Saturday 1/23/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Canucks won three of their last four games.
-- Sharks won six of their last seven games.
-- Anaheim won three of its last four games.
-- Bruins won three of their last four games.
-- Tampa Bay won its last seven games.
-- New Jersey won its last three games.
-- Islanders won three of their last four games.
-- Avalanche won four of their last five games.
-- Kings won six of their last ten games.

Cold teams
-- Penguins lost five of their last eight games.
-- Minnesota lost five of its last six games.
-- Red Wings lost three of last five games.
-- Blue Jackets lost six of their last eight games.
-- Panthers lost four of their last five games.
-- Winnipeg lost five of its last seven games.
-- Canadiens lost last five games, scoring eight goals. Toronto lost six of its last seven.
-- Flyers lost three of their last four games.
-- Dallas stars lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Arizona lost its last four games, outscored 10-4.
-- Nashville/Edmonton both losr six of their last eight games.

Series records
-- Penguins won five of last seven games with Vancouver.
-- Sharks won six of last nine games with Minnesota.
-- Ducks won four of last five games with Detroit.
-- Bruins won seven of last nine games with Columbus, but lost last two.
-- Lightning won seven of last ten games with Florida.
-- Jets won six of last eight games with New Jersey.
-- Montreal won its last eight games with Toronto.
-- Islanders won six of last eight games with Philly.
-- Dallas Stars lost their last seven games with Colorado.
-- Kings won four of their last six games with Arizona.
-- Oilers lost their last four games with Nashville.

Totals
-- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Pittsburgh games.
-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven Minnesota games.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Detroit games.
-- Under is 4-1-2 in last seven Boston games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Tampa Bay games.
-- Last seven New Jersey-Winnipeg games stayed under.
-- Seven of last ten Montreal-Toronto games went over.
-- Under is 3-1-2 in last six Philly games.
-- Five of last seven Colorado-Dallas games went over.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Nashville-Edmonton games.

Back-to-backs
-- Detroit is 4-5 if it played night before; teams are 4-3 night after playing Buffalo.
-- Florida is 4-4 if it played night before; teams are 2-6 night after playing Chicago.
-- Islanders are 5-3 if they played night before; teams are 4-0 night after playing Ottawa.
-- Colorado is 3-2 if it played night before; teams are 2-4 night after playing St Louis.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Cavaliers fire Blatt
By The Sports Xchange

The Cleveland Cavaliers fired head coach David Blatt on Friday despite the team possessing a 30-11 record at the season's halfway point.
Tyronn Lue is being promoted to head coach, according to published reports.
Blatt led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his first season as coach before falling to the Golden State Warriors.
Another game against Golden State -- a humbling 132-98 loss on Monday night -- apparently fast-forwarded the decision to make a coaching move.
Forward LeBron James hasn't been a supporter of Blatt from the outset and team brass is aware of his sentiments. James has a strong relationship with Lue and often consults with him on strategy during games.
There have been published reports citing dwindling support of Blatt in the locker room.
Blatt had an 83-40 regular-season record as coach of the Cavaliers.

---Steve Kerr returned to the Golden State Warriors on Friday and plans to be on the bench in his role as head coach when the team hosts the Indiana Pacers.
Kerr announced an indefinite leave of absence due to a slow recovery from back surgery and handed the team over to assistant coach Luke Walton for the first 43 games of the regular season. The Warriors entered Friday night's game with a 39-4 record, on pace to break the all-time wins record of 72 by the Chicago Bulls.
Walton went 19-0 in the first month of the season and the Warriors opened with a record-setting 24-0 start before losing their first game at Milwaukee. All of the wins and losses are credited to Kerr.
Kerr posted a 67-15 record and the Warriors won the NBA title last year in Kerr's debut season. The first-time head coach was bothered by his back for months. But the first of two surgeries Kerr underwent over the summer caused a spinal fluid leak, causing debilitating headaches.
Kerr began traveling with the team in late December as a physical test of his day-to-day recovery and the schedule involved with NBA coaching.

---The Houston Rockets re-acquired forward Josh Smith in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Rockets sent the draft rights of forward Maarty Leunen to the Clippers to get Smith. The Clippers sent the Rockets cash to cover the balance of Smith's $1.4 million minimum salary and the draft rights to Ukrainian center Serhiy Lischuk.
Smith, 30, averaged 12 points and six rebounds in 55 games for the Rockets last season. He averaged 5.7 points and 14.3 minutes in 32 games with the Clippers this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday showcases start with Cavs/Bulls
Antony Dinero

To wrap up a week that’s began with the Cavaliers humiliated at home by Golden State, subsequently serving as the last straw for keeping David Blatt as head coach, they’ll see the Bulls. Among Eastern Conference teams, the Bulls remain Cleveland’s arch nemesis.

The basketball gods are certainly writing quite the script.

If there was ever a time to promote Tyronn Lue and lose Blatt, late in the afternoon on a Friday fit the bill, standard procedure to diffuse a big story. It’s also probably best to throw Lue into the fire immediately against rival Chicago in a game that will be televised nationally in the debut of ESPN’s NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC, a series of eight contests that will serve as showcase for the league.

Yes, you can safely assume there was some pre-meditation involved here. GM David Griffin didn’t consult with any players about the firing because he didn’t have to. The vibe in the locker room towards Blatt had already grown listless and disinterested. James already knew his days were numbered. They knew where he stood in terms of approval. Cleveland.com’s Chris Haynes reports Blatt was nearly dismissed after a 105-76 loss at Portland on Dec. 26 that followed a high-profile Christmas Day setback in Oakland.
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Blatt ultimately cast in scapegoat role

Whether Blatt “deserved” to be fired is a subject for debate since it’s hard to argue that a different first-time head coach will be the x-factor that helps win a title, but Lue isn’t likely to hurt the cause. He’s learned the trade under Doc Rivers and played for Phil Jackson, Doug Collins and both Van Gundy brothers, so he’ll be able to handle himself.

Blatt made some major public missteps along the way last year, from openly disrespecting Kevin Love to nonsensical errors like trying to call a timeout he didn’t have in a critical Game 4 of last year’s East semis against the same Bulls team that will serve as Saturday night’s co-stars once again.

Lue saved him last May 10 in Chicago, yanking him back before referees noticed he was frantically trying to get their attention. His meltdown progressed a few moments later when after a stoppage in play, he tried drawing up a play that didn’t call for LeBron James to get the ball with less than a second left. LeBron ended up draining a memorable buzzer-beater that tied the series 2-2.

Blatt’s days were numbered after that game. Unless he won a title or presided over the type of start the Warriors have enjoyed, he was a goner. James threw him under the bus post-game because that’s how he leads. He holds people accountable publicly and believes in tough love.

"To be honest, the play that was drawn up, I scratched it," James confessed unprompted when discussing the play last May. "I just told coach, 'Just give me the ball. We're either going to go into overtime or I'm going to win it for us. It's that simple.

"I was supposed to take the ball out. I told coach, 'There's no way I'm taking the ball out unless I can shoot it over the backboard and it goes in.' So, I told him to have somebody else take the ball out, give me the ball and everybody get out the way."

Consider this full circle. Another high-profile matchup against the Bulls is on tap. Blatt is out of the way now, so the lamb has been sacrificed. Expect Love to stay put and grow more comfortable as James attempts to get him involved early to get him in a rhythm and Kyrie Irving to continue improving. The Cavs will move forward and put the Blatt era behind them so quickly that they won’t be able to prevent this looking like they’re trying to make him a scapegoat.

Never mind that they’re 13-3 with Irving back in the lineup or that they’ve scored at least 110 in five of their last 10 games, Cleveland has pulled the trigger on Blatt’s inevitable firing at a time where it’s easiest to move on. There’s still nearly three weeks of action before the All-Star break for Lue to set a tone and a month before the trade deadline to see whether all the pieces fit or a move is necessary. If anyone gets moved, it’s likely to be Timofey Mozgov, since he’s looked lost for most of the season. Ironically, he’s played his best basketball in weeks the past two games.

Despite the doom and gloom, the Cavs are actually coming off a pair of wins, having beaten the Nets and Clippers to improve to 30-11 despite a lack of belief in their head coach. The Bulls come off consecutive losses and will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after a 110-101 loss in Boston on Friday. Jimmy Butler ended up collecting 28 points and 14 rebounds despite playing after a bout with the flu, so there’s danger his energy level could be less than where it normally is when he duels with James.

Derrick Rose added 27 and has looked springy of late, but he really struggled last time he played on consecutive nights, scoring just 9 points in 22 minutes. Chicago still has to err on the side of caution regarding his knees, so Aaron Brooks may be in line for increased minutes. The Bulls have lost the last four times they’ve played the second leg of a back-to-back.

