to be at your best," Clifford said. "That's when it's the most physical. That's when guys have to step up and make plays."

Unfortunately for the Hornets, it was the Timberwolves who made the plays. The loss has left a bad taste in the Hornets' mouths.

"A lot of mistakes on the defensive end," Walker said. "Too many mistakes. Gave up some big baskets, just some missed rotations by a few of us. We just got to be better down the stretch."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (12-9) at Lakers (10-12)

Date: December 05, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Injuries remain sore points for the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers. Both will attempt to overcome them when they meet Monday night at Staples Center

Point guard Jose Calderon (right hamstring strain) was the latest Laker to come up lame. Calderon, who hurt himself in Saturday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, won't play against the Jazz. Calderon was starting for the injured D'Angelo Russell (sore right knee). Russell isn't expected back for at least another week.

In addition, the Lakers again will be without Nick Young (strained left calf), who is possibly on the shelf for another one to three weeks.

Lakers forward Larry Nance (right knee contusion), who missed Saturday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, is listed as questionable for Monday's contest. Nance sat out Saturday after being injured late in Friday's rout by the Toronto Raptors.

Still, the Lakers (10-12) continue to carry a positive vibe with their surprising start.

"Having the injuries we had, it would've been easy to just give in (Saturday)," said Lakers coach Luke Walton said after the loss to the Grizzlies, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Our guys really competed and played hard. Down the stretch they got to a couple loose balls that turned into big plays. We had our chances. On the road in the NBA, that's really all you can ask for is to have a chance to win the game."

Despite some key contributors ailing, the Jazz (12-9) have won five of their last six games. Their latest triumph was a 105-98 decision over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Utah almost blew a 23-point lead in the fourth quarter before securing the victory. Gordon Hayward scored 21 of his 32 points in the third quarter to pace the Jazz. It was the third straight game the 6-8 forward has topped 30 points.

"I found some energy after halftime," said Hayward, who leads the team in scoring at 22.8 points per game, according to DeseretNews. com. "I think we really started to guard. I was able to get some easy shots, some open looks and then the basket gets a little wider when you knock down a couple in a row."

Utah prevailed without point guard George Hill (toe) and forward Derrick Favors. Hill won't play against the Lakers, missing his third game in a row, but could return Tuesday night when the Jazz plays the Phoenix Suns.

Hill's production has been missed. He is scoring 20 points per game, second to Hayward. He also is shooting 53.4 percent from the floor and 45.6 percent from 3-point range.

Favors has been troubled with a knee problem for much of the season. He missed the previous nine games and is expected to return against the Lakers.

Forward Alec Burks also has been unavailable for Utah. Burks underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery in November and is out indefinitely.

The absences haven't hurt the production of center Rudy Gobert. Gobert is averaging 10.6 points and 11 rebounds per game (seventh in the NBA). Gobert is the league leader in field-goal percentage at 64.2. He is third in blocks with an average of 2.52.

Utah won the initial encounter 96-89 on Oct. 27 at Salt Lake City.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (10-10) at Warriors (17-3)

Date: December 05, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Indiana Pacers will take the court Monday night at a distinct scheduling disadvantage when they continue a five-game Western swing against the Golden State Warriors.

Just like when the teams met two weeks ago in Indianapolis.

The Pacers are coming off a 111-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night on the second stop of a five-game trip.

On Monday, they will encounter a rested Warriors team, just as they did on Nov. 21, when Golden State took advantage of an Indiana club that went into overtime for a road win at Oklahoma City the night before. The Warriors handed the Pacers their worst home loss in franchise history, 120-83.

The Warriors were closing out a four-game Eastern swing that night, and they did so in impressive fashion. Then again, they did it against a Pacers team that chose not to play Paul George and Myles Turner.

It is unclear who will and will not play for Indiana on Monday. However, with two more winnable games remaining on the trip -- at Phoenix and Dallas -- it would be no surprise if Pacers coach Nate McMillan at least weighed his options.