Cleveland is a 10.5-point favorite against the team that still looms as their biggest challenge in the Eastern Conference. Despite all the drama the Warriors’ 132-98 rout at the Q unleashed for the Cavs, they’re still listed as the clear-cut favorite (-400) to win the East.

Toronto (13-to-1) is listed ahead of Chicago, Atlanta, Indiana and Miami (15-to-1) as Cleveland’s top competition, but a healthy Bulls team remains a formidable hurdle. Joakim Noah has been lost for the season, but the presence of Butler, Rose, Pau Gasol makes them a tough out, especially given all the depth at first-year coach Fred Hoiberg’s disposal. Mike Dunleavy should return soon, while Kirk Hinrich always finds a way to be an asset against the Cavs.

Hinrich is questionable for Saturday’s game due to a quad contusion, so his potential absence is yet another reason Lue may have a prosperous debut. For what it’s worth, Blatt lost his first regular-season game as head coach against the Knicks before beating the Bulls the next night for his next win. Chicago was the opponent in this year’s season-opener, hosting a 97-95 win that served as Hoiberg’s first NBA win.

How will Lue do? Based on the script fate is writing, the result promises to be riveting, win or lose.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (22-23) at Hornets (20-23)

Date: January 23, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Knicks just got picked apart by a top point guard and now they have to face one who has been very explosive.

Kemba Walker has scored at least 40 points twice in his last three games and the New York native will try to lead the short-handed Charlotte Hornets to a fifth straight home win over the Knicks on Saturday night.

New York (22-23) allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to shoot 56.6 percent - a season-high for an opponent - in Friday's 116-88 home loss. Chris Paul had 13 of his club's 23 assists, as New York had no answer for his repeated pick-and-rolls with teammates.

"The game got away from the start. We weren't ready to play against this team tonight," coach Derek Fisher said. "They were physically, faster, better tonight. We've had very few of these so far this year."

New York will now try to slow down Walker, who scored a franchise-record 52 points in Monday's 124-119 victory over Utah in double overtime. After he scored 21 two nights later in a loss at Oklahoma City, Walker came through with 40 in Friday's 120-116 overtime win at Orlando.

"Great week," Walker said. "I would never have thought this would happen but I'm playing pretty well, and I'm just playing off my teammates, playing the game, letting the game come to me."

The Hornets (20-23) ended a 10-game road losing streak Friday despite trailing by 15 points in the third quarter behind Walker, who added nine assists and seven rebounds as he played the entire final period and overtime.

"He'll do anything to win so if he feels he has to keep scoring the ball, he's going to do it," forward Marvin Williams said. "But he's making the right plays, though, he's getting assists as well, he's rebounding as well so he's going to give you his all each and every night and I think that's why he's playing so well."

Charlotte's win came without two starters. Second-leading scorer Nicolas Batum was out with a sprained right toe while center Cody Zeller was out with a strained right shoulder. It's unlikely either will play Saturday.

Former Knicks guard Jeremy Lin replaced Batum in the starting lineup and had seven points. Spencer Hawes took Zeller's spot and finished with a season-high 16 points and 10 boards for his first double-double since April 4, 2014.

Knicks center Robin Lopez was ejected with two technical fouls Friday. He got involved in an altercation with DeAndre Jordan and finished with six points and seven boards after totaling 38 and 22 in his previous two games.

"Things were getting really chippy out there, it happened so fast it's kinda hard to recall," Lopez said. "Maybe I overreacted a little bit but what happened, happened. I'm OK with it."

New York's Lance Thomas has missed two straight game with a sore left knee. Fisher said the reserve forward was getting better, but wasn't sure if he could play Saturday.

The Knicks are 3-6 in the second half of back-to-back games while the Hornets are 3-4.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (19-26) at Pelicans (15-27)

Date: January 23, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Milwaukee Bucks faltered in their attempt to match a season-high win streak and bouncing back from that defeat could prove challenging.

The Bucks would have to end a 13-game road losing streak against New Orleans when they face the resurgent Pelicans on Saturday night.

Milwaukee had won three in a row until a 102-98 loss in Houston on Friday. The Bucks (19-26) nearly rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 2 1/2 minutes but couldn't get closer than two with 6.9 seconds left.

"We kept fighting and hung with them on their runs and kept trying to grind it out. We did give ourselves a chance to win the game. We were just a little too late," said guard Khris Middleton, who tied Greg Monroe for the team scoring lead with 21 points.

The Bucks now will try to win in a city where they haven't since Jan. 27, 2003. The lengthy road losing streak against the Pelicans includes two defeats in Oklahoma City in January 2006 and February 2007.

Milwaukee has also dropped five in a row overall to New Orleans (15-27) and will face a team that's seeking its fifth win in six games.

The Pelicans will also try for a season-high fourth in a row at home after beating Detroit 115-99 on Thursday. New Orleans shot 53.5 percent - its second-best performance this season - and Anthony Davis had 32 points on 13-of-23 shooting.

"We're just playing desperate. That's it," Davis said. "That's how we've got to play from here on out. Like coach said, in a couple weeks we're going to see where our season goes - whether it's just playing it out or every game matters."

Davis has a combined 67 points in the first two of a season-high seven consecutive home games.

"I'm just coming out being aggressive, trying to get the team to fight back and just play hard." he said. "They're doing a great job of finding me. I'm not hesitating anymore. I'm just playing basketball, having fun with it. My teammates see it and they're playing hard. We're all just playing hard, having fun playing together."

Davis had 20 points on 6-of-18 shooting and 12 rebounds in his latest game against the Bucks, an 85-84 home victory March 17. He totaled 72 points while shooting 64.4 percent in his previous two matchups and tied a career with 43 in a 114-103 win in Milwaukee on March 9.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting for the Bucks in that home defeat but had a more pedestrian 15 in the visit to New Orleans.

Middleton, averaging 23.6 points in his last five games, had four on 2-of-14 shooting in the most recent road matchup with the Pelicans. He totaled 42 points and made 16 of 28 shots in his prior two meetings.

Monroe is averaging 19.4 points on 54.6 percent shooting and 10.7 rebounds in his last seven games.

This will likely mark the Bucks' last game without coach Jason Kidd on the sidelines. Kidd has missed 16 contests since undergoing surgery on his right hip Dec. 21 but is expected return for Tuesday's home game against Orlando.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (25-19) at Timberwolves (13-31)

Date: January 23, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

While Marc Gasol is keying a strong offensive stretch for the defensive-minded Memphis Grizzlies, Rookie of the Year candidate Karl-Anthony Towns hopes to keep adding to his resume for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The veteran star and emerging big man are likely to spend a lot of time defending one another as the visiting Grizzlies chase a season-high fifth straight win Saturday night against the free-falling Timberwolves.

Gasol had been shooting 45 percent - far below his 50.9 mark entering the season - after averaging 9.5 points while going just 15 for 57 (26.3 percent) from the field over a four-game span earlier this month.

The two-time All-Star has recovered by averaging 23.8 points on 50.5 percent shooting in his last five games. He scored 27 and converted a go-ahead three-point play with 12.2 seconds left in Thursday's 102-101 win at Denver.

"I think he can let so many things bother him, in a good way, but he gets so much in his mind that he forgets about scoring," guard Mike Conley told the team's official website. "Now he is just letting everything play out."

Conley also has provided a spark, totaling 35 points while hitting 5 for 8 from 3-point range in two games since missing six due to a sore left Achilles. He also had 12 assists without a turnover in those contests.

The Grizzlies (25-19) have averaged 102.3 points on 48.2 percent shooting during their four-game streak after scoring 94.7 with a 43.1 percentage in the previous 21. They haven't scored 100 in regulation over five straight games since February 2011.

"Well, we are going to score. We have guys who can score points and put the ball in the basket," forward Jeff Green said. "(But) defense has been the staple of this team for the past couple of years and nothing has changed."

The scoring, though, could continue against a Minnesota team that's given up an average of 105.4 points on 47.8 percent shooting in its last five games. The Wolves allowed 17 points in overtime of Wednesday's 106-94 loss at Dallas.

"We definitely took a great step," Towns said. "We just couldn't contain."

Towns shined with 27 points, a season-high 17 rebounds and a season high-tying six blocks. He's totaled 47 points and 30 boards in his last two, leads all rookies with 9.7 rebounds per game and ranks second with 15.9 points.

With starting center Nikola Pekovic working his way back from ankle and Achilles injuries, Towns could see a lot of action on Gasol. That was the case Nov. 15 when he had 14 points and nine boards with Pekovic sidelined in a 114-106 home loss to the Grizzlies. Gasol finished with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting as Memphis shot 56.3 percent and hit 9 of 17 from 3-point range.

Conley made four of those 3s en route to 20 points, though he couldn't contain Zach LaVine, who scored 25 in place of the injured Ricky Rubio.

Andrew Wiggins, who had 21 points in November, is playing well heading into this meeting with 24.1 points per game in his last eight. Memphis stopper Tony Allen might not be available after he was scratched Thursday due to injury.

The Wolves (13-31) have dropped two in a row and 15 of their past 17. They've also lost two straight at home and 19 of 23 overall versus Memphis.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (24-18) at Cavaliers (30-11)

Date: January 23, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Though Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin is no stranger to orchestrating midseason shakeups, no one saw this one coming.

Reportedly, not even LeBron James.

The Cavaliers will try to get over the shock of David Blatt's stunning firing when they take the court Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls, whose recent play on the court has created a bit of unrest as well.

Blatt was dismissed midway through a season in which Cleveland (30-11) holds a 3-game lead over Toronto atop the Eastern Conference and is 6 1/2 ahead of the second-place Bulls in the Central Division. Though the second-year coach went 64-20 after a 19-20 start last season and guided the Cavaliers to the 2015 NBA Finals, Griffin said he wasn't pleased with the team's direction or its atmosphere.

'Sometimes you can win games in the regular season and get worse,' Griffin said during Friday's press conference announcing the move. 'We were regressing over a period of time. There's a lack of connectedness and spirit that I just couldn't accept. And frankly, halfway through the season, I think we have the time to right the ship."

Blatt's .732 winning percentage is the highest for a coach fired this late in a season. The New Jersey Nets let go of Larry Brown with a 47-29 record in 1981-82.

'I know that sounds crazy when we're sitting with a 30-11 record. I understand that," Griffin said. "But we were 30-11 with a schedule that was reasonably easy. And I'm judging a lot more than wins and losses.'

Associate coach Tyronn Lue was promoted into Blatt's position on a permanent basis, with the 38-year-old former NBA point guard becoming the league's youngest active head coach.

'He has the pulse of our team,' said Griffin, who also reiterated that he did not seek any input from James nor any other player in making the decision.

The change takes place after the Cavaliers won two straight to bounce back from Monday's embarrassing 132-98 defeat to Golden State, the most lopsided home loss in James' career. They were sharp in Blatt's finale, hitting 13 of 28 attempts from 3-point range and outrebounding the Los Angeles Clippers 47-35 in Thursday's 115-102 victory over a team that won 11 of 12 coming in.

J.R. Smith, one of several acquisitions Griffin made last January to help spark Cleveland's turnaround, had 22 points and finished 6 of 7 from 3 after a 2 of-14-effort over the previous three games. Kevin Love posted a sixth double-double in his last seven with 18 points and 16 rebounds.

Lue will be in a potentially advantageous spot to start his head coaching career with the Cavaliers on the second of a four-game homestand and Chicago (22-18) struggling to make shots and prevent them. The Bulls have gone a woeful 20.5 percent on 3-pointers in losing three of four and are yielding 108.8 points over a 2-6 stretch.

After a 1-of-20 performance from beyond the arc in Wednesday's 125-94 home loss to Golden State, the Bulls were 3 of 13 in Friday's 110-101 defeat at Boston. They also committed 20 turnovers that led to 26 Celtics' points.

'It's about being on the same page when we're out there," guard Derrick Rose said. "All the hustle plays - it's effort. We're not getting the extra effort to be a championship team right now.'

Rose had 27 points Friday and is averaging 25.3 in his last three games. Jimmy Butler added 28 but is 0 of 12 from 3 over his last four, while Nikola Mirotic has shot just 17.1 percent while averaging 4.8 points over his past five.

Mirotic scored 19 points as Chicago edged Cleveland 97-95 in the Oct. 27 season opener. The Bulls are making their first visit to Cleveland since losing last year's East semifinals in six games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (26-18) at Suns (13-31)

Date: January 23, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Outside of two lengthy winning streaks, the Atlanta Hawks have been up and down this season.

The Phoenix Suns have been trying to get up since late December.

The Hawks look to end their struggles away from home Saturday night when they face the injury depleted Suns, who are trying to shake off their worst stretch in nearly four decades.

Atlanta (26-18) has followed a six-game winning streak from Dec. 16-26 with a 6-6 stretch, which has featured wildly contrasting results at both ends of the court.

It includes three of the Hawks' six games in which they've scored at least 120 points this season, as well as three of their eight in which they finished with fewer than 90. In addition, two of their four games in which they've allowed more than 110 points, as well as the two lowest-scoring outputs by opponents, are contained in the stretch.

The final three losses in the span have come against teams with losing records, the latest being Thursday's 91-88 defeat to Sacramento. That snapped the Hawks' three-game winning streak as they've opened their four-game trip 1-1.

Atlanta committed 19 turnovers and shot 41.7 percent while making eight of 33 from 3-point range. The Hawks' 24.2 percentage from beyond the arc was their worst since Dec. 28, which was also the previous time they had committed 19 turnovers.

The Kings outrebounded the Hawks 56-42 and went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter to build a 17-point lead. Atlanta chipped away in the final 12 minutes but failed to get off a shot on two possessions in the final 13 seconds.

"It's tough when you're on the road and down by 17 points (in the third quarter)," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We just didn't have enough time to get back over the hump."

Sacramento handed the Hawks their third loss in four road games and 11th in 18 since opening the season 4-0 away from home. This trip begins a stretch of six of seven on the road.

Atlanta has split its last six matchups with sub-.500 teams, but Phoenix (13-31) is likely the one with the most issues.

The Suns are 1-15 in their last 16, the first time they've endured such a stretch since Feb. 10-March 13, 1977. They've lost six in a row and played Thursday's 117-89 defeat to San Antonio without five of their top seven scorers.

Starting guard Brandon Knight sat out due to an abductor strain, while forwards Mirza Teletovic (sprained ankle), Jon Leuer (back spasms) and Markieff Morris (shoulder strain) were injured before or during Tuesday's 97-94 loss to Indiana. Making matters worse, P.J. Tucker left in the first quarter with a chest contusion.

The recent health concerns, combined with Eric Bledsoe's season-ending knee surgery in December, have crippled a team that's averaged 94.1 points in the last eight games while allowing 108.3.

"We're down a lot of players," rookie guard Devin Booker said. "We're going out there, we know we're less talented, so we just have to play harder."

The Suns have lost seven of eight at Talking Stick Resort Arena and are trying to avoid a winless three-game homestand.

The Hawks swept the 2014-15 season series after Phoenix had won 10 of the previous 13 meetings. Atlanta is 4-18 in its last 22 in the desert.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (23-20) at Nuggets (16-27)

Date: January 23, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

For each loud win the Detroit Pistons have logged in the last week, they have followed with a whimper and a loss.

There are no more statement victories available in the final two games of their road trip, but the Pistons can start answering coach Stan Van Gundy's calls for consistency when they meet the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.

Van Gundy called out his team's effort following Thursday's 115-99 loss at New Orleans, one day after opening a four-game trip with a 123-114 win over Houston. The up-and-down results were similar to Detroit's previous two home games when they beat Golden State 113-95 last weekend before Monday's 111-101 loss to Chicago.

'We look like a team that is firmly committed to being mediocre,' said Van Gundy, whose club closes its trip Monday against Utah.

The Pistons (23-20) have lost four of six and are 6-8 since winning five of six in mid December, keeping them ahead of only Milwaukee in a stacked Central Division.

Van Gundy had harsh words following the loss to the Pelicans, calling a first half in which Detroit surrendered 72 points "deplorable." It was one of five first halves in the NBA this season with that many points by a team not named the Warriors, and it tied for the most allowed by the Pistons in any half ever.

'In the first half we played nine guys. I thought one guy put out a good effort defensively," Van Gundy said. "Aron Baynes tried hard and I thought the other eight guys virtually put nothing into it on anything.'

New Orleans committed just 10 turnovers and shot 53.5 percent, the third-highest against the Pistons this season. The Pelicans' 65.9 percent showing in the first half equaled three other teams for the fourth-highest in an opening half this season.

Andre Drummond finished with 19 points and 22 rebounds for his seventh straight double-double, but New Orleans still owned the paint with a 60-48 scoring advantage.

Opponents have scored at least 111 points in each of Detroit's last three games, the first time the Pistons have allowed that to happen since December 2014. The Bulls, Rockets and Pelicans combined to shoot 50.2 percent and make 26 of 57 3-pointers.