After all, the night off against the Warriors appears to have done Turner a world of good last time. He responded with a four-block game and a double-double by week's end, helping Indiana win two of its next three games.

The Pacers continue to be cautious with George and his bad back, although he did return from a three-game absence to contribute 16 points on Sunday against the Clippers.

Indiana also got C.J. Miles (knee) back against the Clippers. He had 12 points in the win.

No doubt, the Pacers could use all hands on deck against the Warriors, who will be looking to complete a five-game homestand with a fourth win.

Golden State is coming off arguably its best offensive performance of the season in a 138-109 blowout of the Phoenix Suns. The Warriors made 14 of 21 3-point attempts in the win.

The Warriors (17-3) fell 131-127 in double overtime to the Houston Rockets two nights earlier. The win over Phoenix allowed Golden State to avoid its first set of consecutive defeats since the 2014-15 season.

"There's a resiliency to our team," Warriors standout Stephen Curry said. "For us to be able to correct mistakes and bounce back quickly and not have multiple games in a row where we don't show up to play says a lot about the character of this team."

The Pacers (10-10) are showing no such resiliency, especially on the road. Despite the Sunday victory over the Clippers, Indiana retains one of the worst road records in the NBA (2-6).

That said, the Pacers were never healthier than they were when they took the court in Los Angeles. They hope good health in the future eventually will trump poor results in the past.

"We worked on some new sets, some new things," George said of a crowded practice Saturday. "This is where we've got to start turning the corner."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Beast of East Clash'

Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors December 5, 7:30 EST

The eyes of most basketball fans as well as those with a penchant for sports gaming will be on the Monday night battle for top spot in the Eastern Conference as the Toronto Raptors host the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Air Canada Centre.

The Raptors off a franchise-best 44 point victory over reeling Atlanta Hawks Saturday night moved to 14-6 on the campaign with a cash-stuffing 14-5-1 record against the betting line. Raptors lead by DeRozan (28.3), Lowry (20.6) are one of the better offensive teams in the league this season based on efficiency metrics (113.8) and have spiked the metrics up to 123.7 during the current six game win streak. On the other side of the court, Raptors have a defensive efficiency rating of 103.6 on the year but the efficiency rating has come into its own during the win streak dropping to 97.5 points/game.

Cavaliers in a funk have dropped the last three including a 111-105 loss at Chicago Friday moving the record to 13-5 overall. With the betting market expecting way to much, the Cavaliers are a money guzzling 6-11-1 against the betting line. Irving (24.4) leading team in scoring with James chipping in 23.3 the Cavaliers' offensive efficiency stands at 109.7 with a mediocre defensive efficiency rating of 105.1. Frustrated Caves have seen its offensive metrics drop to 96.6 the past three with the defensive metrics jumping to a whopping 113.9.

So far this season Cleveland and Toronto have met twice with Cavaliers handing Raptors a pair of defeats winning 94-91 as 2.5 point road faves at this venue in October, 121-117 as 6 point home chalk on Quicken Loans Arena hardwood in November.

Raptors offensive prowess, Cavaliers recent defensive woes raises a red-flag for Cleveland supporters. That's because Raptors have a 9-1-1 ATS stretch at home scoring > 100 points, Cavaliers on a 0-7 ATS skid, 1-10 ATS slide on the road allowing hosts to hit the century mark in scoring. More betting amunition against Cleveland. The Cavaliers 2-7 ATS on enemy hardwood have failed to cash in 10 of 14 vs an Atlantic Division opponent (3-10-1).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'NBA Light's Out Shooting'

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 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 237-232-6 record against the betting line (49.9%). Not exactly the Midas Touch of NBA handicappping, however if we focus solely on 'Playing-Against' an un-rested FAVORITE after dropping 55.0% of their shots the hit rate improves to 61.4% (27-17 ATS).