Denver (16-27) is one of 11 teams in the league averaging fewer than 100 points at 99.4, but the Nuggets have passed the century mark in each of their last three games.

That stretch includes a season-high in Sunday's 129-126 win over Indiana to open a season-high eight-game homestand at 3-1, but a pair of tight losses followed - Tuesday's 110-104 defeat to Oklahoma City and Thursday's 102-101 loss to Memphis.

Denver trailed the Grizzlies by seven midway through the fourth quarter but rallied to take a 98-97 lead with less than a minute left. The Nuggets suffered their eighth consecutive single-digit loss, though, after Emmanuel Mudiay's buzzer-beating 3-pointer was all they scored in the final 41 seconds.

"It gets so old when you hear, `Hey, great game, great comeback,'" coach Mike Malone said. "We're paid to win games."

Denver has won of late in this series, at least. Detroit dominated with a 22-4 record from the end of the 1995-96 season to the beginning of 2009-10, but the Nuggets have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including all six in Denver.

The Nuggets have played the last three games without point guard Jameer Nelson (sprained right wrist), and it is unclear if he will be available Saturday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (23-20) at Kings (19-23)

Date: January 23, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Sacramento Kings have a long way to go to shed their franchise's dismal reputation for defense, but they have made strides during a season-high win streak.

They used their latest effort to overcome Rudy Gay's absence, and his status is unknown for Saturday night's visit from the Indiana Pacers.

Sacramento (19-23) is currently allowing a league-high 107.4 points per game and hasn't finished better than 24th in that category since 2005-06. The Kings, though, have yielded an average of 96.3 points on 39.7 percent shooting while stringing together four consecutive victories that has lifted them into eighth place in the Western Conference.

They gave up their fewest points this season in a 91-88 victory over visiting Atlanta on Thursday. The Kings shot a season-low 35.9 percent with Gay nursing a bruised left heel, but they held the Hawks an 8-of-33 showing from 3-point range and 41.7 percent overall.

"It shows the potential of this team. It shows that we can be a defensive team," forward DeMarcus Cousins said. "It's just about us going out there and doing it. We can't always rely on offense."

Sacramento also posted a 56-42 rebounding advantage and a 17-7 edge on the offensive glass. Cousins had a team-best 15 boards and 24 points in his ninth consecutive double-double, and he's averaging 30.9 points and 13.8 boards in his first 10 games in 2016.

Rajon Rondo's go-ahead layup with 13 seconds left gave him his fifth triple-double this season (11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds). It also tied him with Chris Webber for the most in one season since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985-86.

Rondo had 13 points, 17 assists and eight rebounds in a 108-106 win in Indiana on Dec. 23. Cousins made the tiebreaking free throws with 1:05 remaining and finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds.

Darren Collison had a season-high 24 points in Sacramento's third consecutive win in the series.

The Pacers (23-20) will try to end that skid and avoid their fifth loss in six contests. They won 97-94 against scuffling Phoenix in Tuesday's midpoint of a four-game trip but fell 122-110 to league-best Golden State on Friday.

Indiana couldn't recover from a 25-8 deficit in the opening seven minutes, but Myles Turner was a bright spot with a season-high 31 points. The first-round draft pick is averaging 23.7 points while shooting 73.2 percent (30 of 41) on this road trip.

"I thought we played a good basketball game. We just didn't get off to a good start," coach Frank Vogel said. "We won the final three quarters, and I was proud with how our guys competed."

Monta Ellis had a team-best 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in last month's loss to the Kings and is averaging 20.7 while shooting 50.0 percent in his past three games. He shot 8 of 14 and finished with 18 points in Friday's loss.

Pacers starting point George Hill may return after a three-game absence following the birth of his son. He had 20 points in the loss in December.

Sacramento hasn't won five straight since Oct. 31-Nov. 7, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (9-36) at Trail Blazers (19-26)

Date: January 23, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers spent part of Friday's practice debating what kind of reception Kobe Bryant will get in his final game in the Rose City.

After all, Bryant broke loyal Trail Blazers fans' hearts by helping knock off their beloved team in the 2000 Western Conference finals.

Whether the Trail Blazers defeat the Lakers for the eighth straight time will be an afterthought Saturday night, as Bryant appears in Portland for the last time.

Bryant's career regular-season average of 27.9 points at Portland is his third-highest on the road against any opponent, although it's his exploits there nearly 16 years ago that still resonate locally.

He was in his fourth season in 1999-2000, as Los Angeles and Portland met in the West finals. He totaled 43 points and 14 assists in two road wins that gave the Lakers a 3-1 series lead before the Trail Blazers evened it to set the stage for a Game 7 triumph in Los Angeles in which Bryant had 25 points, 11 boards and seven assists.

Portland (19-26) hasn't been that close to the NBA FInals since. Coach Terry Stotts said Friday that he thought the Blazers fans may boo Bryant in a sign of ultimate respect, but some players feel otherwise.

"I think they'll cheer for him, I mean I think you can't help but to cheer for him even though what he did that year to Portland in the playoffs, I'm sure they'll still embrace him very well," forward Maurice Harkless said.

The Trail Blazers took turns praising the retiring legend and his impact on the sport, with Damian Lillard saying he's grown closer to Bryant this season. Still, talk of 2000 wasn't far off anyone's minds among current players who weren't in the NBA back then.

"It's unfortunate it's going to be his last game in the Moda Center," guard C.J. McCollum said. "I know a lot of people appreciate what he's done for the game of basketball except for what he did for us in 2000."

Any memories of Bryant's heroics are just that with the guard shooting an NBA-worst 34.3 percent as he struggles through pain in his final campaign. He scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting in Friday's 108-95 defeat to San Antonio.

Western Conference-worst Los Angeles (9-36) has lost five straight and nine of 10. Rookie D'Angelo Russell scored 18 points and Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams each added 16.

"Nobody played great," coach Byron Scott said. "We played arguably the best team in the NBA tonight."

The Lakers, the NBA's worst shooting team at 41.1 percent, are 1-9 in the second half of back-to-back games.

Portland opened a season-high seven-game homestand with Thursday's 104-98 loss to Atlanta. McCollum scored 28 points for the Blazers, who missed 22 of 31 from 3-point range.

Lillard is averaging 16.0 points on 33.9 percent shooting in his last three games. He totaled 59 points on 47.7 percent shooting with 20 assists in two wins over the Lakers in November.

Portland led by an average of 11.0 points after one quarter in those wins by a total of 26 points. Bryant averaged 19.5 points on 31.0 percent shooting, making 1 of 10 3-pointers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Saturday, January 23 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

New on the NBA schedule this season are eight prime-time Saturday night games spread out over the second half of the season and televised nationally by ABC. ESPN/ABC's No. 1 team of Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Breen and Mark Jackson will work the "Saturday Primetime" games, which will follow a pregame studio show. It's an interesting choice because ESPN already has NBA packages for Friday night and Sunday afternoon -- some games that would have been showcased on Sundays were moved to Saturday nights. Saturday is generally the worst night of the week for TV ratings, but ABC has found success with those marquee Saturday night college football games, and the NBA Saturday games also will be excellent matchups. The good news for bettors is it means five straight nights of national TV games and thus likely live betting options. ESPN has a Wednesday doubleheader and TNT has one Thursdays.


Jazz at Wizards

Celtics at 76ers

Both of these games, to no surprise, were postponed Saturday because of the winter storm pummeling the Northeast. The Celtics-76ers will play Sunday. Philly had opened as an 8.5-point dog for Saturday. Boston leads the season series 2-0, winning both at home. The Wizards swept Utah last year and it's not clear as of this writing when this will be made up. Neither team does play Sunday, but it likely would already have been rescheduled for then.

Knicks at Hornets (TBA)

New York hosted the Clippers on Friday on a two-game winning streak. Charlotte was in Orlando with starters Nic Batum (toe) and Cody Zeller (shoulder) both out. Jeremy Lamb (toe) was questionable. Might be tough for the Knicks and Hornets to get to Charlotte late Friday night with the winter storm in that area. These teams have split two meetings this season, each winning at home. Hornets have won four straight at home vs. New York.

Key trends: The road team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 8-2 in Charlotte's past 10 in the second of a back-to-back.

Early lean: I doubt Batum and Zeller play, so Knicks win on the road.

Bucks at Pelicans (-5, 205.5)

Milwaukee was in Houston on Friday. New Orleans has held its past two opponents to exactly 99 points and won both. It beat Detroit by 16 on Thursday in the Big Easy. Tyreke Evans had 22 points and 10 assists for the Pelicans. He'll be counted on a lot more now with Eric Gordon out 4-6 weeks with a broken right finger on his shooting hand. Norris Cole started for Gordon and had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. New Orleans swept Milwaukee last season and is 13-1 all-time at home in the series.

Key trends: The Bucks are 2-7 ATS in the past nine meetings. The over is 4-0 in the Pelicans' past four.

Early lean: Pelicans and over.

Grizzlies at Timberwolves (+4.5, 198)

This isn't your old Memphis as the Grizzlies have won four straight and scored in triple digits in all of them. They edged the Nuggets in Denver 102-101 on Thursday. Marc Gasol had 27 points, including a go-ahead three-point play with 12.2 seconds left. Guard Tony Allen was a late scratch from the lineup. Minnesota lost a second in a row Wednesday, 106-94 in OT in Dallas. It was Minnesota's 11th loss this season when leading by at least 10 points. That leads the NBA. Wolves lost first meeting with Grizzlies, 114-106 in Minneapolis.

Key trends: The Grizzlies are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 8-2 in the past 10 meetings in Minnesota.

Early lean: Grizzlies and under.

Bulls at Cavaliers (TBA)

This is your ABC debut game. Chicago was in Boston on Friday. Cleveland has won two straight since a home blowout to Golden State. The Cavs looked good on Thursday in beating the visiting Clippers 115-102. LeBron James scored 22 points with 12 assists, while Kevin Love had a second straight strong game with 18 points and 16 rebounds. He was invisible against the Warriors. These teams haven't met since opening night, a Bulls two-point home win. Cleveland has won two straight at home vs. Chicago in the regular season.

Key trends: The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 6-0 in Chicago's past six road games.

Early lean: This is TBA because Jimmy Butler was dealing with an illness on Friday but still expected to play in Boston. Cavs will win this by double-digits.

Hawks at Suns (TBA)

Atlanta's three-game winning streak ended in a 91-88 loss in Sacramento on Thursday (called that one). The Hawks couldn't get a shot off in two crucial possessions in the game's final 13 seconds as their 15-game winning streak in the series ended. Right now, the Suns are easily the NBA's worst team. They were trashed by San Antonio 117-89 in the desert on Thursday, Phoenix's sixth straight loss. It played without four regulars, including starting guard Brandon Knight and forward Markieff Morris. The Hawks won both meetings last season, their first sweep of the Suns since 1991-92.

Key trends: The favorite is 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 5-2 in the Suns' past seven.

Early lean: Have to wait on all those Suns, but it shouldn't be close.

Pistons at Nuggets (+2.5, 206.5)

Detroit lost 115-99 in New Orleans on Thursday in the second of a back-to-back. Andre Drummond had 19 points and 22 rebounds for Detroit. A night after going 13-for-36 from the free-throw line, Drummond was only 3-for-5. Denver lost a second in a row Thursday, 102-101 at home to Memphis. Danilo Gallinari, who led Denver with 17 points, missed a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left. Center Jusuf Nurkic was available to play after missing the previous three with a knee injury but didn't get on the court. Surprising as he was a pleasant surprise as a rookie. Denver has won five straight at home in this series.

Key trends: The favorite is 6-0 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 5-1 in the past six in Denver.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

Lakers at Trail Blazers (-9.5, 205.5)

Los Angeles was home almost surely losing to San Antonio on Friday. I would be slightly surprised if Kobe Bryant plays here in the second of a back-to-back. Although this is his final trip to Portland, so he might feel obligated to do so. The Blazers lost at home to Atlanta on Wednesday, 104-98 to start an eight-game homestand. Portland has won both of its games against the Lakers this season, the team's third consecutive season with at least two wins against L.A. Damian Lillard has averaged 29.5 points and 10.0 assists against the Lakers this season. Bryant has averaged 27.9 points in 31 career games against the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

Key trends: The favorite is 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 5-1 in the past six.

Early lean: Blazers and under.

Pacers at Kings (TBA)

Indiana was at Golden State on Friday. Don't look now, but the Kings are a playoff team as things stand. They ended that 15-game losing streak to Atlanta with a 91-88 win on Thursday. DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 15 rebounds and Rajon Rondo his fifth triple-double of the season with 11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Second-leading scorer Rudy Gay missed the game with a heel injury. The Kings have won three straight in the series after a 108-106 win in Indianapolis on Dec. 23.

Key trends: The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 5-2 in the past seven meetings.

Early lean: TBA for Gay and Indiana's George Hill and Ian Mahinmi. Hill is likely to play here but not Friday due to personal reasons, but Mahinmi was questionable for Friday with an ankle injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Saturday's hot teams
-- Bucks won three of their last four games (8-4 last 12AU). New Orleans won four of its last five gaames (5-7HF).
-- Grizzlies won six of their last seven games (5-4AF).
-- Cleveland is 30-11 but fired its coach yesterday (5-2 last 7HF).
-- Hawks won three of their last four games (2-7 last 9AF).
-- Sacramento won its last four games (6-6HF).
-- Portland won four of its last six games (5-4HF).

Cold teams
-- New York lost their last three road games. Hornets lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Minnesota lost 11 of last 12 games (4-9-1HU).
-- Chicago lost six of its last eight games (5-7AU).
-- Suns lost their last six games, covering once.
-- Pistons lost four of their last six games (2-6AF). Nuggets lost three of last four games (6-2-1 last 9HU).
-- Pacers lost four of their last five games (2-5 last 7AU).
-- Lakers lost their last five games (10-15AU).

Series records
-- Knicks lost four of last five games with Charlotte.
-- Bucks lost their last five games with New Orleans.
-- Grizzlies won five of last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games with Chicago.
-- Hawks won last two games with Phoenix by 27-9 points.
-- Pistons lost eight of last ten games with Denver.
-- Pacers lost their last three games with Sacramento.
-- Lakers lost their last seven games with Portland.

Totals
-- Five of last six New York games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Milwaukee games stayed under.
-- Last six Memphis games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Chicago games went over total.
-- Five of last six Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Detroit games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Indiana games went over total.
-- Five of last six Laker-Portland games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- New York is 5-4 vs spread if it played night before. Charlotte is 1-6 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Milwaukee is 9-2 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Indiana is 0-4 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Lakers are 6-4 vs spread if they played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Two spot bets the wiseguys are looking to wager this week
By BEN BURNS

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Covers Expert Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Lookahead spot

The Villanova Wildcats have a Big East Saturday showdown against Providence this week, a battle between two ranked teams that will go a long way in deciding how the conference trickles down. But before the Wildcats host the Friars, they have to make the trip next door to New Jersey Wednesday.

Villanova visits Seton Hall in a possible lookahead spot for Jay Wright’s kids. The Pirates, while not ranked, are no pushovers. Seton Hall is 8-1 at home with a 5-3 ATS record in those lined games. The Pirates have had the Wildcats’ number in recent home dates with Villanova, going 4-1 ATS in their last five against their Big East rivals inside the Prudential Center.

Schedule spot

Sometimes a road trip can be a good thing, especially when it pertains to a team struggling at home. Getting out of town can take some of the pressure off the club, which is something the Minnesota Wild are hoping for with their current four-game road swing, which opened with a 3-0 shutout loss in Nashville Saturday - extending their losing skid to four games.

Since then, the Wild have had some time to refocus and travel to the left side of the country for three games against West Coast teams. Minnesota picks up in Anaheim Wednesday, then faces Los Angeles Thursday, before closing this trek in San Jose Saturday. The Wild opened the season with a similar stretch, playing at Arizona, L.A. and Anaheim in a period of four days, going 1-1-1 in that span.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College basketball betting TV guide: Must-watch, must-wager games
By STEVE MERRIL

College basketball is in full swing with conference play shaping the field for the NCAA tournament. Steve Merril has scoured the schedule for the must-watch, must-wager games for each day on the college hoops calendar so that you don’t miss any of the action.

Saturday – Arizona Wildcats at California Golden Bears (ESPN)

The Pac-12 has been a conference full of parity this season. The teams have been highly competitive from top to bottom, and road teams have had a difficult time. The Wildcats have already lost at UCLA and at USC, and they’ll play at Stanford prior to this game. California will be glad to be back at home after losing three straight games on the road. The Golden Bears host Arizona State prior to this game. They will go into that game with a perfect 11-0 SU record on their home court.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Jan. 23 Opening Lines
by Alan Matthews

I mentioned earlier this week that I felt obligated to preview every game played by No. 8 SMU going forward as the Mustangs are college basketball's only unbeaten left. And I actually think Coach Larry Brown's team had a good shot of falling Saturday evening at Temple. Alas, that game was postponed by that winter storm crushing the Northeast -- as have some others, including No. 16 Providence at No. 4 Villanova -- so it will now be played Sunday. I believe that increases Temple's chances even more, by the way. But since I can't look at that game for a busy Saturday, here are three others.