Although, winning 60.0% in sports handicapping is considered major success, it's possible to improve the hit rate to a whopping 84.0% by 'Playing-Against' an un-rested 'FAVORITE' playing a rested team as it becomes a money-making 21-4 ATS.

It's important to remember that the rarity of that last angle requires patience waiting for the right moment but given the hit rate paying attention can pays off handsomely.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Monday’s games

Denver lost five of last six games, is 4-6 on road, all as underdogs. Over is 7-2-1 in their last ten games- they’re vs spread as a favorite. 76ers lost lost last six games, are 6-3 vs spread in last nine home games, 9-4 as home underdogs. Three of last four Philly games went over. Nuggets won last two games with Philly by total of four points; they won three of last five visits here. Over is 5-3 in last eight series games.

Oklahoma City won/covered its last five games; they’re 4-4 SU on road, 1-2 as road favorites. Six of their last nine games went over. Atlanta lost its last six games (1-5 vs spread); they’re 6-3 at home, all as favorites. Under is 10-2 in their last twelve games. Home side won last five Thunder-Hawk games; Oklahoma City lost last two visits here by 10-6 points. Under is 5-2 in last seven series games.

Cleveland went 0-3 last week; they’ve lost three of last four road games (0-4 vs spread). are underdog here for first time this year. Five of Cavs’ last six games went over. Raptors won/covered its last five games; they’re 7-3 at home, 6-2 as home favorites. Over is 4-1 in their last five home games. Cavaliers won last four games with Toronto (3-1 vs spread); they won by 3-26 in last two visits here, Under is 4-3 in last seven series games.

Washington lost three of last four games, is 1-7 on road, 1-2 as road favorite. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games. Nets lost nine of last ten games; they’re 4-6 at home, covering once in last five tries as a home dog. Over is 8-3 in Brooklyn’s last 11 games. Wizards won five of last six games with Brooklyn; Washington won/covered four of last five visits here. Last three series games went over total.

Memphis won nine of last 12 games, six of last seven on road; they’re 3-4 as road underdogs. Over is 3-1-1 in Grizzlies’ last five games. Pelicans lost four of last five games, but won/covered five of last six home games. Over is 8-2-1 in New Orleans home games. Grizzlies won their last six games with New Orleans, winning last two visits here by 15-9 points. Four of last five series games went over total.

Chicago is 3-4 in its last seven games, 5-2 at home (3-2 as a home favorite); four their last six home games went over. Portland won three of last four games, is 1-5 in last six road games, 1-4 as a road underdog. Four of Blazers’ last five games went over total. Bulls won three of last four games with Portland; Blazers won four of last five visits here, in series where visitor is 6-4 in last ten meetings- under is 5-1 in last six.

San Antonio won 11 of its last 12 games; they’re 11-0 on road, 9-2 vs spread. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games. Milwaukee won its last four games; they’re 7-4 at home, 3-2 as a home dog. Under is 6-3 in Bucks’ last nine games. Spurs won last eight games with Milwaukee (7-1 vs spread), winning last four visits here, by 7-32-11-25 points (4-0 vs spread). Over is 6-3 in last nine series games.

Celtics won six of last eight games, winning last five on road; they’re 3-1 as a road underdog. Four of last five Boston games went over total. Houston won seven of last nine games, is 3-2 as a home favorite. Over is 7-1-1 in Rockets’ last nine games. Rockets won five of last six games with Boston, which lost four of last five visits here (1-4 vs spread). Last eight series games stayed under total.

Charlotte lost six of last nine games (1-8 vs spread); they’re 5-3 on road, 2-3 as a favorite. Over is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Mavericks split last four games after an 0-8 skid; they’re 3-5 at home, covering last three tries as a home dog. Under is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Dallas (+12) covered in 97-87 loss in Charlotte Thursday; Hornets lost four of last five visits here. Dallas covered four of last five series games overall. Under is 6-2 in last eight series games.

Utah won five of its last six games, is 6-5 on road- favorites are 10-1 vs spread in their games on road. Five of last six Jazz games went over the total. Lakers lost 7 of their last 10 games, are 6-4 at home, 4-2 as a home underdog. Under is 5-0-1 in their last six games. Lakers lost five of their last six games with Utah; Jazz won three of last four series games played in Staples (under 3-1).

Indiana beat the Clippers in Staples last nite; they’ve won three of last four games, are 2-6 on road, 2-3 as a road underdog. Three of last four Indiana games went over. Golden State is 13-1 in its last 14 games, 4-6 vs spread as a home favorite. Three of their last four games went over. Warriors won five of last six games with Indiana; they beat Pacers 120-83 on road two weeks ago. Indiana lost three of last four visits here, with losses by 11-15-12 points (over 3-0-1).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Top 25 roundup: No. 3 Tar Heels rout Radford
By The Sports Xchange

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Sophomore guard Kenny Williams scored a career-high 19 points as No. 3 North Carolina blew out Radford 95-50 Sunday.
The Tar Heels cruised from the start just four days after their lone loss of the season at Indiana.
The disturbing part for North Carolina came when standout guard Joel Berry tumbled to the court with 17:36 remaining. He hobbled to the locker room with what was later revealed as a sprained left ankle. Berry didn't return to action. He finished with five points after entering the game averaging 16 points per game.
Kennedy Meeks had 13 points, Isaiah Hicks chipped in 12 points and Tony Bradley had 10 points and 11 rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). Justin Cousin scored 14 points and Christian Bradford tallied 13 points for Radford (3-5).

No. 13 Indiana 83, Southeast Missouri State 55
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Hoosiers sophomore center Thomas Bryant chest-bumped equally excitable coach Tom Crean during a rout of the Redhawks.
Indiana (7-1) was closing in on a 13-point halftime lead when the 6-foot-10 Bryant hit the floor to try to recover a loose ball but the referee ruled the hustling big man out of bounds. Bryant jumped up, clapped his hands, spotted the clapping Crean shouting encouragement and responded in kind with an enthusiastic chest bump.
Junior point guard Robert Johnson scored a game-high 17 points for a balanced Indiana squad. Freshman forward De'Ron Davis scored 14 off the bench for a second consecutive game, his best college outputs so far. Southeast Missouri State (4-4) got a team-high 16 points from freshman guard Denzel Mahoney.

No. 20 South Carolina 70, Florida International 54
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Stingy defense and hot perimeter shooting from Duane Notice and PJ Dozier kept the Gamecocks unblemished.
Notice and Dozier combined for eight 3-pointers and 47 points, while the defense forced 23 turnovers and limited the Golden Panthers to 41.3 percent shooting.
Notice gunned in a game-high 27, canning 6-of-10 shots from behind the arc, while Dozier finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in just 22 minutes as the Gamecocks upped their record to 8-0, their second straight 8-0 start. Eric Nottage paced the Panthers (3-6) with 20 points, while forward Michael Kessens scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Connecticut Huskies (3-4) at Syracuse Orange (5-2)

Date: December 05, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- As members of the Big East Conference, the Syracuse Orange and Connecticut Huskies played some of the most memorable games in college basketball history at Madison Square Garden.

But as they return to the Garden for a 7 p.m. game Monday, the 22nd-ranked Orange and Huskies will be more concerned about finding their identity than making history.

Syracuse, now in the Atlantic Coast Conference, entered this season with six new players among its top nine. After a 4-0 start against low- and mid-major teams, the Orange lost by a combined 31 points to 20th-ranked South Carolina at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and 17th-ranked Wisconsin at the Kohl Center.

This past Saturday, Syracuse nearly blew a 24-point second-half lead against North Florida at home before hanging on for a 77-71 win.

Other than seniors Rodney Purvis and Amida Brimah, UConn is relying on freshmen and sophomores who have been mostly inconsistent.