No. 20 Duke at NC State (+2.5)

A 2 p.m. ET start on CBS -- assuming the game is played as the Carolinas are being blasted by the winter storm too. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski might want the game postponed to get his guys more practice time as the Blue Devils (14-5, 3-3) have stunningly lost three in a row for the first time since the 2006-07 team dropped its final four games. That was also the last time Duke fell out of the Top 25, and that will happen for sure with another loss here; it might even with a close win. Duke, which hadn't lost three straight to unranked teams since the 1968-69 season, was beaten 64-62 at home by Syracuse on Monday. There's still a ton of talent on this team, but it's a very thin group since losing big man Amile Jefferson to a foot injury. He remains out indefinitely. Monday's loss to the Orange was already Duke's fifth, on Jan. 18. The last time a Blue Devils team had five losses on Jan. 18 was in 1995-96. The post-game news conference of the year was when Coach K addressed the media following that loss as he kept saying the word "amazing" instead of criticizing the refs for what he thought was blown call in the final seconds. Well-played, Coach K!

NC State (11-8, 1-5 ACC) has way too much talent to be 1-5 in the ACC, but maybe the Wolfpack are about to turn things around following a 78-61 win Tuesday at Pittsburgh, which is never an easy place to win. ACC leading scorer Anthony "Cat" Barber had 31 points for NCSU. He just hasn't been getting much support. Barber did vs. Pitt as Abdul-Malik Abu had 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Wolfpack have beaten the Blue Devils in Raleigh in three of the last four meetings, including when Duke was ranked No. 2 last season, 87-75.

Key trends: NC State is 2-5 ATS in its past seven following a win. It is 1-4 ATS in its past five at home. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings.

I'm leaning: Just can't see the Blue Devils dropping four straight. Take Duke.

No. 7 Maryland at No. 11 Michigan State (-3.5)

Big Ten game at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. And I'm sticking with a theme here of a potential national title contender on a shocking three-game losing streak as that's also the case with former No. 1 team Michigan State (16-4, 3-4), although I always thought Sparty was a tad overrated. This team wasn't supposed to be as good as last year's that surprisingly reached the Final Four. Denzel Valentine was the national player of the year favorite before he went down with an injury that cost him four games. He hasn't been quite as good since returning. You can understand Sparty losing at home to a good Iowa team and even last Sunday at Wisconsin by just a point. But falling in East Lansing to Nebraska on Wednesday shouldn't happen. That was also a one-point loss, and for the second straight game Valentine couldn't deliver a potential winning shot. The Spartans also miss point guard Tum Tum Nair, who has missed the past two due a foot injury and is out indefinitely. His injury has forced Valentine into almost a full-time point guard role.

Maryland (17-2, 6-1) is clearly the Big Ten's most talented team with likely 2016 lottery picks in freshman Diamond Stone and sophomore Melo Trimble. The Terps have won two straight since a close loss at Michigan, but they were lucky to escape at home against Northwestern on Tuesday, winning 62-56 in OT. Stone made a pivotal three-point play with 1:13 left in OT and Maryland won despite scoring only 17 points in the second half. It had 14 in the five-minute overtime. Northwestern took 17 more shots than Maryland and made two more baskets (23-21), but the Terps scored 16 points from the free-throw line compared to five for Northwestern. In conference play, Stone is averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting 65.0 percent from the field. Maryland won both regular-season meetings with MSU last year, but the Spartans won in the Big Ten Tournament.

Key trends: The Terps are 7-2 ATS in their past nine road games. They are 10-3 ATS in their past 13 vs. the Big Ten. MSU is 2-7 ATS in its past nine Big Ten games.

I'm leaning: Maryland.

No. 12 Arizona at California (+2)

Pac-12 matchup at 8:30 pm. ET on ESPN. Arizona (16-3, 4-2) has bounced back from being swept in the Los Angeles swing -- by a combined five points -- with three straight blowout wins. The Wildcats won 71-57 at Stanford on Thursday, their 12th straight victory in the series. Arizona, which entered averaging 93.6 points in Pac-12 games, got 19 points from Gabe York and held Stanford to just 30.6 percent from the field. The Cats remain without two players in Allonzo Trier and Elliott Pitts. Trier was lost for 4-6 weeks recently to a broken right hand. He has missed the past three games. The freshman was averaging 14.8 points and 3.5 assists. Pitts, a reserve, has been out weeks for mysterious reasons.

California (13-6, 3-3) began life without one of its best players on Thursday but beat Arizona State 75-70 to end a three-game losing streak. That player would be senior guard Tyrone Wallace, who will miss 4-6 weeks with broken bone in his hand. He leads the Bears with 15.4 points, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game and is third with 5.1 rebounds per game. The earliest he could return would be Feb. 18 at Washington. Seldom-used Sam Singer moved into the starting lineup vs. ASU and played quite well with six points, six rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes. Cal is 12-0 at home this season. The Bears were blown out by Arizona three times last year.

Key trends: Wildcats are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 after a win. They are 7-3 ATS in their past 10 on the road. Cal is 1-7 ATS in its past 11 following an ATS loss. Arizona is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings.

I'm leaning: Arizona.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Big 12 Tip Sheet
By David Schwab

The Big 12 currently boasts three teams in the first six spots of the AP’s latest Top 25, but that should change following a costly loss earlier this week by all three of these national powers. Turning to this Saturday’s early afternoon college hoops slate, all three teams will get a chance to get back to their winning ways.

No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 13 Baylor Bears (12 p.m. ESPN2)

Betting Point-spread: PICK

Betting Matchup

Oklahoma’s stay at the top spot in the national polls should be brief following this past Monday’s 82-77 loss to Iowa State as a two-point road underdog. It was the seventh time the Sooners failed to cover against the spread in their last eight games. It was also the third-straight game in which they failed to score more than 80 points as opposed to a season-average of 85.7 points per game that is ranked fourth in the nation. Oklahoma is also one of the top rebounding teams in the country with 42.9 a game.

The Bears could make a major jump in the polls with a win on Saturday after going 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games. They did fail to cover their last time out in a 79-72 win against Kansas State as 8 ½-point home favorites and the total went OVER the closing 139 ½-point line. It has now gone OVER in four of six conference games this year. Baylor matches-up well against the Sooners with an average of 80.7 points and 39.9 rebounds a game. It has the third-best shooting percentage (48.1) from the field in the Big 12.

Betting Trends

The Sooners are just 2-12 ATS in their last 14 conference games and they have failed to cover in their last four games played on Saturday. The total has stayed UNDER in 10 of their last 14 road games.

The Bears are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU win, but they are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five Saturday games.

Head-to-head in this Big 12 tilt, Oklahoma has gone 12-3-2 ATS in its last 17 road games against Baylor and the total has UNDER in three of the last five meetings.

No. 6 West Virginia Mountaineers at Texas Tech Red Raiders (1 p.m. ESPNEWS)

Betting Point-spread: West Virginia -2 ½

Betting Matchup

West Virginia is another Big 12 team that should take a tumble in the national rankings after suffering a stunning 56-49 loss to Texas this past Wednesday as a heavy 12-point home favorite. The total stayed well UNDER the 146-point closing line and it has now stayed UNDER in its last four games. This followed a big 74-63 victory over Kansas as a one-point home underdog and a tight 70-68 loss to Oklahoma as a 4 ½-point underdog on the road. Despite this major letdown against the Longhorns, the Mountaineers are still a solid scoring team with 82.3 PPG.

The Red Raiders snapped a SU four-game skid with Monday’s 76-69 victory against TCU as four-point road favorites. They are now 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS in conference play with the total going 3-3 in the six games. Both sophomore forward Justin Gray and junior forward Aaron Ross came off the bench in Monday’s win to combine for 30 points. The entire starting five for Texas Tech in that game combined for a total of 30 points. The bad news is that starting center Norense Odiase broke a bone in his foot and is out indefinitely.

Betting Trends

The Mountaineers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss and they are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games after failing to cover in their previous game. The total has gone OVER in 15 of their last 22 Saturday games.

The Red Raiders are 7-2 ATS in their last nine home games and they have covered ATS in five of their last seven games played on a Saturday. The total has gone OVER in seven of their last 10 games following an ATS win.

The road team in this conference matchup is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five games between these two. West Virginia is 4-0 SU in the last four meetings with a 3-1 record ATS.