The Huskies, now in the American Athletic Conference, opened this season with losses to Wagner and Northeastern -- the first time since 1968-69 that UConn lost its first two games of the year.

The Huskies (3-4) rebounded with wins over Loyola Marymount and Chaminade in the Maui Invitational and Boston University, but they also lost to Oklahoma State and 23rd-ranked Oregon in Maui.

UConn is down to eight scholarship players because of season-ending injuries to freshman point guard Alterique Gilbert (shoulder), freshman forward Mamadou Diarra (knee) and sophomore swingman Terry Larrier (knee). Larrier and Gilbert had combined to average nearly 24 points per game.

Sophomore point guard Jalen Adams leads the Huskies in scoring (18.8 points per game) and assists (5.4 per game), and Purvis is averaging 11.3 points per game.

"We just have to try and get better," coach Kevin Ollie said after the Huskies held on to defeat Boston University 51-49 this past Wednesday. "We've got eight guys and we're going to continue playing with those guys. We're not making any excuses. But I was very happy with the win and we're finding ways to win."

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim shook up his starting lineup against North Florida by sitting senior forward Tyler Roberson (one point, eight rebounds against South Carolina and Wisconsin), inserting freshman shooting guard Tyus Battle, moving fifth-year transfer Andrew White from shooting guard to small forward, and shifting sophomore Tyler Lydon from small forward to power forward.

The results were mixed, as White and Battle combined for 45 points on 15-of-22 shooting from the field, but the Orange bench -- Roberson, fifth-year transfer John Gillon and freshman Taurean Thompson -- combined for one point, five rebounds and one assist in a combined 30 minutes.

"You have to be able to score. It wasn't even a decision (to bench Roberson); you can't play 34 minutes and score a point and keep your job," Boeheim said. "You just can't do that unless you're doing something unbelievable and that wasn't the case."

Roberson averaged 8.5 rebounds per game last season but is down to 5.4 per game this season. With its smaller starting lineup, Syracuse will be hard-pressed to win the rebounding battle as North Florida and its three-guard lineup outrebounded the Orange 41-33.

With each team's respective flaws, it's unlikely the Orange and Huskies will be able to duplicate Big East Tournament Madison Square Garden classics such as Syracuse's 127-117 victory in six overtimes in 2009 or UConn's 76-71 overtime win in 2010 when Kemba Walker had 33 points and 12 rebounds.

But it's still Connecticut-Syracuse at the Garden, and that's enough for those who remember they heyday of the Big East.

"I've been watching that rivalry ever since I've been playing basketball," said Orange center DaJuan Coleman, who grew up in Syracuse. "It's going to be a fun game and we've got to bring our 'A' game because I'm pretty sure it's going to be a big game for them."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (4-4) at Iowa State Cyclones (5-2)

Date: December 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Omaha is coming off its first victory over a Power 5 opponent in the modern era, a win at Iowa on Saturday, but the Mavericks are not overconfident knowing what is coming up next.

Omaha (4-4) travels across the Hawkeye state to play Monday in Ames against No. 19 Iowa State, which is hungry for a victory after losing consecutive games against Gonzaga and Cincinnati.

"It was good to get one, but now we've got to focus back up," Omaha junior forward Tre'Shawn Thurman told the Omaha World-Herald after the win over Iowa, the program's first victory over a Big Ten foe. "We've got a huge one Monday."

Iowa State's slide is its first two-game nonconference losing streak since defeats to UNLV and Cincinnati in the 2012 Global Sports Classic in Las Vegas.

The Cyclones are in jeopardy of falling out of the AP Top 25 poll after 60 consecutive rankings, the third-longest streak behind Kansas and Arizona.

"I'm disappointed for the players," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said after the 55-54 overtime loss to the visiting Bearcats on Saturday. "I thought they really competed, and showed toughness and grit.

"I knew it would be a one-possession game."

Iowa State (5-2) scored just three points in the final four minutes of regulation and two baskets in overtime. The loss snapped a 37-game winning streak against nonconference opponents at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

"Didn't make shots," said senior guard Monte Morris, who leads the Cyclones scoring 15.9 points a game. "We just have to watch the film. We have to get better.

"It ain't the end of the world. We lost by one."

Omaha's victory at Iowa was out of this world for coach Derrin Hansen and his fledging program in the Summit League. The Mavericks did not gain full postseason eligibility until last season after moving from Division II to Division I in 2011-12.

Hansen is wary of the fact Iowa State is experienced -- one of four Division I teams that starts five seniors -- and eager turn things around against an opponent that will not come in under the radar after the upset of the Hawkeyes.

"It becomes different because we're going to play a team that had a 37-game streak broke at home and they noticed us beating a cross-state rival," said Hansen, whose team will play its seventh road game of the season. "There'll be no overlooking now. The game becomes different, not in our minds but in their minds. And that's probably the most important of the two."

Omaha's top scorer, guard Zach Jackson (13.1 points a game), led the Mavericks against Iowa with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Thurman added 17 points and nine rebounds. Senior point guard Tra-Deon Hollins had 12 points with 11 assists.

Speculation around Iowa State's program suggests the Cyclones could make a starting lineup change on the frontcourt against Omaha.

Darrell Bowie, a 6-foot-8 senior reserve forward transfer from Northern Illinois, averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game over the past four games. Senior forward Merrill Holden, a 6-8 transfer from Louisiana Tech, has started all seven games and is averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 17.3 minutes a game as a starter.

Holden is the Cyclones' tallest starter. The other four are no taller than 6-5.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Monday’s games

Cal-Northridge is long way from home in NYC; Matadors lost by 15 at UCLA, 27 at Stanford in their only true road games- they’re 2-5 vs schedule #42, while playing pace #16. St John’s is 3-1 vs teams ranked outside top 200, winning by 20-16-47 points; they’ve lost five of last six games overall, but won last game in New Orleans, at Tulane Friday. Red Storm is second-least experienced team in country, playing pace #45 Big West road underdogs are 6-15 vs spread; Big East home favorites are 13-7.

UConn is hurting at 2-4 vs D-I teams, with wins by 3 at Loyola Marymount, 2 over Boston U; Huskies lost by 8-10 points to Oklahoma State/Oregon out at Maui Classic, their two top 100 games. UConn basically played 7 guys in last game, using three starters 34:00+. Huskies lost by 3 to Syracuse at the Atlantis tourney LY. Orange is 2-1 vs top 100 teams, beating Monmouth but losing to South Carolina/Wisconsin. ACC favorites are 13-10 vs spread on neutral floors. AAC underdogs are 13-13 vs spread. ACC teams are 7-3 vs spread in last 10 games vs AAC.

Loyola Marymount is 2-2 but hasn’t played in ten days; they lost last two years to Boise State by 1-8 points, lost to Nevada of Mountain West this year by 15. Lions are #26 experience team, have an ex-NBA head coach but are shooting 57.8% on foul line. Boise State lost 72-67 at Evansville Saturday; they’re 0-3 on road, losing by 13-5-5 points. Broncos are shooting only 31.9% on arc. Mountain West teams are 10-12 vs spread in last 22 games against teams from WCC. WCC home favorites are 14-9 vs spread. MW road underdogs are 12-6.

Siena won five of last six games with Rider, stepping Broncs LY by 11-20 points. Saints won two of last three visits to the Broncs Gym. Rider is shooting 22.1% on arc, worst in America right now- they’re also tuning ball over 22.5% of time; they’ve lost three of last four games overall, losing by 9 at Fairfield in MAAC home opener Thursday. Siena is 3-0 at home, 0-5 on road, with losses at NC-Asheville/Albany; Saints have played schedule #70 but are also #87 experience team. Home teams are 2-7-1 vs spread in MAAC conference games the last few days.