Texas Longhorns at No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks (2 p.m. ESPN)

Betting Point-spread: Kansas -9

Betting Matchup

Wednesday’s upset against West Virginia raised the Longhorns’ Big 12 record to 4-2 SU, but they are still just 2-4 ATS in those six games. The total has stayed UNDER in three of their last five games. Despite the big win, Texas still lacks consistency from one game to the next as far as putting points on the board. After scoring just 57 points in a one-point loss to TCU, it went on to put-up 94 points in an upset over Iowa State and 74 points in a win against Oklahoma State in these three previous outings. Junior guard Isaiah Taylor is the team’s leading scorer with 16.4 PPG.

Kansas fell from the top spot in the national rankings with the loss to West Virginia on Jan. 12 and it should slide again following Tuesday’s stunning 89-67 loss to Oklahoma State as a nine-point road favorite. The Jayhawks are now 4-2 SU in conference play with a 2-4 record ATS. The total went OVER 142 against the Cowboys after staying UNDER in their previous three contests. Kansas is averaging 84.8 PPG this season, but this number has dropped dramatically to just 67.3 points over its last four games. Leading scorer Perry Ellis (15.8 PPG) has just 23 combined points in his last two starts.

Betting Trends

The Longhorns have failed to cover in five of their last seven road games and they are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of their last 12 conference games.

The Jayhawks are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following a SU loss and they are 4-1 ATS in their last five Saturday games. The total has stayed UNDER in five of their last seven games played on Saturday.

Kansas has won four of the last five meetings SU with a slight 3-2 edge ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last eight meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's Night Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

Don't miss out on from college basketball winners from Brian Edwards on VegasInsider.com this season. Click to win!

**Maryland at Michigan State**

-- Michigan State (16-4 straight up, 10-9 against the spread) will try to avoid an unfathomable four-game losing streak Saturday night when it takes on Maryland at Breslin Center. As of Friday afternoon, one offshore shop had opened the Spartans as 3.5-point favorites.

-- Tom Izzo’s team lost its third consecutive game Wednesday at home when Nebraska came into East Lansing and won a 72-71 decision as a 14-point road underdog. In his postgame presser, Izzo described his team’s situation as a “mid-life crisis.” Fortunately for the Spartans, they are accustomed to Izzo fixing flaws and getting his team ready to play its best basketball in March.

-- Denzel Valentine produced 24 points, six assists and six rebounds in the losing effort against the Cornhuskers. Eron Harris had 14 points in 22 minutes of playing time, draining all four of his attempts from 3-point range. The Spartans hit 11-of-18 shots (61.1%) from downtown and enjoyed the rebounding advantage (35-31). However, just as Izzo noted in his postgame presser, Nebraska shot at a 50.0 percent clip (29-of-58) from the field.

-- Since returning from an injury that kept him out for four games, Valentine is scoring at a 17.8 points-per-game clip. For the season, the senior slasher is averaging 18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

-- Maryland (17-2 SU, 9-10 ATS) is one-half game back of the Big Ten co-leaders, Indiana and Iowa, both of whom remain undefeated in league play. The Terrapins improved to 6-1 in Big Ten action with Tuesday’s 62-56 win over Northwestern in overtime. They failed to cover the number as 12-point home ‘chalk.’ Melo Trimble scored 18 points and dished out six assists, while Robert Carter tallied 10 points, 14 rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and one steal. Diamond Stone was also in double figures with 11 points in only 15 minutes of playing time.

-- Like Valentine, Trimble is a likely All-American selection. The sophomore guard is averaging 13.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Stone is averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Carter is scoring at a 13.2 PPG clip and pulling down a team-best 7.0 RPG.

-- Michigan State has won eight of its 10 home games, posting a 5-4 spread record.

-- If the line holds and Maryland is an underdog, it’ll be just its second such spot this year. The Terps lost 89-81 at North Carolina as 7.5-point ‘dogs.

-- Michigan State is No. 30 in the RPI Rankings, going 4-2 against the Top 50 and 6-3 versus the Top 100. The Spartans’ top four wins including home victories over Florida and Louisville, in addition to neutral-court scalps of Kansas and Providence.

-- Maryland is No. 9 in the RPI Rankings, but it is winless in a pair of games against Top-50 opponents. The Terps lost 89-81 at North Carolina and 70-67 at Michigan. They have five Top-100 wins, including a neutral-floor triumph over UConn.

-- The ‘under’ is 11-8 overall for Michigan State, 6-3 in its home games.

-- Totals have been an overall wash for Maryland (9-9), but it has seen the ‘under’ go 3-1 in its four true road assignments. The ‘under’ has cashed at a 6-2 clip for the Terps in their last eight outings.

-- ESPN will have the broadcast at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

**Arizona at California**

-- Arizona (16-3 SU, 11-8 ATS) is tied for second place in the Pac-12 with Southern Cal and Oregon, with each team one game back of league-leading Washington. The Wildcats are 4-2 in conference action, while the Golden Bears are 3-3 in league play. As of Friday afternoon, one offshore book had UA favored by two points.

-- Since losing back-to-back games at UCLA and at USC two weeks ago, Sean Miller’s team has won three in a row both SU and ATS. Arizona thumped Stanford 71-57 as a 5.5-point road favorite Thursday night in Palo Alto. Gabe York hit four treys and finished with a game-high 19 points. Ryan Anderson added 18 points and eight rebounds, making all seven of his shots from the floor and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. The Wildcats destroyed the Cardinal on the glass with a 41-25 rebounding advantage.

-- Anderson is UA’s leading scorer (15.0 PPG) who averages a double-double (10.1 RPG) and is shooting at a 57.1 percent clip from the field. Anderson, a transfer from Boston College, is draining 40.0 percent of his launches from 3-point range.

-- Arizona freshman guard Allonzo Trier is averaging 14.8 PPG, while York is scoring at a 13.7 PPG clip. Senior center Kaleb Tarczewski is averaging 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

-- Arizona is the best rebounding team in the Pac-12 and ranks eighth in the country in rebounding margin (11.3).

-- California (13-6 SU, 9-10 ATS) is undefeated in 12 home games with a 7-5 spread record. However, Cuonzo Martin’s squad won’t have its leader in scoring and assists, as Tyrone Wallace (14.5 PPG, 4.5 APG) will miss his second straight game with a broken bone in his hand. Wallace isn’t expected to return until late February at the earliest.

-- Without Wallace for the first time all year, California snapped a three-game losing streak by knocking off Arizona St. 75-70 as a seven-point home favorite Thursday night. Ivan Rabb was the catalyst with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots. Jaylen Brown added 17 points despite fouling out and playing only 20 minutes due to foul trouble. Jabari Bird contributed 10 points and eight rebounds, while Sam Singer dished out eight assists and pulled down six boards. Jordan Matthews was also in double figures with 10 points.

-- Martin pulled a monster recruiting class last year, hauling in a pair of consensus Top-10 players in Brown and Rabb. Both have been ‘as advertised’ to date. Brown is averaging 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Rabb is averaging 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Rabb, the 6’10” Oakland product from Bishop O’Dowd High School, has a team-best 27 blocked shots and is making 64.6 percent of his shots from the field.

-- Arizona is No. 26 in the RPI Rankings, going 2-3 versus the Top 50 and 6-3 against the Top 100. The Wildcats own road wins at Arizona St., at Stanford and at Gonzaga. They have a pair of wins over a likely NCAA Tournament team in Boise St. and blasted Washington by 32 points at home.

-- Cal is No. 48 in the RPI, compiling a 4-3 record against the Top 50 and a 5-5 mark versus the Top 100. The Golden Bears owns quality victories at home over Saint Mary’s, Davidson, Colorado, Utah and ASU. There was no shame in a 63-62 loss at Virginia and a 68-65 setback at Oregon.

-- Arizona has won four in a row both SU and ATS in this rivalry, including a 73-50 win at Cal on Jan. 24 of last season. The Wildcats beat the Golden Bears three times last year by margins of 23, 39 and 22 points.

-- The ‘over’ is 13-6 overall for the Wildcats after cashing in seven of their last eight contests.

-- The ‘under’ is 10-9 overall for the Golden Bears, 7-5 in their home games. However, they have seen the ‘over’ cash in three straight outings.

-- The ‘over’ has hit at a 20-8 clip in the last 28 head-to-head meetings between these long-time conference rivals.

-- Tip-off in Berkeley is slated for 8:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Gonzaga is in legit danger of perhaps missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since Mark Few took over the program in 2000. The Bulldogs dropped a 70-67 decision Thursday night at Saint Mary’s, but they did cover the number as five-point underdogs. Few’s team played its standard non-conference schedule featuring heavyweights like Washington, Arizona, UCLA, Texas A&M, UConn and Tennessee. But the Bulldogs are 0-4 against the RPI Top 50 and lost at home to BYU. We should note that Gonzaga’s five losses have come by just 15 combined points. The ‘Zags lost by one to the Aggies and the Cougars.