Omaha will have Iowa State’s attention after upsetting Iowa 98-89 in Iowa City Saturday; Mavericks are 4-4 vs schedule #89- they’ve only played one D-I home game. Omaha starts two juniors, two seniors; they play #21 pace, are #7 foul shooting tea, but aren’t great on arc. Iowa State lost OT game to Cincinnati Saturday; Cyclones lost last two games by total to 3 points, also losing by hoop to Gonzaga in Florida. Iowa State is #4 experience team- three of their five wins are vs teams outside top 200. Summit League road underdogs are 13-17 vs spread.

Milwaukee is 3-5 with new coach and #302 experience team playing pace #331; Panthers lost by 6 at Montana Saturday despite making 10-23 on arc- they’re 1-5 vs top 200 teams. Montana State is 5-0 at home with wins over UL-Lafayette and James Madison; Bobcats only lost by 8 at Utah Saturday, a strong result. State is shooting 38.9% on arc and protecting ball well while they play #39 pace. Horizon League road underdogs are 12-12 vs spread. Big Sky home favorites are 2-7 against the spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MNF - Colts at Jets
By Kevin Rogers

The AFC Wild Card is heating up through the first weekend in December, but the Colts and Jets are currently on the outside looking in. Indianapolis travels to Met Life Stadium on Monday night trying to reach the .500 mark with a victory and stay in the midst of the AFC South race. New York is riding out the string as the Jets look to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up their second home victory of the season.

LAST WEEK

The Colts (5-6 SU, 5-5-1 ATS) played without quarterback Andrew Luck on Thanksgiving night due to being in the concussion protocol as Indianapolis was blown out by Pittsburgh, 28-7 as eight-point home underdogs. Scott Tolzien started in place of Luck, but threw two interceptions, while Antonio Brown reached the end zone three times for Pittsburgh. The Steelers outgained the Colts, 369-310, as Indianapolis suffered its third home loss of the season.

New York (3-8 SU, 4-7 ATS) continues to sit at the bottom of the AFC East following last Sunday’s 22-17 home defeat to New England. The Jets managed to cover as nine-point underdogs in spite of blowing a 10-0 lead as New York scored only seven points in the second half. Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed two touchdown passes and compiled 269 yards through the air in the defeat, but the Jets rushed for just 64 yards.

HOME WOES

The Jets have slumped to a 1-4 record at Met Life Stadium this season with the only victory coming against the Ravens in Week 7 as 2 ½-point favorites, 24-16. Three of four home defeats have come by five points or less, but own a 1-2 ATS record as a home ‘dog.

LUCK FACTOR

The Colts will have their franchise quarterback under center on Monday after Luck missed the Pittsburgh loss. Luck has thrown for under 300 yards in each of his last three starts, while getting intercepted four times in this span. Since starting 0-3 on the road, the Colts have won two straight on the highway at Green Bay and Tennessee, as Indianapolis scored 31 and 34 points respectively in those wins.

SERIES HISTORY

These teams are meeting on Monday night for the second straight season as the Jets cruised past the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium last September, 20-7 as six-point underdogs. New York intercepted Luck three times, while Indianapolis turned the ball over five times. Fitzpatrick connected on a pair of touchdown passes, including 15-yard scoring strike to Brandon Marshall. The Jets have won three consecutive meetings against the Colts since the 2010 playoffs, as Indianapolis is facing New York at Met Life Stadium for the first time since Luck’s rookie season of 2012.

LINE MOVEMENT

The Colts opened as one-point road favorites at the Las Vegas Westgate Superbook, but that number moved up to Indianapolis -2 after Luck’s status was upgraded to probable. The total opened at 49 ½, but that has number slipped to between 48 ½ and 49 at most sports books. The weather at Met Life Stadium shouldn’t be a huge factor with kickoff temperatures in the low 40’s and partly cloudy skies.

HANDICAPPER’S CORNER

Joe Nelson says the play of Fitzpatrick has definitely been one of the main reasons for New York’s struggles this season, “Fitzpatrick has had a disappointing season with just 57 percent completions and 13 interceptions compared with 10 touchdowns. He has taken 18 sacks and he rates 31st out of 32 qualified quarterbacks in Total QBR. In fairness, nine of his 13 interceptions came in back-to-back games vs. two of the league’s best defensive teams and over his last six games he has thrown seven touchdowns with only three picks.”

On the Colts’ side, Nelson believes this team isn’t too far away from a return to the playoffs, “Indianapolis has road wins in Nashville and Green Bay this season and the Colts have three losses by four of or fewer points this season as this team isn’t far from being in a better position. Every Indianapolis win has come by a single score as laying points with a team allowing over 27 points per game certainly carries some risk. The long layoff for Indianapolis came at a great time to get Andrew Luck, Vontae Davis, Robert Mathis, and T.Y. Hilton likely back from injuries as the Colts will have few excuses if they fail in this opportunity to set up next week’s critical division showdown against Houston.”

PROPS – According to Las Vegas Westgate Superbook

Indianapolis

A. Luck – Total Gross Passing Yards
268 ½ - OVER (-110)
268 ½ - UNDER (-110)

A. Luck – Total Touchdown Passes
1 ½ - OVER (-150)
1 ½ - UNDER (+130)

Will F. Gore score a touchdown?
YES +145
NO -165

New York

R. Fitzpatrick – Total Completions
20 ½ - OVER (-110)
20 ½ - UNDER (-110)

R. Fitzpatrick – Total Touchdowns + Interceptions
2 – OVER (-110)
2 – UNDER (-110)

B. Marshall – Total Receiving Yards
68 ½ - OVER (-110)
68 ½ - UNDER (-110)

NEXT WEEK

The Colts return home to host the Texans in a crucial AFC South showdown as Indianapolis goes for the season sweep. The Las Vegas Westgate Superbook opened Indianapolis as four-point favorites, as that number is creeping up to 4 ½. The Jets travel to San Francisco next Sunday, as New York is set at one-point road underdogs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Monday Night Football'

Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets December 5, 8:35 EST

According to Sports Interaction the rested Colts off since Thanksgiving are 1.5 point road favorites when they visit MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets. Always dangerous giving away points on the road especially with a team such as Indy sporting the leagues 31st ranked pass defense (278.7), 23rd ranked run defense (116.3). But, Colts have a lot more at stake and you can expect that motivation helps them get past Jets. Lay the small number knowing Colts have been money-in-the-bank off a bye week (10-2 ATS) and have a habit of cashing as road favorites vs a team off a loss (9-2 ATS).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Monticello Raceway

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

Race 1 - Post: 12:25 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 69 - Purse:$2500 - F& M $4000 CLAIMING/ALLOWANCES N/W $1250 LAST 3 STARTS $3000 P/C L/S J DEVAUX 3 OVER 6 J TAGGART JR 4 OVER 5
CONSORTIUM*CHOICES

# 5 HAILSTORM GRACE 3/1
# 3 FLY TO THE ANGELS 5/2
# 4 NITTY GRITTY 4/1

HAILSTORM GRACE sure does look ready to win. Can't forget based on speed ratings which have been terrific (73 avg) recently. She has nice class numbers, averaging 70. Should be considered for a bet in this race. This horse recorded a respectable TrackMaster Speed Rating last time out. Looks to be going well to come right back. FLY TO THE ANGELS - A good play in here as she has one of the highest winning percents in the field of horses as well as solid credentials all around. Positively the class of the field with an average rating of 70. A nice play. NITTY GRITTY - Her 69 average has this mare among the most respectable speed ratings in this one. We're not going to pass on this mare given one of the finest driver-handler numbers around.