-- Since covering the spread in its first 12 games, Saint Mary’s has failed to cover the spread in three consecutive games.

-- If Monmouth (14-5 SU) doesn’t win its conference tournament, it is going to be an interesting case for the selection committee. The Hawks have quality wins galore, including road wins over teams in the Big Ten, Big East and Pac-12. They beat USC and Notre Dame on neutral courts, won by double digits at Georgetown and knocked off UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in the season opener. But Monmouth lost at Manhattan on Thursday night and also has defeats at Canisius and at Army.

-- Texas will be looking to pull a second straight upset on the road Saturday when it goes to Lawrence for a 2:00 p.m. Eastern tip. The Longhorns went into Morgantown on Wednesday night and beat West Virginia by a 56-49 count as 12-point underdogs. They’ll be significant ‘dogs again at Kansas.

-- Fresh off its fourth consecutive victory in Big Ten play, Nebraska will attempt to cover the number for the sixth straight time when it hosts Michigan on ESPN2 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

-- Florida has won back-to-back games since losing at heartbreaker at Texas A&M. The Gators will collide with Auburn on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on the SEC Network. Bruce Pearl’s team brings plenty of confidence to the O-Dome after scoring consecutive home wins over Kentucky and Alabama.

-- Ole Miss might be without three starters for Saturday’s game at Mississippi State. Stefan Moody, the SEC’s leading scorer, is ‘questionable’ due to a hamstring strain.

-- If you don’t get the Pac-12 Network (Arizona State at Stanford at 11:00 p.m.), the last televised game on the board will be UNLV at Nevada. This game will tip at 10:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU. The Rebels are unbeaten in three games since firing head coach Dave Rice.

-- Can you name the mascot of the nation’s best ATS team? If you can, that’s impressive. If you can’t, it’s the IUPU-Ft. Wayne Mastodons, who are 14-2 versus the number. They host IUPUI at 7:00 p.m. Easter on Saturday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Saturday's games..........

UConn won three of last four games with Georgetown, losing in double OT in last meeting three years ago. Hoyas won seven of last nine games; they're 4-2 in true road games, losing by 4 at Maryland, 13 at Creighton. UConn won last two games by 15-18 points; they beat Ohio State by 20, Memphis by 3 in only top 100 home games. Big East teams are 4-0 vs AAC teams this season (3-1 vs spread).

Oklahoma won five of last seven games with Baylor; Sooners won two of last three visits to Waco. Bears won last five games overall, are 3-0 in Big X home games, winning by 17-28-7ot points. Oklahoma lost two of three Big X road games with only win by hoop at Oklahoma State- they lost in triple OT at Kansas, by 5 at Iowa State. Big X home underdogs are 5-5 vs spread. Sooners are shooting 45.7% on arc, best in US.

Kansas won 13 of last 16 games with Texas, winning last four here, by 10-26-31-5 points. Jayhawks lost two of last three games, losing by 19 at Oklahoma State last game, when they were outscored 43-29 in second half. Last eight Texas games were decided by 8 or less points; Longhorns won last three, winning last game at West Va. Big X home underdogs of 8+ points are 4-5 vs spread. Texas is 2-2 on road, losses by 1-8 points.

Duke lost its last three games by total of nine points, could fall out of top 25 with loss in this game, vs NC State team they've beaten 14 of last 17 meetings, winning last eight played here, seven by 13+ points. Duek is 2-1 as ACC road favorite. Wolfpack upset Pitt for first ACC win in six tries; they're 0-2 in ACC home games, losing by 5-7 points. ACC home underdogs of 6 or less points are 6-2 vs spread.

Nebraska won its last four games after starting 0-3 in Big 14; Huskers are 0-5 vs Michigan in Big 14 play, losing by 1-16 in games played in Lincoln. Michigan split last four games after starting season 12-3; its one Big 14 road win in three tries was by 10 at Illinois. Michigan is shooting 40.2% on arc in league play. Big 14 home teams are 4-9 vs spread in games where spread was 5 or less points.

UCLA is 3-2 in its last five games with Oregon; Bruins lost two of last three visits here, losing by 18 LY. UCLA won three of last four games after getting swept on Washington trip; Bruins are 2-2 in true road tilts, winning at Gonzaga/Oregon State. Ducks are 3-0 in Pac-12 home games, winning by 3-13-8 points; Oregon is 15-4 against the #22 schedule, so they've been tested. Pac-12 home favorites of 5+ points are 7-4.

Louisville won its last two games by 18-19 points since getting upset at Clemson; Cardinals are 4-1, 2nd in ACC- they're 1-3 in true road games, with win by 5 at NC State. Georgia Tech lost four of five games after its 10-3 start; Jackets split pair of home games, with two games decided by total of 7 points. Louisville won 52-51 (-5.5) in Atlanta LY, in teams' first ACC meeting- Cardinals have #3 eFG% defense in country.

Kentucky is 11-2 in last 13 games with Vanderbilt, winning last seven in Rupp Arena, last four all by 9 or less points. Wildcats are 4-2 in SEC, with four of six on road; they swept Mississippi schools at home by 22-6 points. Vandy scored 78 ppg in winning last three games; they're 1-4 in true road games, with three losses by five or less points SEC home favorites are 13-9 against the spread.

Butler-Creighton split first four Big East meetings, going 1-1 in each gym with last three all decided by 5 or less points. Bulldogs' two wins over Creighton LY were by total of 5 points. Butler is 2-5 vs top 50 teams, losing all four Big East games s top 50 teams- they're 2-2 in road games, winning at Cincy, DePaul. Creighton lost two of its three Big East home games. Big East home favorites of 5 or less points are 4-3 vs spread.

Michigan State lost its last three games, but is favored over a Maryland squad that is 11-1 in last 12 games, with only loss by 3 at Michigan. Big 14 home teams are 4-9 vs spread in games where spread was 5 or less points. Spartans are putting foes on foul line most of anyone in league, not getting there much themselves; they miss injured G Nairn. Maryland is 2-2 in true road games, winning at Northwestern, Wisconsin.

Tex-Arlington won last three games with Ark-Little Rock by 4-7-9, with teams splitting two games played here. Teams are tied in loss column on top of Sun Belt. UTA won its three Sun Belt home games by 15-20-27 points. Trojans are 3-1 on Sun Belt, splitting pair of 3-point decisions in last two games. UALR force turnovers 23.3% of time (#10). Sun Belt home favorites of 8 or less points are 7-5 vs spread.

Nevada is 3-2 in last five games with UNLV after Rebels had won eight in row over Wolf Pack before that. UNLV won five of six visits to Reno; they're 3-0 overall since changing coaches, winning at Utah State in last game. Nevada is 3-3 in MW despite playing four of six games on foreign soil; Wolf Pack is 6-1 at home, with only loss by 7 to Boise. Mountain West home underdogs are 4-7 against the spread.

Belmont/Tennessee State are last two unbeatens in OVC, Bruins won 11 of last 12 games with TSU, winning last six played here, with four of six won by 11+ points. Belmont won its last seven games after a 7-6 start, winning all three OVC home games by 26-8-18 points. State won its two OVC home games by 5-6 points; they lost by 5 at Tennessee in only top 100 game this season. OVC home favorites are 16-11 vs spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Big 12 Clash'

Oklahoma at Baylor January 23, 12:00 EST

Baylor Bears riding a five game winning streak (4-1 ATS) enter the contest 15-3 on the year (5-7 ATS) and 5-1 in conference play (4-2 ATS). Bears with four players scoring in double digits lead by Taurean Price (15.0) are netting 80.7 PPG and are solid at keeping the ball out of their own basket allowing opponents 66.6 per/contest on 42.2% from the field, 33.8% from long range. Bears great at protecting home court have won thirteen straight in Waco and sixteen consecutive in front of the frienzied home crowd with a 5-5 ATS mark in lined games.

Oklahoma Sooners losing 82-77 at Iowa State last time out carry a 15-2 (7-8 ATS) record into the game, 1-7 ATS skid overall, 4-2 (1-5 ATS) record within the conference. Lead by last year's BIG XII P.O.Y. Buddy Hield (26.1) along three other double digit scorers the Sooners are dropping 85.7 points/game while allowing opponents 71.6 per/contest. Sooners have struggle away from Norman in true road games going a 4-4 last eight with a 2-6 record against the betting line.

Each team won/covered in its own back yard last season but Sooners remain a commanding 7-4 SU last eleven trips into Waco with a money-grabbing 11-2 record against the betting line.